SMART Starlighter, 'The Date-Night Train,' Debuts Friday

PETALUMA, CA — The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District announced that its new Starlighter weekend evening train is set to debut Friday, May 5.

The Starlighter is affectionately nicknamed the "Date-night train" because the schedule facilitates evening leisure trips to enjoy dining, entertainment, and evening events. The new train operates on Friday and Saturday nights only, SMART officials said Monday in a news release.

Friday nights the Starlighter will depart the Sonoma County Airport station at 7:41 p.m. and the Larkspur station at 9:10 p.m. Saturday nights it will depart the Sonoma County Airport station at 8:02 p.m. and Larkspur at 9:30 p.m.

"The Starlighter addresses a long-time customer request for extended evening hours," said Eric Lucan, chair of the SMART Board of Directors. "The new train will offer residents of Marin and Sonoma additional opportunities to get out and enjoy the world-class dining and entertainment in the North Bay."

The Starlighter website has the schedule for Friday and Saturday nights as well as sample itineraries for planning an evening outing with SMART. The District will seek opportunities to partner with businesses, chambers of commerce, and tourism and visitor centers to promote the new evening service for leisure trips in Marin and Sonoma counties, the agency said.

The Starlighter connects with the last Golden Gate Ferry arriving in Larkspur on Friday and Saturday nights, making it possible to plan later evening outings in San Francisco.