Caltrain has released the schedule for the new electric trains, which will begin operating on September 21 in parallel with the fully electrified Caltrain mainline service. In addition to shorter commute times and increased frequency, the schedule also calls for simplified service patterns, a new train numbering system and an expedited transfer at San Jose Diridon for passengers from South County in San Jose, California.
Faster service
- During weekday peak times, there are four trains per hour in each direction, including an express train that travels between San Jose and San Francisco in less than an hour.
- Local service times will be reduced from 100 minutes to 77 minutes.
- Travel time from southern Santa Clara County (Gilroy/Morgan Hill) to San Francisco is reduced by up to 20 minutes.
Drive more, wait less
The program includes:
- 20 percent more train traffic at the stations.
- 26 percent more train traffic at stations with equality priority.
- Half-hourly weekend service (compared to hourly currently).
Caltrain notes that the new trains will accelerate and decelerate faster than the diesel fleet, allowing Caltrain to run express trains that can cover the distance in under an hour while serving 11 stations instead of the current seven to eight. During peak periods, this will allow 16 stations to be served by three to four trains per hour in each direction. In addition, weekend service and midday and evening service during the week will run every half hour, making it much easier to ride Caltrain to sports games, concerts and other public events.
Operations are simplified by using ‘clock-hand’ timetables, with trains arriving at stations at regular intervals to make it easier for passengers to see their schedules and reduce waiting times.
The new train numbering system will allow passengers to see at a glance what service pattern a train is following. Caltrain notes that train numbers can be found on the front and back of trains and will also be listed on onboard digital displays and included in onboard announcements. Northbound trains will continue to have odd numbers, while southbound trains will have even numbers.
- 100er – weekday restaurant
- 400s – Weekdays Limited
- 500er – Weekday Express
- 600er – Local weekend
- 800s – South County Connector
- 900 – Special
The agency says passengers taking the South County Connector from stations south of Tamien can save up to 20 minutes thanks to the new schedule. Passengers from South County will ride the diesel trains to San Jose Diridon station, where they can transfer across platforms to one of the new electric trains in three minutes. If a train arrives late, connecting trains will be held back at San Jose Diridon for between two and five minutes to accommodate passengers from South County. The last South County Connector of the evening (#822) will be held as long as necessary to ensure no passenger is left behind. Caltrain plans to eventually replace this transfer by introducing battery-equipped electric trains that will run on overhead wires in the electrified service areas and then use the battery charge to “free-run” on non-electrified track areas, which would result in completely zero-emissions service in South County.
