After several months of testing at SFMTA maintenance facilities and brief train runs late at night, Muni's newest light-rail vehicles are about to undergo a critical test run on a larger portion of the rail system. The trains will be test run for an extended time period to "kick the tires" and ensure they are ready for service later this year.
To accommodate the testing period, from Saturday, July 22, to Sunday, August 20, Muni Metro between Montgomery and West Portal stations will close early on weeknights and all day on weekends. A bus bridge will run between Embarcadero Station and St. Francis/Sloat (St. Francis Circle) to bridge the affected stations.
Muni will operate the following schedule:
- Weeknights (Mon-Fri): Muni Metro between West Portal and Montgomery Station will close at 9:30pm. Last trains departing between 9-9:30pm. A bus bridge from Embarcadero to St. Francis/Sloat will begin running at 9pm. Shuttles will stop at all Muni Shuttle flag stops (look for yellow half-moon flags).
- Weekends (Saturday 8am until the start of Monday regular service): Muni Metro will be closed throughout the weekend. A bus bridge from Embarcadero to St. Francis/Sloat will run throughout the weekend. An additional bus bridge will run from Embarcadero to Church & Duboce on weekends only. Shuttles will stop at all Muni Shuttle flag stops (look for yellow half-moon flags).
- Surface train service will still be running:
- J Church: Balboa Park Station to Church/Duboce (trains will continue as N Judah trains towards Ocean Beach)
- N Judah: Ocean Beach and Church/Duboce (trains will continue as J Church trains towards Balboa Park Station)
- L Taraval: SF Zoo to West Portal Ave/Ulloa (trains will continue as M Ocean View trains towards San Jose/Geneva)
- M Ocean View: San Jose/Geneva to West Portal Ave/Ulloa (trains will continue as L Taraval trains towards SF Zoo)
- K Ingleside: Between Saint Francis/Sloat and Balboa Park
- T Third: Between Embarcadero Station and Sunnydale
There will be no subway service for the San Francisco Marathon on Saturday, July 22.
All Muni Metro stations will be open and trains operating regular schedule during Outside Lands (Friday, August 11 to Sunday, August 13).
There are several Giants games scheduled during testing. For weeknight games only, Muni will operate outbound trains from the ballpark for approximately 90 minutes after the games. Customers can exit the stations only.
SFMTA will also leverage this time to conduct other maintenance work, such as upgrades to the emergency “blue light” phone consoles in the subway tunnel.