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There are 170 San Diego Trolley cars and, if you’re lucky, you might end up on one this week that cost thousands of dollars to decorate.
Advertisements ahead of Comic-Con International wrap around 45 trolley cars this year, with colorful announcements of the newest “Godzilla” film, Nintendo games and anime shows. Aside from just fun for riders, it is a lifeline for the cash-strapped Metropolitan Transit System.
MTS brought in $8.9 million last year for advertising — which includes non-Comic-Con work throughout the year — on vehicle wraps, buses, bus benches, station advertising, digital kiosks and its three-sided digital billboard it operates next to the Gaslamp Quarter trolley station.
MTS does not break down how much it specifically earns for Comic-Con, but stresses all revenue goes directly into the service and pays for, among other things, all the extra employees it needs to operate during the convention.
It costs roughly $48,000 for the production and installation of a single trolley wrap, which includes three cars. That’s on top of fees to advertise on trolleys, which are also thousands of dollars.
This year’s biggest advertising push is for long-running card game Magic: The Gathering, which paid $150,000 to be the brand sponsor of MTS’ special event line. Magic went beyond just wrapping the outside — digital displays inside the train play mystical ads, a wizardly voice announces stops and advertisements on the inside black out the walls and ceilings, which creates a cave-like appearance.
The wrapped trolleys tend to be popular with casual riders and super fans waiting for a specific train. On Friday, musician Randall Padilla, 58, was waiting for a Green Line train with a guitar slung over his shoulder. “They look hella cool,” he said, “and it’s great for sun protection.”
San Diego Trolley cars have tinted windows but many advertisements provide an additional layer blocking the sun. It’s not something MTS officials said they considered as a benefit, but Padilla said he also liked how it helped him to travel more incognito because passerbys can’t see everyone in the trolley.
For a second year, all 45 available trolley wrap slots were sold out. Mark Olson, MTS director of marketing, said they are limited to that number because that’s how many they can guarantee will go in front of the Convention Center. When the program started in 2012, just eight trolley cars were wrapped. One reason advertisers take the opportunity, Olson said, is the system has so many more riders during Comic-Con.
Last year, MTS said there were roughly 70,000 additional trolley riders each day during the convention. For comparison, a concert or Padres game usually averages 8,000 to 12,000 additional passengers.
“We think the Comic-Con experience starts on the train,” Olson said. “That’s where the excitement starts.”
When the four-day event starts, all wrapped trolleys can be found on the Green Line and the trolley’s special event route (the Magic: The Gathering Event Line). Right now, they are filtering through the whole system, showing up from Mission Valley to San Diego State University.
Transit riders can get a Pronto pass at trolley stations, or just use the Pronto mobile application. Starting on Comic-Con’s preview night, Wednesday, MTS offers the following fares: $23 for a five-day pass, $18.50 for four days, $14 for three days, and $10 for two days.
Here are some of the trolleys to look out for:
Magic the Gathering
‘Godzilla’
Wolverine
‘Demon Slayer’
‘Carrie’
‘The Simpsons’
‘Rings of Power’
‘Heads Will Roll’
‘My Hero Academia’
‘King of the Hill’
A trolley wrapped with an advertisement for the television show “King of the Hill” arrives at the 12th and Imperial Transit Center in San Diego on Friday. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
©2026 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Visit sandiegouniontribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
