Tustin Metrolink Station

Excellent service. It was my first time taking the metro and I arrived at my first destination but wasn’t sure where to go next and there were several people that didn’t get on the bus due to lack of room but thy have this service where someone drives you to your exact destination in case of any these situations occur! Also, I mentioned I would have to take a certain bus the next week and the driver made sure I would know exactly where to go for next week. I loved this station, and that’s something I don’t say often about public transportation!

If you have a free weekend and don’t know what to do, why not ride the Metrolink to LA Union Station to avoid traffic and parking? My sisters and I rode Metrolink on the Saturday before Cinco de Mayo from Tustin station to LA Union Station. There’s $ 10 weekend pass unlimited and kids under 5 ride free with a paying adult, up to 3 kids per adult, please check the restrictions).
The station is pretty much unmanned but easy to find parking on weekend. The kiosk machine to get the tickets is not very user-​friendly so make sure you allow yourself some time to get there. There can be a long line sometimes. It’s too bad you can’t purchase a head of time.
We caught the first train out from Tustin and arrived at LA Union Station around 10:30am. Walked across to Olvera Street and had some taquitos from Cielito Lindo. Walked around a bit then walked about 15 mins east to Little Tokyo to have udon for lunch from Marugame Monzo. After lunch, browsed around the Little Tokyo and have soft serve ice cream, red bean dango, curry donut, etc. Walked back to Olvera Street and walked pass for another 10 mins into Chinatown. Turned south and picked up Phillipe’s pastrami sandwich and walked back to train station to enjoy while waiting for train to head home. Quick fun food excursion trip with at least 13 000+ steps and at the same time burn what you eat.

I removed 2 stars because there is no free WiFi and not enough ticket machines. Luckily for me I bought a day pass earlier today, right now there are more than 20 people in line waiting to purchase a ticket. Also the machines are old and AWKWARD to use therefore it takes longer to buy tickets. Make sure you arrive at least 15 min ahead (at least) if you are during commute hours to buy a ticket or you will miss the train. The station is clean and filled with commuters. I feel perfectly safe and the signs that directed me to the right platform were easy to understand.

Only 2 ticket machines. One the screen did not work and rhe other was hard to read. let me buy it on line.

Nice, but it needs more and/​or better ticket kiosks, restrooms and Sun shelter. Also note that the kiosks are hard to read in the Sun.

I don’t know how many times I’ve been to this station. I always use it to get to riverside or Buena Park. The metrolink is ideal for someone like me who hates driving and can’t deal with the traffic. They have free overnight parking. The sign says up to 72 hours. There’s always plenty of parking too! The station has a couple of fast food places in front of it which is nice is you’re in a rush and are hungry. The station itself is pretty simple. There are only two tracks: One goes toward San Diego and the other goes north bound and they are clearly marked. The station is fairly clean and I never feel unsafe there. They aren’t any workers at this station but they aren’t really needed. I still use this station whenever I have to go anywhere that’s more than like 30 minutes away.

As far as train stations go, it’s kind of like quick service if one wants to eat a train (well, if it were fast food), since the Amtrak doesn’t stop here and it’s entirely outside unlike the one in Irvine. From my experience, it’s a little bit less buying tickets here than buying tickets in the Irvine station if one wants to take the train to LA when one needs to go to the convention center. The ticket machines are all outside and there isn’t a lobby to buy some kind of ticket like in the Irvine branch, but at least one doesn’t need to take an elevator if they want to go to the northbound track and they can’t climb stairs.
There are a lot of people waiting for everyone when the southbound train arrives so it’s a little hard for your ride to leave when you’re going, but when one gets on the northbound train, not a lot of people get on, so you don’t need to squeeze on.

Parking structure is nice and big, but the ticket machines could be updated. The parking lot can be a bit of a mess sometimes too with all the busses and the fact that it’s sort of part of a strip mall. But it’s a good location for me living in Tustin, being right off of Edinger.

using the actual metrolink service is really easy and a pretty fun adventure… but at this station, there are only 2 ticket machines which makes the ticket buying process an arduous one. def recommend getting here with plenty of time before train departure in order to purchase your tickets and to not miss your train. i was here on a saturday morning and the line for tickets was at least 15 people long — and of course you have ppl that dont understand how to use the machine and/​or need extra time to get their tickets. and if the sun is glaring down on the machine, then it makes the screen that much harder to read. other than the lack of ticket machines though — the station facilities are nice enough and there is plenty of parking/​easy access to the structure. take advantage of the $ 10 weekend all-​day pass ticket if you can!

So awhile back the Tustin station got an upgrade and a new parking structure was built. This allowed for additional capacity which made it much easier to get in and out of the area because you didn’t have to look very far for a open space. The parking is structure is located near the platforms so you don’t need to get there too early before your train arrives. Tip– Always allow for plenty of time to get your ticket before boarding, there are only two ticket machines and a line can form 10 mins before a train is expected to arrive. Other than that the station is located off of Edinger near jamboree which is also close to the 5 freeway.

Metrolink is a great train service and I use it to get from oceanside to this station. It’s a very clean station and doesn’t have homeless people sleeping on the benches. It also doesn’t have many stairs which is nice.
Today I was going to get on the train and when I got there, there was a power outage, it was practically pitch black, the machines weren’t working and when the power did turn back on the machines still didn’t work.
Also I wasn’t able to get on the train because it literally stops for 20 seconds! Like the people getting off the train weren’t even down the 20 steps to get off the platform when it left. Absolutely ridiculous. Anyways, the place is nice and all but just crazy how little time they give you.

Love when I can take the metro from here to visit the boyfriend in riverside!
The station is clean and safe. I love that you don’t have to bother with a long flight of stairs to get to the other side of the track like you do at some other stations. Lazy people rejoice! A pedestrian underpass makes it easy for you to get to the other side. There’s a big parking structure with plenty of parking; you can leave your car for up to 72 hours and I feel perfectly safe leaving my car there overnight!
It’s true that there are no workers at this station so you are left on your own to figure things out if it’s your first time, but it’s so easy that you kind of have to mess up on your own to miss your train or wait at the wrong track! Buy your ticket from the machine; it’s not that hard to figure it out. I had no problem reading the options on the screen and choosing my location I was headed to. Then go to the track that says the direction that your train will be going and wait! You can always check twitter on your phone to make sure your train is on time! Then enjoy your ride :)

Nice clean station with free parking. I like that they have a $ 10 all day pass on the weekends. Got on the metro for the first time and took it all way to Los Angeles Union Station. Estimated time was 1hr and 30min. We got there in 55min. Can’t complain.
Train was very clean and had enough seating downstairs and upstairs.
I will take advantage of $ 10 deal again.

I’m from NY so the trains there are a lot more frequent but for California standards, the metrolink is pretty awesome. Def cleaner than the NY trains and the best part about this train is that they have a quiet car. One train car dedicated to silence.
After a hard days work it’s nice to tap your neighbor and say «shhhh this is the quiet car».

So much parking I can’t even handle it. I love that I will never have to stress about finding a parking spot.
This station is clean, safe, and easily accessible. The only con would be sometimes this station smells like pee. Straight-​up-​a-​man-​just-​whipped-​it-​out-​and-​peed-​in-​a-​corner-​up-​in-​your-​nostrils-​smells-​so-​bad-​pee.

The pluses: nice new train station, clean fast trains. Adequate parking. The minuses: no manned ticket booth at this station and only two dodgy ticket kiosks. Would not take my credit card so bring cash. You cannot buy a ticket on the train. Also the kiosks use weird «r» codes so you have to know these before you step up to the kiosk or you will like me be befuddled. Also as the sun sets it washes out the screen so be prepared to squint. These are the only two machines so if they go down you are SOL. On friday the bus from the university drops off hoards of kids going home for the weekend so do yourself a favor and buy a ticket in advance or otherwise be prepared to suffer a long wait to purchase a tickets. Mine took 45 minutes. Two points for the station, train and parking, 3 off for the ticket hassle.

This is somewhat of a unique station by way of its design and how it is used. Ratings and reviews can easily range from very good to very bad depending on what type of rider you are.
I am a regular rider and thus a monthly pass holder. Not having to purchase a ticket on a per ride basis is a much appreciated convenience. This station amplifies this convenience on Fridays when there is a long line of students at the machines. As such, my review of this station is favorable.
The station is clean and has a fee free parking structure onsite. A pedestrian underpass connects both platforms together. There are no restrooms onsite but there is a gas station convenience store nearby. Purchase some chips, a drink, or ice cream in return for restroom usage. Also within walking distance are a couple of chain fast food restaurant.
The pedestrian underpass is any interesting feature of this station. During the summer time, there is not much protection from the intense sun on the platform. People usually retreat below to the underpass for relief. It also serves as shelter for those who were caught off guard by the rain. The only downside is that for some who have to go, it is a more comfortable place to go. The upside is that this station appears to be well maintained because foul odors are gone by the next day.
The platform otherwise is functional. If there is room for improvement, it can provide riders additional protection from the elements and more seating. Though at present, I do not have issue with seating on the clean appearing ground.
As for the ticket machines, it seems that Metrolink has rotated the second machine in what appears to be a response to feedback about a (sun) glare problem. There still remains the ‘not enough machines’ problem on Friday afternoons. On Fridays, students from the nearby university take OCTA bus to the station and the influx results in long lines at the machines. For those needing a fare for the Inland Empire, they most likely will not be having a good time as they have to worry if they would be getting their ticket in time for the inbound train. For those needing a fare to LA Union Station, they have plenty of time.

I want to use public transportation to commute to downtown LA so bad, why is it such a pain?
I showed up at the station, free parking, great. When I tried to buy a ticket, the two Metrolink machines there were out of order. I was told I could buy a ticket on the train, but cash only. Ugh, so I run to the ATM at the gas station close by.
The train was crowded but people were mellow (6am train).
Also, found out not all trains have bike cars, check the schedule.
Station is nice and clean though.

Pros: Close to home, during the weekends is $ 10 for all weekend pass
Cons: None that I can think of
I’ve hopped on the Metrolink a couple times from this station. The station itself is pretty convenient because it’s down the street from my place and they have a pretty big parking structure. Cool thing is if you’re making multiple trips out to LA for the weekend you can buy a $ 10 pass for use throughout the whole weekend. Pretty sweet.
The station is right next to a gas station too so if your car needs gas right after your arrival or before your departure, its pretty awesome.

The City of Tustin deserves plaudits for investing in its public transit, even though this station is practically in Irvine. The new parking structure is beautiful, the placement next to two major arterials is good, and the retail development next door is certainly better than Irvine Station’s.
The ped tunnel here is WAY better than the Irvine (and Santa Ana) station’s multi-​story bridge, too. Those extra two minutes are going to matter when you’re running late due to the…
Awful, awful ticket buying situation. Two machines. One probably illegible because of the sun’s glare since the LA-​OC line only runs during rush hours (read: sunset). To be fair, this problem is endemic to Metrolink even in LAUS, but missing a train because I had to wait 10 minutes in line to buy a ticket is unacceptable when there are only two trains a day heading up to LAUS in the PM hours.