'Beach Bus' Offers Express Service From Murrieta To Oceanside

Looking for a better way to get to the beach this summer? Then climb aboard the Riverside Transit Agency’s (RTA) Beach Bus, which begins next week and rolls all summer long with express service from Southwest Riverside County to Oceanside. Plus, if you are a student, the ride is just 25 cents.

Beginning Monday, June 12, RTA’s Route 202 will operate extended seven-day-a-week service, picking up passengers at the Murrieta Walmart and Temecula’s Promenade Mall before heading to Oceanside. The so called Beach Bus is a bargain for students on vacation, surfers, swimmers and sun-worshippers looking for a
convenient and stress-free trip to the beach. The seasonal service ends August 26.

General round-trip fares to the beach are $6. Seniors, veterans and disabled customers ride for $4. Plus, thanks to a special summer promotion, students in grades 1 through 12 ride for just 25 cents on all RTA fixed-route buses, including the Beach Bus. They simply fl ash their student ID and ride for a quarter to the movies, the mall, the beach — anywhere RTA buses go, anytime they operate.

People enjoying the one-hour trip to the beach will also be treated to free Wi-Fi, USB charging ports, comfortable seating and convenient luggage racks. And yes, you can bring your surfboard.

“The Beach Bus is safe, affordable and truly convenient, plus it showcases some of the best technology you’ll find on any public bus,” said RTA Chair Linda Krupa. “The popularity of this service has skyrocketed over the years and we expect that momentum to continue as more people look for a better way to get to the beach.”

Passengers can take advantage of three midday round-trips on weekdays and four round-trips on weekends.

On weekdays, buses depart as early as 8 a.m. from the Murrieta Walmart and 8:13 a.m. from the Temecula Promenade Mall. Weekday buses return to the Temecula area around 5 p.m.

On weekends, the earliest buses leave at 8:30 a.m. from Walmart and 8:45 a.m. from the Promenade Mall. The final weekend bus departs Oceanside at 4:45 p.m. and arrives to the Temecula area around 6 p.m.

Carry-on items such as coolers and boogie boards must fit within the passenger’s seating space. Surfboards are permitted as long as they are no longer than six feet and enclosed in a bag.

– PHOTO AND STORY BY: Riverside Transit Agency