Mastering the Art of Riding Caltrain: A Step-by-Step Guide

Below is a 'how to' guide for tourists, new users, and veteran commuters:

Caltrain is the commuter rail line that runs south from San Francisco to San Jose through the Santa Clara Valley, with service beyond to Gilroy. This rail line, first established in 1863 stitches the Silicon Valley communities together, with frequent rail service.

The first stop on your journey is the Caltrain , mobile app, which can be downloaded free of charge from your phone's app store. You could also reference Caltrain.com for travel planning. On the app and website, you will find a list of Caltrain Stations, along with a live map. You will also find timetables which list every train that stops at every station, and a drop-down menu for station-to-station travel.

So, for example, I selected Redwood City and my origin station and Palo as my destination station on the drop-down menu. A listing of every train from the first at 5:41 on weekdays to the last, at 12:54 am, appeared on the screen, a total of 52 trains to choose from! There is also a squiggly arrow to reverse the schedule.

So, for my soon to be published afternoon in Palo Alto, I chose the 12:49 pm Redwood City departure with arrival in Palo Alto, at 12:58 pm, a 5-mile trip in 10 minutes (The same trip can take up to 20 minutes by car.)

How do you buy a ticket

You can purchase through the app at from a ticket machine at the station.

I bought my ticket through the app and showed the electronic ticket with qr code to the conductor when she passed by my seat.

You can go the higher tech route, too. On each platform there is at least one ticket machine. You can pay for one way tickets or day passes, just like on the phone. You can also purchase a Clipper card, which is a reloadable card that's used to store a monthly pass. Clipper is touted is the "The Bay Area's all-one transit card," and can be used on buses, BART and ferries throughout the Bay Area.

Back to the phone, to buy a ticket through the app, go to products with the ticket illustration at the bottom of the phone screen. Decide if you want one way or Day Pass (which seems to be equivalent to round trip) Press the button and the credit/debit card linked to your phone is charged. One way tickets are valid for 4 hours after purchase, while Day passes offer untlimited travel within 1 partiuclar zone.  The Caltrain system is divided into 6 fare zones and train fares vary depending on how long you plan to ride.

In my cases, Redwood City to Palo Alto was $6 one way or $12 day pass.

Arrive at the station at least a comfortable 7 minutes or so before the departure time. Double-check to see that you’re waiting on the correct platform. Look for the signage that says "San Jose" or San Francisco. If you need to cross the tracks, do so only where safely permitted--grade crossings or underpasses that cross under the rails. When in doubt, ask a fellow traveler patron or security official.

Remember to wait behind the yellow line marked clearly on the platform, as not every train stops at every station! Trains that don’t stop often will pass through at a high rate of speed. As the train comes to a stop at your station, let others exit the train before boarding the train.

When on the train, find a seat and enjoy your ride! At least one restroom is available on every train. Pack a snack! Eating and drinking are permitted.

Listen to the on board announcements will be made for the upcoming stops. Be ready to exit the train just before the train arrives at your stop.

Parking

Parking is available at most Caltrain Stations. Daily parking permits can be purchased from the above mentioned ticket machines for $5.50 or on the mobile app. You need your parking stall number before you buy your ticket to enter into the machine, or the mobile app.

Bicycles

Caltrain is bike friendly. There is space for bike racks on each train. The new electric trainsets hold 2 bike cars, and up to 72 bikes. The older diesel trains with double door entrances hold 1 bike car, up to 36 bikes. In both cases, look for the yellow sticker on the car

I hope you find this guide helpful If you have ridden Caltrain, please add in the comments below helpful hints or observations, and feel free to add anything that I have missed (I'm a new blogger!)