Caltrain will cease operations on the peninsula this weekend for final tests of the electric train

Caltrain will suspend service between San Francisco and San Jose on June 8 and 9 to test the new electric trains that will begin service in the fall. This is the last in a series of 29 weekend service suspensions that Caltrain has implemented to support train testing.

“This will be the first test with eight electric trains running simultaneously, as will be the case when the train goes into service,” said Caltrain spokesman Dan Lieberman. “This means the test trains will run the entire corridor, which would not have been possible in addition to our regular service.”

Lieberman said Caltrain plans to begin electrified train service on Sept. 21.

“This will be the last weekend lockdown, assuming the tests are successful,” Lieberman said.

Limited bus bridge service will be offered by Caltrain, but only at the San Jose Diridon, Palo Alto, and Millbrae stations. There will be no stops between these buses, and there will be no service north of Millbrae. The buses will have limited passenger capacity and limited space for bicycles.

Passengers using the bus bridge option do not have to pay for the service, but fares will still be charged for BART, SamTrans, VTA and other connecting services.

Caltrain encourages riders to seek alternate transportation options. For more information about bus bridge service and a list of alternate transportation options, visit caltrain.com/status.

New electric trains

According to Caltrain, electric trains will be faster, cleaner, quieter, cheaper and more efficient than the diesel locomotives currently in use. Caltrain will initially replace 75% of the diesel fleet with the new electric trains and replace the remaining 25% once funding is available and the diesel trains reach the end of their service life.

In April, Caltrain broke its post-quarantine ridership record: over 577,000 passengers used the service.
The total budget for the Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project is $2.44 billion. According to a March 2024 report from Caltrain, the project is currently on track to stay on budget.

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