Segments of the Gold Line run along the system's original alignment between 16th Street and Butterfield stations, which opened for service in 1987.

The line has run in its modern configuration since June 2005, with extensions completed since then to Folsom and the downtown Amtrak station.

The line was built mainly using the Sacramento Valley Railroad right-of-way,[3] coupled with use of structures of an abandoned freeway project.

In June 2005, following a reconfiguration of the light rail system, the Sunrise–Downtown Line was created (trains formerly continued beyond the downtown St. Rose of Lima Park station to Watt/I-80); it runs from St. Rose/K-Street to Sunrise with an extension to the Folsom area that opened on October 15, 2005.

[8] As of 2020[update] headways are limited to 30 minutes on the line due to single tracking on the east end between Parkshore Drive and Bidwell Street.

[10] The Gold Line begins at its western terminus in downtown at the Sacramento Valley station where it connects with Amtrak.