Passengers Flock to Caltrain After Electrification

Ridership on Northern California’s Caltrain system was up by 41 percent from the prior year in December 2024, according to a press release from Governor Gavin Newsom’s office. Additionally, Caltrain says the system is generating and sending even more energy than expected back to the electric grid.

Caltrain launched its fully electrified (minus a segment south to Gilroy) rail system in September 2024. “Caltrain’s electrification was made possible by successful state and local partnerships, combining $714 million from the High-Speed Rail Authority with $1.7 billion from local, federal, and other state sources, including $387 million from the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP).”

The rise in ridership is attributed in part to the increased reliability of the electric trains, according to a Mercury News article. Caltrain spokesperson Dan Lieberman told the Mercury News, “It’s faster than ever before, running more service than ever before, and there’s more frequency, so there are fewer wait times.”