About Caltrans Rail
The California Department of Transportation funds and oversees the state-supported Pacific Surfliner, San Joaquins, and Capitol Corridor Amtrak services. Caltrans owns the California Cars and the new Siemens Venture and Charger fleet used on the three corridors.
Operator Profile
- Headquarters
- Sacramento, CA
- Founded
- 1996
- Routes catalogued
- 1
- Stations served
- 17
- Total route miles
- 351 mi
- States served
- 1
Fleet
Charger SC-44 locomotives, California Cars, and Siemens Venture coaches. Equipment assignments rotate as new orders are delivered and existing rolling stock is retired or rebuilt; consult individual route pages for current information.
Capital plan and modernization
The California State Rail Plan envisions integrated statewide rail with high-speed rail interfaces and electrified Caltrain through-running.
Routes operated by Caltrans
The table below lists all Caltrans Rail services catalogued in the RailRover index, sorted by distance. Each entry links to a full route page with stations, fares, and timetable references.
| Route | Type | Endpoints | Distance | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Surfliner | State-Supported Corridor | San Luis Obispo ↔ San Diego | 351 mi | Up to 13 daily round trips on segments |
States served
Caltrans Rail service touches 1 state in the RailRover index. Each state hub aggregates every operator's service through that state on a single page.
Booking and ticketing
RailRover does not sell tickets. To book travel on Caltrans Rail, visit the carrier's official booking site or app directly. Many of the same trip-planning principles that apply to Amtrak — advance purchase saves significantly, multi-ride passes are heavily discounted on commuter services, group sales unlock 60% off Saver coach for parties of 8 or more — apply across operators. For a deeper walkthrough, see the RailRover guide to buying tickets and saving on fares, the field guide to onboard Wi-Fi and power outlets, and the baggage rules reference.