Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner suspended between Irvine and San Diego for emergency track repairs

Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner train service has been suspended between Irvine and San Diego starting Friday because of emergency repairs needed on a portion of the track in San Clemente, officials said.

The Pacific Surfliner, which travels the coast between San Diego and San Luis Obispo, is suspended until further notice while repairs are made, Amtrak said in a travel advisory. Regular service will resume once the repairs have been made.

“We understand that closures will result in disruptions and sincerely apologize for any inconveniences it causes our riders,” Amtrak said in a statement. “We’ll continue to look for ways to minimize the impact of these closures as this critical work continues.”

In the meantime, Amtrak is trying to set up train service between Oceanside and San Diego and bus connections between Irvine and Oceanside.

San Clemente has been battered by high surf and heavy rains from Tropical Storm Kay this month, which has also caused delays for Metrolink commuters.

Over the years, the coastline has seen a significant amount of sand loss from erosion, climate change and development, which in turn has raised safety concerns about the adjacent railroad tracks, officials said.