C Line (Los Angeles Metro)

C Line (Los Angeles Metro)

Company type	Public transit
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	August 12, 1995 (1995-08-12)
Headquarters	Los Angeles , United States
Area served	Southwestern Los Angeles County, California
Products	Light rail transit service
Website	www.metro.net

C Line Overview

The C Line—known as the Green Line before 2020—is a light rail transit corridor situated in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. It links the Los Angeles neighborhood of Westchester with the city of Norwalk. Since its inauguration on August 12, 1995, it has been one of the six lines comprising the Los Angeles Metro Rail network. Along its path, the line serves important municipalities such as Downey, Hawthorne, and Lynwood, in addition to unincorporated areas within South Los Angeles, including Athens, Del Aire, and Willowbrook.

The line is fully grade-separated and predominantly follows the median of Interstate 105 (Century Freeway), featuring elevated structures like viaducts, embankments, and open trenches along its western portion. This configuration classifies it as a light metro within the broader Metro Rail light rail system. A complimentary shuttle bus service connects the western endpoint at the LAX/Metro Transit Center to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

On November 3, 2024, operational modifications were implemented to facilitate pre-revenue testing at the then-forthcoming LAX/Metro Transit Center, which officially commenced service on June 6, 2025. During this period, the C Line's western terminus was temporarily relocated to Aviation/Century station, while a southern segment of the K Line was introduced between Aviation/Century and Redondo Beach station. After the LAX/Metro Transit Center began operations, the C Line now concludes there, with the K Line providing continuous service through this hub. The forthcoming LAX Automated People Mover, anticipated to launch in 2026, will offer direct connections from the transit center to airport terminals.

Route description

The C Line operates entirely on a grade-separated alignment, mainly traversing an elevated guideway along the median of Interstate 105 (Century Freeway). Its western terminus is located at the LAX/Metro Transit Center, where it shares facilities with the K Line and provides access to numerous bus routes, including the free LAX Shuttle Route M servicing Los Angeles International Airport terminals. The route briefly descends into an open trench near LAX runways before diverging from the K Line at a rail wye situated west of Aviation/Imperial station.

From this junction eastward, the C Line continues along the Century Freeway median, connecting with the J Line bus rapid transit system at Harbor Freeway station. Further along, it reaches a significant transfer point at Willowbrook/Rosa Parks station, enabling connections with the light rail A Line, before terminating at Norwalk station close to the intersection with the San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605). A non-revenue track connection at Willowbrook/Rosa Parks permits train movements between C Line and A Line tracks for maintenance purposes.

Travelers can access Downtown Los Angeles by transferring to either the J Line at Harbor Freeway station or the A Line at Willowbrook/Rosa Parks station. Additionally, Metro Bus Express services are available from Norwalk station. For passengers seeking to reach destinations served by Metrolink, including Downtown Los Angeles via Union Station as well as cities in Orange County and Riverside County, transfers can be made from Norwalk Transit route 4 to reach the nearby Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs station.

On November 3, 2024, service changes resulted in rerouting the C Line’s western terminus to Aviation/Century station instead of extending to its previous endpoint at Redondo Beach station. The K Line assumed control over the former western segment of the C Line west of the wye and now operates southward to Redondo Beach. The newly opened LAX/Metro Transit Center, inaugurated on June 6, 2025, currently serves as the western terminus for the C Line.

Operating Hours and Service Frequency

Time	4-7A	8A-8P	9-12A
Weekdays	10		20
Weekends and Holidays	20	10	20

Velocity

Within the Los Angeles Metro system, the C Line stands as the quickest light rail route, with trains reaching speeds up to along the median of the I-105 freeway. Distinct from other lines like the A Line, it benefits from complete grade separation, extended distances between stations, and a predominantly linear path.

Spanning in just 34 minutes, the C Line maintains an average speed of , which is 43% quicker than the A Line and 81% faster compared to the E Line.

List of Stations

The C Line comprises 11 stations arranged west to east:

Station	Opening Date	City/Neighborhood	Key connections and remarks
Template:LAMs	June 6, 2025	Los Angeles (Westchester)	Template:LACMTA icon Template:Rint LAX accessible via LAX Shuttle Template:Rint LAX Automated People Mover (scheduled for 2026) Shuttle bus service to SoFi Stadium
Template:LAMs	November 3, 2024		Template:LACMTA icon
Template:LAMs	August 12, 1995		Park-and-ride: 435 spaces
Template:LAMs		Hawthorne	Park-and-ride: 362 spaces
Template:LAMs			Park-and-ride: 506 spaces
Template:LAMs		Athens	Park-and-ride: 155 spaces
Template:LAMs		South Los Angeles	Template:LACMTA icon Park-and-ride: 253 spaces
Template:LAMs			Park-and-ride: 160 spaces
Template:LAMs	July 14, 1990	Willowbrook	Template:LACMTA icon Park-and-ride: 234 spaces
Template:LAMs	August 12, 1995	Lynwood	Park-and-ride: 635 spaces
Template:LAMs		Downey	Park-and-ride: 403 spaces
Template:LAMs		Norwalk	Park-and-ride: 1,759 spaces

Passenger Usage

Yearly Ridership Figures

Year	Ridership	%± Change	<timeline> ImageSize = width:auto height:250 barincrement:30 PlotArea = left:30 bottom:15 top:11 right:15 AlignBars = justify Period = from:0 till:15 TimeAxis = orientation:vertical Colors = id:gray value:gray(0.5) id:line1 value:gray(0.9) id:line2 value:gray(0.7) ScaleMajor = start:0 increment:1 gridcolor:line2 ScaleMinor = start:0 increment:1 gridcolor:line1 PlotData= color:green width:22 bar:2009 from:start till:11.721935 bar:2010 from:start till:12.241883 bar:2011 from:start till:12.808530 bar:2012 from:start till:13.931830 bar:2013 from:start till:13.499453 bar:2014 from:start till:12.967235 bar:2015 from:start till:12.058903 bar:2016 from:start till:10.980323 bar:2017 from:start till:9.961716 bar:2018 from:start till:9.510211 bar:2019 from:start till:9.131806 bar:2020 from:start till:4.757506 bar:2021 from:start till:4.430484 bar:2022 from:start till:5.670634 bar:2023 from:start till:6.262604 bar:2024 from:start till:6.844760 </timeline>

|-

|2009 || 11,721,935 || —

|-

|2010 || 12,241,883 || Template:Change

|-

|2011 || 12,808,530 || Template:Change

|-

|2012 || 13,931,830 || Template:Change

|-

|2013 || 13,499,453 || Template:Change

|-

|2014 || 12,967,235 || Template:Change

|-

|2015 || 12,058,903 || Template:Change

|-

|2016 || 10,980,323 || Template:Change

|-

|2017 || 9,961,716 || Template:Change

|-

|2018 || 9,510,211 || Template:Change

|-

|2019 || 9,131,806 || Template:Change

|-

|2020 || 4,757,506 || Template:Change

|-

|2021 || 4,430,484 || Template:Change

|-

|2022 || 5,670,634 || Template:Change

|-

|2023 || 6,262,604 || Template:Change

|}

History

In 1972, Caltrans committed to constructing the Century Freeway (Interstate 105), incorporating a transit corridor within its median to lessen impacts on surrounding communities. The development of a light rail line commenced in 1987, designed to link Gateway Cities along the freeway with the aerospace center in El Segundo. This included a fully elevated segment aligned with the Harbor Subdivision.

The project's scope was influenced by several compromises: Caltrans abandoned a planned link to the Metrolink station, and an initial branch to LAX was omitted due to concerns about ridership levels and FAA objections regarding overhead wires interfering with flight paths. Ultimately, plans for extending service to LAX were dropped amid local ambivalence.

The line officially began operations on August 12, 1995, opening more than a year behind schedule and exceeding its budget by $950 million. By that time, the aerospace industry in El Segundo had diminished, reducing the line’s practical value and leading critics to dub it "the train to nowhere." Initially running single-car trains, ridership steadily increased, reaching nearly 13 million passengers in 2014, supported by 5,100 park-and-ride spaces and rising congestion on nearby freeways. This growth prompted Metro to introduce two-car trains; however, platform constraints west of the freeway limit train length.

Although ridership on the C Line has been lower than that of the A Line, it surpassed the L Line until 2013. Stations situated within freeway medians have presented challenges, as riders must use stairs or elevators to access platforms from isolated and noisy environments. While elevators ensure accessibility, they frequently experience malfunctions and cleanliness issues; escalators typically require maintenance and on the C Line are generally available only for descending passengers.

Overhead line replacement

Beginning August 12, 2023, Los Angeles Metro launched a multi-phase initiative to replace the C Line’s overhead wires after nearly three decades of service. This work necessitated temporary segment closures with bus shuttles providing alternate transportation. The initial closures occurred from August 12–19 between Redondo Beach and Hawthorne/Lennox, followed by a second phase from August 20–September 24 covering Redondo Beach to Aviation/Imperial.

Integration with the K Line

Multiple service configurations were considered to integrate the new K Line with the existing C Line, all involving shared track segments and infrastructure. Early proposals that involved trains traveling through all three branches of the connecting wye were dismissed due to concerns about excessive wear on track switches.

The final operational plan represented a compromise balancing passenger needs, operational efficiency, and Metro board considerations. In 2018, despite staff recommendations favoring a single continuous line from Expo/Crenshaw to Norwalk with shuttle transfers serving Redondo Beach riders, the Metro Board approved a one-year pilot combining an Expo-to-Norwalk route with a separate Redondo Beach-to-Willowbrook/Rosa Parks line. Although this approach increased operating expenses, it maintained improved transfer opportunities for commuters in the South Bay area.

Following construction delays, Metro revisited this strategy in 2022 and conducted public outreach to update service plans ahead of the C Line connection’s opening in 2023. By March 2023, Metro endorsed Option 2, which features the K Line running north-south between Expo/Crenshaw and Redondo Beach while the C Line operates between Norwalk and LAX. On June 22, 2023, Metro’s board formally approved Option 2 based on staff analysis and community feedback.

Extension eastward to Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs station

The current eastern endpoint of the C Line lies west of the busy Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs Metrolink hub, which serves several lines. This station is also slated to be a stop on the planned California High-Speed Rail network. Although bus connections, primarily through Norwalk Transit route 4, link the Metrolink station and the C Line terminus, their schedules are not synchronized. Efforts to bridge this gap have been proposed, but according to Measure M funding allocations, service commencement is projected around 2052.

Southeast Gateway Line transfer station

An infill station is proposed between Lynwood and Lakewood Boulevard stations to facilitate transfers with the forthcoming Southeast Gateway Line, anticipated to begin operations in 2035.

Operations

Within Metro Rail’s internal scheduling system, the C Line is designated as line 803.

Maintenance facilities

The C Line’s vehicles are housed at Division 22 (Hawthorne Yard & Shop) and Division 16 (Southwestern Yard). Division 22, positioned between Redondo Beach and Douglas stations, is accessible via a midpoint junction. Northbound trains can enter this facility but must exit southbound; southbound trains have full ingress and egress capabilities for continuing south. Heavier repair work is conducted at Division 16, located near the LAX/Metro Transit Center in Westchester.

Rolling stock

As of 2024, the Kinki Sharyo P3010 model constitutes the entire fleet serving the C Line.

Originally, the Green Line utilized Nippon Sharyo P2020 light rail vehicles, akin to the earlier P865 units deployed on the Blue Line. In late 2001, these P2020 cars were reassigned to the Blue Line, and the Green Line began operating with Siemens P2000 vehicles until their removal in 2024 and reassignment to the A Line. Since 2019, Kinki Sharyo P3010 trains have been introduced alongside the P2000s. Due to platform length limitations at Aviation/Imperial station, trainsets are restricted to two-car configurations.

Incidents

• On February 22, 2015, a trespasser was fatally struck by a train near Hawthorne/Lennox station.
• On August 24, 2018, an accident involving a tanker truck on westbound I-105 between Vermont Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard caused an explosion that damaged overhead wires, resulting in closures of both the rail line and freeway for repairs.

External links

• MTA Home Page
• Green Line Home Page
• Green Line connections overview
• Green Line schedule