The Super Bowl is finally set to arrive in the Bay Area on Sunday, and Caltrain will be increasing capacity and adding service to make sure that fans can get to the NFL’s biggest game.
The Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos will square off at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium for Super Bowl 50. Prior to the game, Caltrain will be operating three special trains from the San Francisco Caltrain Station. Those trains will depart from San Francisco at 8:59 a.m., 9:59 a.m. and 10:59 a.m., and arrive at the Mountain View Caltrain Station at 9:49 a.m., 10:49 a.m. and 11:49 a.m., respectively. The special trains will make stops at Millbrae, San Mateo, Hillsdale, Redwood City and Palo Alto before arriving at Mountain View. Those trains will be running in addition to Caltrain’s regular weekend service.
Once fans arrive at the Mountain View station, they can board Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s light rail vehicles for a non-stop trip to the stadium in Santa Clara. This last segment of the trip will take about 20 minutes.
It’s important to note that passengers must purchase a special mobile smartphone ticket to travel on VTA to the Super Bowl. The ticket can be purchased at www.vta.org/eventtik. There is an option for a joint Caltrain/VTA mobile ticket at that VTA website, although passengers can still use regular fare methods to travel on Caltrain to Mountain View.
Additionally, fans travelling to the Super Bowl will face tight security restrictions. NFL rules will permit only clear plastic bags that are no larger than 12” x 6” x 12” into the stadium. Security teams will be enforcing that rule when fans transfer from Caltrain to VTA in Mountain View. Additional details on the NFL’s security policies for the game can be found here.
Once the game is finished, Caltrain will be deploying additional trains to help carry the crowds. The extra service levels will be in effect for up to 2 ½ hours following the end of the contest. Those trains will make all local stops between Mountain View and San Francisco.
Passengers planning on parking their cars at Caltrain-owned stations should also be aware that daily parking rates will increase for the Super Bowl. There are some exceptions, please visit www.caltrain.com/stations and select the location you are planning to use for specific information. It will cost $20 to park at all Caltrain stations on Sunday. Parking permits can be purchased at all station ticket machines. The permits do not have to be displayed on the dash. Monthly parking permits will still be valid on Super Bowl Sunday.
More information on Caltrain’s Super Bowl service and rules and regulations for game day can be found here.
Caltrain reminds fans to drink responsibly and to remember that alcohol is not allowed on game day trains beginning at 9 p.m. Food and beverage aren’t allowed on VTA at any time.
Regular Caltrain passengers not travelling to the Super Bowl can use normal fare methods to travel on Sunday. However, with so many extra visitors in the Bay Area, passengers should expected crowded conditions on the trains and potential service delays.
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About Caltrain: Owned and operated by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, Caltrain provides commuter rail service from San Francisco to San Jose, with limited commute service to Gilroy. Caltrain has enjoyed five years of consecutive monthly ridership increases, surpassing more than 60,000 average weekday riders earlier this year. While the Joint Powers Board assumed operating responsibilities for the service in 1992, the railroad celebrated 150 years of continuous passenger service in 2014. Planning for the next 150 years of Peninsula rail service, Caltrain is on pace to electrify the corridor, reduce diesel emissions by 97 percent by 2040 and add more service to more stations.
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