L.A.’s new Wilshire subway stations open on D Line extension
Metro opened three new Wilshire Boulevard subway stations May 8, giving Mid-Wilshire riders a new rail option along the D Line corridor.
Los Angeles now has three new subway stations on Wilshire Boulevard after Metro opened Section 1 of the D Line extension on May 8, 2026.
The new stations are Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, and Wilshire/La Cienega. Together, they add a new rail option through the Mid-Wilshire corridor and change how riders can reach jobs, schools, museums, shopping, and transfers across central Los Angeles.
For commuters, the biggest immediate shift is access. The new stations give residents in Mid-Wilshire, Miracle Mile, Koreatown, Beverly Hills, and nearby parts of downtown a new way to connect to the regional transit network without relying only on buses or driving. Metro has framed the opening as a major step for the Wilshire corridor, which has long been one of the busiest travel paths on the Westside-to-downtown route.
That does not mean the subway will solve traffic on Wilshire or across Los Angeles. It does mean more transit choices for people who live, work, study, shop, or visit along the corridor. For nearby employers and small businesses, the opening could bring changes in foot traffic and access patterns as more riders get off within walking distance of local destinations.
The practical value is easy to understand for residents and workers: a new rail line can shorten the number of last-mile steps needed to reach a destination, make transit more attractive for some trips, and give more people a direct option during peak travel hours. Whether that changes driving habits over time will depend on rider demand, service levels, and how well the stations connect with the rest of the system.
Metro says this is only Section 1 of the larger D Line subway extension, not the full project. That matters because the opening should be seen as a milestone, not a finish line. More construction and planning are still part of the broader corridor buildout.
For neighborhood residents, the opening may also affect daily routines beyond commuting. Students and workers can use the new stations for central-city trips. Visitors heading to museums, commercial districts, and other Wilshire-area destinations have a new transit route. And businesses near the stations may see a different mix of customers once the new service settles in.
The next phase to watch is how riders actually use the line in the first weeks and months after opening. Transit openings often look different after the initial rush, when regular commuting patterns, station-area foot traffic, and transfer habits begin to take shape. For Los Angeles, the new Wilshire stations mark a real change in how people can move through one of the city’s most important corridors — even as the larger D Line extension continues.
