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The reasoning to give us 24 hour train service is not because it's New Year's Eve--we'll still take it--it's to shuffle thousands of people to the Tournament of the Roses parade and Rose Bowl game the morning after.
Straight from a Metro press release:
All Metro Rail Lines will run every 20 minutes overnight from Dec. 31 into Jan. 1. The agency will by providing free rides Dec. 31 on all Metro bus and rail lines from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. on the morning of Jan. 1. After 2 a.m., regular fares go into effect. Those attending parade festivities after 2 a.m. New Year’s Day can purchase the $5 Metro Day Pass for unlimited train rides that day. In addition to the overnight service, Metro will run additional trains and more frequent service on the Metro Gold Line to accommodate the large numbers of anticipated riders beginning at 5 a.m. and continuing through 9 p.m., with trains running as frequently as every seven to eight minutes to and from Pasadena.
The parade begins at 8 a.m. Any of the four Pasadena Gold Line stations are close to the parade route (about a 2 to 4 block walk).
For those going to the afternoon game at the Rose Bowl, they can exit at the Memorial Park Station, walk three blocks to the Parsons Corporation complex and take a free shuttle, which leaves every couple of minutes.
Also, if you're going to view the floats after the parade, a pay shuttle will provide service from the Sierra Madre Villa Gold Line Station from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. with service back to the station lasting until 5:30 p.m. The same service will be available on January 2nd and 3rd from 7 a.m. (for senior and disabled citizens only until 9 a.m.) to 2:30 p.m. with shuttles back to the station lasting through 5:30 p.m.
