Ringneck Pheasant

Alvarado station (formerly Alvarado Medical Center station) is a station on San Diego Trolley's Green Line in the College Area. It opened in 2005.^[1]

The street-level station has side platforms. It is located near the intersection of Alvarado Road and Reservoir Drive. The station is located across the street from the UC San Diego Health East Campus Medical Center. Besides the hospital and the College Area, portions of the residential neighborhood of Del Cerro are also accessible from the stop.

In December 2023, the station was renamed from Alvarado Medical Center station to Alvarado station due to the name change of the adjacent hospital from Alvarado Hospital to UC San Diego Health East Campus Medical Center.^[2]

Station layout

There are two tracks, each served by a side platform.

Side platform, doors will open on the right
Westbound	← Green Line toward 12th & Imperial (SDSU)
Eastbound	→ Green Line toward Santee () →
Side platform, doors will open on the right

Alvarado riddle

One of the most noticeable features of the station is a riddle, engraved into the tiles on the wall that separates the station from the freeway. This art installation was created by Roman De Salvo in 2005.^[3]

The riddle reads:

"Arteries, veins, and, capillaries. For autos, rain, and, catenaries. All three lines are side by side.

Above, below, and, stratified. One is numbered less than nine. Another was there at the dawn of time.

The last will be here after a wait. Or, right away if you're not too late.

Look around to solve this riddle. Name all three, top, bottom and middle.

If bewildered, feel the handrail. The answer there is writ in Braille.”

See also

• List of San Diego Trolley stations

References