It looks like a train station straight out of a movie. There’s a platform, a few benches, and a sign that looks like it was built in 1960, which says Goleta Amtrak Station.
But, that’s going to change in a big way, with the start of construction on a $30 million plus transportation center, with a state of the art train station. The idea is that it will not only make train travel more comfortable, it will serve as a catalyst for expanding commuter rail service between Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.
"There's a lot of excitement here. I mean, some of us are wondering where was it 20 years ago," said retired Democratic State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson of Santa Barbara. She and former Goleta Mayor Michael Bennett championed the Goleta Train station idea for years.
"Good things never happen overnight," said Jackson. "There's a lot more of this on the eastern part of our country. Growing up with that myself, I would always ask why are we stuck in our cars, instead of taking public transit. We have a rail line that exists here, we've got the will now, we've got the resources from the state, the local communities have put in the money. This is where everyone's finally come together."
After a year of effort to secure funding, work is actually underway on the 8500 square foot building on La Patera Lane. It will be built at the site of an old warehouse next to the existing Amtrak station.
"Construction actually started on Tuesday with demolition. We expect to be done in the summer of 2026," said Jamie Valdez, who is Goleta’s Assistant City Manager, and Project Manager for the Depot Project.
"Overall, it's about a $32 million project including buying the property to do this," said Valdez. "Construction wise, it's going to be about $18 million. Money's coming from multiple sources. Over half is coming from the state. Other money is coming from city funds, and a payment from UCSB."
The train station will look like a classic Southern Pacific depot out of the early 1900’s, but with all the modern bells and whistles. As a transit center, there will ample parking, electric vehicle charging spots, a bus and shuttle pickup and dropoff area, and bicycle parking.
The plan for it is to be not just a train station, but a commuter rail station with expanded service for people traveling between Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.
"It can happen. It will be really good for our community to have a clean transportation alternative that's regional, you can go to multiple locations in the LA area," said Santa Barbara County Supervisor Das Williams, who is also a LOSSAN Board Representative.
LOSSAN is the agency which oversees the 351-mile Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor. He says Amtrak currently has five daily round trips between Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. But, the goal is to bring Metrolink commuter rail service to the corridor, to add service which better fits commuters.
Metrolink service from Los Angeles currently only makes it as far west as East Ventura. Williams says the goal is to add daily Metrolink trains from Ventura County to Goleta, making it practical for people to leave their cars home and commute by rail.
Adding reliable, and convenient commuter rails between Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties is a big dream. But, the hope is the new Goleta Train Depot will provide an important part of the infrastructure needed to make it practical, and attractive to commuters.
