El Cajon opened as the eastern terminus of the third segment of the East Line (now Orange Line) on June 23, 1989, which operated from 12th & Imperial in downtown San Diego. The physical line was extended to its current terminus at Santee on July 26, 1995.[8]
From July 1995 to July 2005, Orange Line service continued to terminate at the end of the line at Santee Town Center.
When the Green Line opened in July 2005, the new route took over service to Santee, and the Orange Line was truncated to Gillespie Field.
The September 2012 system redesign truncated the Orange Line once again to El Cajon.[9]
Following the sale of the naming rights of the Green Line to Sycuan Casino, the station was renamed El Cajon–Sycuan. However, this is no longer the case.[citation needed]
The April 2018 system redesign extended the Orange Line to Arnele Avenue, following the opening of Courthouse station in April 2018. Courthouse became the line's current western terminus, and the one-stop extension to Arnele was meant to relieve congestion and confusion at El Cajon.
In 2024, a third track was added to the station, and the eastern platform was extended to allow shuttle trains to terminate there.[10] The Copper Line then began service on September 29, operating between this new platform and Santee, and allowing the Green and Orange lines to terminate in El Cajon.[11][12][13]
Station layout
There are three tracks, each served by a side platform.
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=icon}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
