In its first full yr working all electrified trains, Caltrain reported a 57% soar in ridership in 2025, marking its strongest efficiency because the COVID-19 pandemic as long-term funding uncertainty threatens the company’s future.
In line with its fiscal yr 2025 report, which resulted in June, Caltrain averaged 760,386 riders per thirty days, rebounding to 65.2% of pre-pandemic ranges from 36.1% firstly of the yr. Earlier this month, the American Public Transportation Affiliation ranked it the fastest-growing U.S. transit company amongst methods with 3 million to fifteen million annual journeys.
Caltrain connects San Francisco to the South Bay, with hyperlinks to BART, San Francisco Worldwide Airport, and different Bay Space transit methods.
Regardless of a ridership rebound, Caltrain warns it may very well be pressured to chop service with out voter approval of a regional transit gross sales tax anticipated on the November 2026 poll. The company initiatives a mean annual funding shortfall of $75 million from 2027 by way of 2035, whilst officers consider ridership will proceed to develop with extra Silicon Valley employees anticipated to return to workplaces subsequent yr.
“Electrified service and other enhancements have shown that residents across the Bay Area value these improvements,” Caltrain Government Director Michelle Bouchard mentioned in an announcement. “At the same time, we continue to evaluate how to cut costs and make the most of the resources we have while we work toward long-term, sustainable funding.”
The proposal would levy a half-cent gross sales tax in most counties and a full-cent tax in San Francisco. The Metropolitan Transportation Fee, the Bay Space’s regional transportation planning company, estimates the measure may generate about $1 billion yearly over a interval of 14 years.
Caltrain officers say price range shortfalls threaten beneficial properties made because the launch of the system’s $2.4 billion electrification mission launched in September 2024.
If the measure fails and no different funding is secured, Caltrain has warned of sweeping service reductions. At a board assembly final month, the company outlined potential impacts that embrace closing greater than a 3rd of stations, eliminating weekend service, lowering service to hourly frequencies, chopping staffing and ending service by 9 p.m., in contrast with the present midnight schedule.
Months earlier than the vote, Caltrain highlighted different methods the general public will help maintain its service.
“While it would be difficult to match the incredible growth we’ve seen since the launch of electric service, we’re still seeing strong year-over-year gains,” Lieberman mentioned, noting ridership in October and November was about 42% larger than throughout the identical months final yr.
He inspired riders who need to assist the system “to buy a ticket and get on board one of them so you can travel the Peninsula the way it was meant to be traveled.”
