Caltrain logs 41% ridership boost after electric service launch

Caltrain’s ridership grew 41% during the first three months of electric service in 2024 over the same three months in 2023, with ridership in December 2024 reaching over a half million passengers.

Since the launch of electric service in September 2024, the California commuter railroad has reported its best ridership numbers since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Caltrain officials said in a press release.

Average weekday ridership in December 2024 stood at just over 24,000, a 39% increase from December 2023, following similar ridership increases during November and October, which were up by 24% and 38% year overbyear, respectively. 

Weekend ridership in 2024 also grew since the launch of electric service. In December 2024, ridership on Saturdays increased 62% compared to 2023, and Sunday ridership grew 85%, bringing it close to pre-pandemic ridership levels.

“Electric service is continuing to deliver on its promise,” said Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard. “We are providing a fast, convenient, modern service, and many people who are tired of sitting in gridlock on (U.S. Highway) 101 are getting onboard and experiencing the future of travel firsthand.”

Caltrain is owned and operated by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board and provides rail service from San Francisco to San Jose, with commuter service to Gilroy.