Caltrain - Ticketing and Ridership

Ticketing and Ridership

Fares for Caltrain service are based on the number of zones traveled (see above). Caltrain uses a proof-of-payment system: before boarding, each rider buys a ticket from a ticket vending machine that may or may not be checked during the trip. One-way tickets expire four hours after purchase, but round-trip tickets ("day passes") are good for unlimited rides within their zone limit until the last train of the day. Discounted 8-ride tickets and monthly passes are available through the clipper card system. Seniors, children, and the disabled ride for roughly half price (varies depending on the ticket). One-way TVM fares are (as of July 1, 2012):

• Within one zone: $3
• Within two zones: $5
• Within three zones: $7
• Within four zones: $9
• Within five zones: $11
• Within six zones: $13

Day-Pass is double the one-way, while clipper card users have a $0.25 discount on the one way TVM fares.

Zone ticketing requires little infrastructure at the stations but can be expensive for passengers making a short trip that crosses a zone boundary (each zone is 13 miles long). Travel from Sunnyvale to Lawrence (2.0 miles / 3.2 km) costs $4.75, the same as San Francisco to Redwood City (25.3 miles / 40.8 km).

In August 2009 Caltrain became the fifth public transit agency in the San Francisco Bay Area to implement Translink (now known as the Clipper card), the smart fare card that allows usually seamless transfers between participating agencies. Single rides, 8-ride tickets, and monthly passes are all available using Clipper, and conductors carry Clipper card readers while checking tickets. On February 1, 2011, paper 8-ride tickets will be replaced entirely by the Clipper card. Starting with the March monthly pass, monthly passes will be available only on the Clipper card.