Caltrain Plans Weekend of Fun and Free Rides

Caltrain is welcoming back weekend passengers in grand style by offering free train rides and holding a festival at its San Francisco station featuring two of the Bay Area's best-known sea creatures: Lou Seal and Sharkie.

After not running train service on weekends for 23 months to accommodate a vital construction project, weekend trains (PDF, 91 KB) will once again roll beginning Saturday, June 5. In a gesture to thank its customers for understanding the nearly two-year hiatus, the rail agency will not charge fares for two weekends: June 5 & 6 and June 12 & 13.

"Giving our thousands of weekend Caltrain customers free rides for two weekends is our way of saying 'Thank you very much for your patience and 'welcome back,'" said Caltrain Board Chair John McLemore, noting that before the shutdown Caltrain carried approximately 17,000 weekend riders.

On June 5, Caltrain will be holding a festival from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at its San Francisco station, located at Fourth and King streets. The festival will include entertainment, as well as information tables hosted by fun destinations in the South Bay and along the Peninsula that can be accessed by Caltrain. Some of the participants include Winchester Mystery House, Great America, Stanford Athletics, Hillsdale Shopping Center, The Wax Museum, Pier 39, Exploratorium and San Mateo County Fair, which will have its new mascot Mateo-the-Fair-Bear there.

Many sports fans have "rail-gated" on Caltrain to see the San Francisco Giants play and its mascot Lou Seal energize the crowds just one block from the San Francisco Caltrain Station. The home of the San Jose Sharks hockey team - and mascot
Sharkie - is located across the street from the San Jose Diridon Caltrain Station.

The rail agency allows passengers to eat and drink onboard, and each train has a bathroom.

Caltrain information is available by calling 1.800.660.4287 (TDD 650.508.6448).

6/1/04