The Metrolink budget for fiscal year 2027 passed on Nov. 13, and it keeps today’s train schedule in place. The board approved $508.8 million, so the weekday and weekend cuts proposed earlier this fall will not take effect.
What the Metrolink budget includes
The spending plan is about 0.65% larger than last year’s. Of the total, $355.3 million covers operations and $153.5 million covers capital work. Headcount stays flat, according to Metrolink’s announcement.
The money goes mostly to law enforcement, security, fleet maintenance and railroad infrastructure. Metrolink has run under a continuing resolution since July 1, 2026, so this vote ends several months of stopgap funding. The agency carries nearly 700,000 riders a month.
Why the cuts were dropped
The turning point was money from Sacramento. The California State Transportation Agency gave Metrolink a one-time, flexible $20 million from its State Rail Assistance funds. As a result, the agency can cover its gap through fiscal year 2028. Metrolink says the grant prevented schedule cuts that could have begun as early as January 2027.
Earlier plans were steep. The board had advanced a $420 million budget that cut weekday service 29% and weekend service 40%, or about 32% overall compared with the 2025 schedule. The Antelope Valley Line would have lost 67% of weekend trains. Orange County would have lost about half its weekend service, including weekday trains to Oceanside. We covered the delay in an earlier report, Metrolink Service Cuts on Hold as Board Delays Vote to Nov. 13.
Behind the proposal were familiar pressures. Ridership remains below pre-pandemic levels, operating costs have risen, and the member agencies that fund the railroad face tighter budgets. Mass Transit reported that the state grant came from a $66 million round of rail awards, the largest piece going to Metrolink.
What riders should expect next
For now, nothing changes. Trains run on the current timetable, and riders do not need to plan around the cuts. Fares are a separate matter. Limited fare adjustments took effect Oct. 5, and the budget announcement does not address fares.
The fix is temporary, however. Metrolink says it still has to settle its long-term funding. The state also expects the agency and its member counties to work with it on lasting solutions. Board Chair Doug Chaffee said that when service was at risk, riders, elected officials and local groups all came together. CEO Darren Kettle said the grant means Metrolink can keep current service after months of uncertainty.
The stable schedule also matters for the 2028 Games, because regional rail will carry many visitors and workers. For wider options, see our guide to Los Angeles and California, and check the Metrolink schedule page before you travel. Our explainer on LA Metro fares covers what other transit costs.