Gold Line (SacRT)

Gold Line

Company type	Light rail transit line
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	1987
Headquarters	Sacramento, California , United States
Area served	Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, Gold River, Folsom
Parent	Sacramento Regional Transit District

The Gold Line is a light rail transit corridor within the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) network, running between the Sacramento Valley and Historic Folsom stations. This line mainly covers east-west routes across Sacramento, including stops in downtown, Midtown, East Sacramento, and extends through unincorporated areas such as Sacramento County, Rancho Cordova, Gold River, and Folsom. Segments of the Gold Line trace the original 1987 route between 16th Street and Butterfield stations. Its current layout has been established since June 2005, with later extensions reaching Folsom and the downtown Amtrak station.

History

SacRT's inaugural light rail line commenced operations in 1987, spanning from Watt/I-80 station through downtown to Butterfield Way station. The project cost $176 million USD (in 1987 dollars), covering vehicles and infrastructure. Initially, much of the track was single-tracked; however, during the 1990s, significant upgrades introduced double tracking across large portions of the system. The line made use of the Sacramento Valley Railroad right-of-way and infrastructure from a discontinued freeway project, with limited segments running on city streets downtown.

Increasing passenger numbers led to several expansions: stations at 39th and 48th streets were added in 1994; an extension to Mather Field/Mills was completed in 1998; and a further extension reached Sunrise in June 2004. In September 2003, the South Line (currently part of the Blue Line) began service on a segment south from 16th Street station toward Meadowview Road, marking the initial phase of an 11.2-mile planned expansion to Elk Grove.

In June 2005, SacRT reorganized its routes by introducing the Sunrise–Downtown Line (now known as the Gold Line), extending service eastward to Folsom by October that year. By December 2006, service was further extended to connect with the downtown Amtrak station (Sacramento Valley Station), establishing a direct link between light rail and national rail services for the first time.

Prior to 2025, single-track operation between Parkshore Drive and Bidwell Street restricted eastbound headways beyond Sunrise to 30 minutes. A study conducted in 2020 recommended installing passing sidings and modifying platforms to accommodate new low-floor train models. Construction of a passing loop near Glenn station began in 2023 and was completed by January 2025, enabling more frequent service. As of early 2025, the Gold Line operates three trips per hour between Sunrise and Historic Folsom with mixed intervals of 15 and 30 minutes using Siemens S700 low-floor vehicles.

An infill station at Horn Road is anticipated by 2025 to support anticipated growth in ridership.

Line description

Beginning at Sacramento Valley station in downtown—where it connects with Amtrak services—the Gold Line travels along H Street on a single track before splitting into one-way tracks running on 7th and 8th Streets. Here it merges with both the Blue and Green Lines. The route continues westward along O Street, heads south on 12th Street, then proceeds east through an alley adjacent to Q and R Streets. After passing through the 16th Street station, the Gold Line diverges from the Blue Line (while the Green Line terminates at 13th Street), crossing a bridge near The Sacramento Bee headquarters before continuing along R Street through Midtown. It runs adjacent to Highway 50 in East Sacramento, then passes beneath Highway 50 while paralleling Folsom Boulevard and sections of the partly active Union Pacific Railroad Placerville Branch Line. The alignment primarily follows the historic Sacramento Valley Railroad right-of-way. The eastern end point is at Historic Folsom station, although some trains terminate earlier at Sunrise station.

Station listing

Below is a table presenting the Gold Line stations arranged from west to east.

Legend

†	Station no longer in service

September 6, 1998 June 11, 2004 June 11, 2004 June 11, 2004 October 15, 2005 October 15, 2005 October 15, 2005 October 15, 2005

Station	Inauguration Date	Connecting Services
	December 8, 2006	Template:Bus icon Sacramento Regional Transit: 30, 38 Template:Rint Amtrak: California Zephyr, Capitol Corridor, Coast Starlight, San Joaquins
(southbound) (northbound)	2007	Template:Rcb Template:Bus icon Sacramento Regional Transit: 11, 51, 102, 103, 106, 107, 109, 129, 134
(northbound only)	2007	Template:Rcb Template:Bus icon Sacramento Regional Transit: 30, 38, 62, 86, 88, 142 (Airport Express) Template:Bus icon North Natomas Jibe Template:Bus icon Yolobus: 42A, 42B, 43, 43R, 230
Template:Stn † (southbound stop at 7th & K)	March 12, 1987	Service ceased September 30, 2016
(southbound) (northbound)	March 12, 1987	Template:Rcb Template:Rcb Template:Bus icon Sacramento Regional Transit: various routes including Airport Express and E-series buses Template:Bus icon North Natomas Jibe Template:Bus icon Roseville Transit: routes 1–10 Template:Bus icon Yolobus: multiple lines
		Template:Rcb Template:Rcb Several Sacramento Regional Transit bus routes North Natomas Jibe Yolobus routes
		Template:Rcb Template:Rcb
		minimal bus connections including Sacramento Regional Transit and E-series buses
minimal bus services with SmaRT Ride Downtown–Midtown–East Sacramento coverage
minimal bus connections including Sacramento Regional Transit and hospital shuttles
minimal bus links including SmaRT Ride Downtown–Midtown–East Sacramento and UC Davis Medical Center shuttle service
minimal bus services featuring SmaRT Ride Downtown–Midtown–East Sacramento coverage
minimal bus connections with SmaRT Ride Downtown–Midtown–East Sacramento service
minimal bus connections including multiple Sacramento Regional Transit lines; Amador Transit; El Dorado Transit commuter services; and California State University Hornet Shuttle
minimal connection with Sacramento Regional Transit route 161
minimal bus connections involving Sacramento Regional Transit routes
minimal connection with Sacramento Regional Transit route 84
minimal bus connections including Sacramento Regional Transit routes such as E19
minimal connecting bus services including Sacramento Regional Transit and SmaRT Ride Rancho Cordova options
minimal bus connections including Sacramento Regional Transit and SmaRT Ride Rancho Cordova services
minimal connection via SmaRT Ride Rancho Cordova service
minimal bus services including Sacramento Regional Transit and SmaRT Ride Rancho Cordova options
minimal connecting buses including Sacramento Regional Transit route F10 and El Dorado Transit Express with SmaRT Ride Folsom support
minimal connections including Sacramento Regional Transit route F30 and SmaRT Ride Folsom service
minimal connecting options including Sacramento Regional Transit route F10 and SmaRT Ride Folsom service

External links

• Map of RT Light Rail
• Schedule for the Gold Line