Public Transportation
The advice given here is not necessarily complete and current. Do your own research to confirm the routes and prices listed here. The most highly recommended website is the San Diego Metro Transit System (MTS), which has a very useful trip planner page. Apparently, if you enter the Valley Center Library as the destination (29200 Cole Grade Rd, Valley Center, CA 92082), the planner generates a good itinerary. You might also try “13560 Muutama Lane,” the Monastery’s street address.
Public transport in San Diego (trains or buses) requires exact change or a Pronto card.
Trains
There are commuter trains going north and south along the coast called the Pacific Surfliner by Amtrak. It is USD $18.00 from the Santa Fe Depot station in San Diego to the city of Oceanside, where you can pick up a spur line called the Sprinter Hybrid Train to the Escondido Transit Center in the city of Escondido. This segment costs $2.50. You can get the schedules and prices from the North County Transit website. See Route 992 below for getting to the Santa Fe Depot from the San Diego Airport, and see Route 388 below for getting from the Escondido Transit Center to Valley Center.
Buses
The public buses here are run by the San Diego Metro Transit System and the North County Transit District. Please double-check the information below to make sure it’s still up to date.
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The routes that come into play should be:
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San Diego Airport to Downtown San Diego: Route 992 - The 992 gets you from the San Diego Airport to the Santa Fe Depot, which is San Diego’s downtown public transport hub. It’s about a 10-minute ride and runs every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends.
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Downtown San Diego to Escondido Transit Center: Route 235 or Route 280 - The 235 and 280 both go from San Diego to the Escondido Transit Center. The 280 is a commuter route that travels more rapidly than the 235, but only if you catch it very early or late in the day.
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From Escondido: As there is no public transportation the last 8 miles to and from Valley Center, the Monastery used to offer visitors taking public transportation a ride from Valley Center. That has proven to be increasingly burdensome as the Monastery has grown along with the daily duties of the long-term lay residents. So unfortunately options for getting here by public transportation have narrowed.
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Escondido to Valley Center: Breeze 388 - The 388 goes from Escondido to Valley Center and departs every one or two hours, depending on the time of the day. Jump off at the corner of "Valley Center Rd & Cole Grade Rd." You are still 8.3 miles from the Monastery at this point. There might be a slim chance you can get a Lyft or Uber in Valley Center, but doubtful. That’s why the recommendation is now to get an Uber or Lyft from Escondido.
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