Caltrain to Start Expanded 98-train Schedule on March 3

Effective Monday, March 3, Caltrain will add two evening local trains to its weekday schedule. The additional service will fill a gap in evening service in both directions and make the schedule easier for customers to remember. Trains will depart every hour on the half-hour from San Jose from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. From San Francisco trains would depart every hour on the half-hour from 7:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m.; however, the final southbound train will still depart from San Francisco at 12:01 a.m.

“We’re excited to be able to introduce this new schedule,” said Caltrain Board Chairman Jim Hartnett. “We hope people on the Peninsula will find that these additional trains make taking transit more accessible, particularly in those communities that have been actively seeking more local service.”

While the agency continues to struggle with budget deficits, this additional service is possible due to efficiencies in operating costs with the opening of the rail service’s new maintenance facility in San Jose. The service is not expected to cause further increases to Caltrain’s operating budget and may assist the agency with reducing the number of special trains it runs after major events in San Francisco, particularly extra trains that are used to handle large crowds after baseball games and concerts at AT&T Park. The implementation of the 98-train schedule will be the highest number of daily trains in the history of the 145-year-old rail service on the Peninsula.

Customers can pick up pocket timetables that show the new schedule on trains or at staffed terminal stations in San Francisco or San Jose.  To view the expanded schedule, click HERE.

For more information about Caltrain schedules, or for assistance planning a trip, call Customer Service at 1.800.660.4287 (TTY 650.508.6448)

02/19/2008 - jbw
Media Contact: Jonah Weinberg, 650.508.6238