2023 Year in Review

The California Transportation Commission approved the allocation of $80 million in CalSTA funds for one battery-equipped electric train, leading the way for Caltrain to operate a fully zero-emission service to Gilroy. 

In September, Caltrain began operating increased Gilroy/Morgan Hill service with a fourth roundtrip train. This was met by great excitement from elected officials and riders in South Santa Clara County.  

Caltrain introduced new fare promotions that make it easier than ever to ride Caltrain, providing discounts for families and groups that travel together; $1 rides for Clipper Youth Card holders; and a three-day unlimited pass; half-off parking at Caltrain stations.

The MLK Celebration Train ran for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Crowds were delighted to have this beloved tradition return to the rails. Thank you to the NorCal MLK Foundation for their partnership in bringing this important event back to the community.

Caltrain was proud to offer extra train service to the 53rd annual San Francisco Pride Parade and Festival, providing free limited edition “Ride with Pride” stickers and a welcome party at the San Francisco Station with music and entertainment to help revelers celebrate. 

The Summer of Caltrain brought excitement back with this vibrant campaign bringing live performers and free giveaways to stations to thank our loyal riders and attract new ones.    

Caltrain's Diridon Plaza Project--a Diridon Plaza Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) that will bring approximately one million square feet of commercial and active ground floor use to the station area including a plaza for public use--made significant progress this year, gathering feedback through public presentations and meeting with a variety of community organizations.

Caltrain’s Board of Directors approved its operating and capital budgets for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 and 2025 in June of 2023. The two-year operating budget continues to fund Caltrain’s highest ever service levels of 104 trains per weekday, and the capital budget covers long-term infrastructure improvement and maintenance projects.   

In addition to electrification, Caltrain worked on a host of projects to keep the the corridor in a state of good repair, including the Bayshore Station Overpass Rehabilitation Project and the Guadalupe River Bridge Project which is replacing a 1935 wooden bridge. These projects ensure the corridor remains safe and fully functional for years to come.  

The Corridor Crossings Strategy (CCS) is a coordinated approach to designing and implementing grade separations and closures that will help unlock regional mobility and provide safety benefits. Over the past year, Caltrain worked closely with cities and sister agencies to advance this effort. In parallel, existing active grade separation projects such as the Castro Street and Burlingame Broadway projects, also made significant progress this year.   

Safety First and Always is Caltrain’s primary core value. The agency appointed Mike Meader as its Chief Safety Officer in 2023, helping to ensure that the daily operations of Caltrain continues as safely and responsibly as possible. Over the past year, Caltrain has made improvements to its safety protocols and conducted an emergency response exercise in coordination with law enforcement, fire and medical response.   

Under leadership from Caltrain’s first dedicated Executive Director Michelle Bouchard, the railroad adopted a new Mission Statement, Vision and Core Values that focuses on providing customers with safe, reliable, accessible, and sustainable transportation service that enhances the quality of life for all in the communities it serves.