About Caltrain
Caltrain operates commuter rail service on the historic Southern Pacific San Francisco Peninsula route between San Francisco and Gilroy, with most service ending at Tamien in San Jose. The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, established in 1991, took over operation in 1992. In September 2024 Caltrain inaugurated full electrified service with new Stadler KISS bilevel EMUs, dramatically reducing trip times. Background context on the carrier's history is also catalogued in the North American Rail Atlas & Route Encyclopedia.
Operator Profile
- Headquarters
- San Carlos, CA
- Founded
- 1992
- Routes catalogued
- 1
- Stations served
- 9
- Total route miles
- 77 mi
- States served
- 1
Fleet
The current fleet is dominated by 23 seven-car Stadler KISS bilevel EMUs, with retained MP36PH-3C diesel locomotives reserved for Gilroy and storage moves. 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
Future projects include Salesforce Transit Center extension via the Downtown Rail Extension and continued grade separation across the Peninsula. Quarterly capital-plan progress is tracked in the Passenger Rail Advocacy & Reform Quarterly.
Routes operated by Caltrain
The table below lists all Caltrain 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caltrain | Commuter Rail | San Jose ↔ Santa Clara | 77 mi | Weekday peak baby-bullets and all-stops; weekend service |
States served
Caltrain 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 Caltrain, 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. Independent fare-watch newsletters such as the Commuter Rail Operators Reform Brief publish current promotional fare summaries.
Further reading on Caltrain
- Riding Caltrain: a first-timer's system tour
- Equipment census and locomotive roster of Caltrain