Clipper changes are here.
Caltrain has been recognized by the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA’s) Transit Wrapped 2025 list as the fastest growing U.S. transit agency over the last year. The increased ridership and satisfaction levels follow the launch of its new high-performance electric trains in September 2024 that offer a better experience for Caltrain riders and provide faster and more frequent service.
The spotlight of the agency’s increased ridership follows Caltrain’s own 2025 Customer Satisfaction Survey, unveiled in October, which revealed ridership had grown 57% year-over-year, with weekend ridership doubling and five consecutive months of over one million riders.
Alongside the growth in ridership, the rail agency has seen a dramatic increase in ridership satisfaction and the best ratings in the 27-year history of the survey. Surveyed riders reported a record high satisfaction rating of 4.41 out of 5, up from 4.02 in 2024.
While Caltrain continues its strong ridership growth, transit agencies across the Bay Area are confronting structural budget shortfalls as work from home patterns continue to reshape commuting behavior. Caltrain has responded on three fronts: cutting costs, monetizing resources, and adapting service to attract more riders. The preliminary FY25 budget end results are showing positive impacts from the cost efficiencies and more revenue than budgeted.
In November, Governor Newsom signed SB63, which authorizes a regional revenue measure for the November 2026 ballot. If this measure reaches the ballot and passes, it would establish a stable funding source for Caltrain and other Bay Area transit systems to help maintain reliable, accessible service. If no external funding materializes, through a regional measure or otherwise, Caltrain would be forced to take actions to reduce the structural funding gap. These measures would not be undertaken lightly but would be unavoidable in the absence of new revenue, jeopardizing the progress made by Caltrain in bolstering ridership and satisfaction levels.
“Caltrain is dedicated to delivering safe, reliable and quality service to its riders, and the increased ridership and satisfaction levels reflect our agency’s commitment to doing just that,” said Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard. “Electrified service and other service enhancements have proven that residents across the Bay Area value these improvements. Caltrain remains committed to continually growing ridership and maintaining rider satisfaction by providing fast, reliable public transportation for our riders. At the same time, we continue to evaluate how to effectively cut costs and make the most of the resources we have while we look to long-term sustainable funding sources.”
The new high-performance electric trains have delivered more service that’s faster to arrive at destinations, as well as a modern fleet that’s quieter and more comfortable while also offering new amenities such as customer-facing Wi-Fi and accessible outlets.
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About Caltrain: Owned and operated by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, Caltrain provides rail service from San Francisco to San Jose, with commute service to Gilroy. Serving the region since 1863, Caltrain is the oldest continually operating rail system west of the Mississippi and the first railroad to convert from diesel to electric power in a generation.
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Media Contact: Dan Lieberman, 650.622.2492