Caltrain fares

From Transit.Wiki

The Caltrain system is divided into six fare zones and fares are determined by the number of zones traveled.


Use the planner below to determine your one way fare:

Ticket types

One way tickets and day passes can be purchased from the ticket machines at all Caltrain stations. Train fares can also be paid with Clipper cards. Caltrain is a proof of payment System. No tickets are sold on-board. Passengers must have a valid ticket or pass to board the train.

All tickets are valid only within the zones indicated unless specified otherwise.

Ticket types Validation period Notes
One way 4 hours after purchase for one way travel Cannot be purchased in advance. Stop-overs are permitted. One way fares can be paid with Clipper by tagging on at the reader before boarding the train and tagging off after exiting the train. One way fares on Clipper are 25 cents less than the cash fare paid at the ticket machines.
Day pass Unlimited rides on the day of purchase Cannot be purchased in advance. Not available on Clipper.
8-Ride Available on Clipper cards only. Once the ticket is purchased and loaded onto the card, the rider needs to tag on and off for each ride. Ticket expires in 30 days.
Monthly Pass Available on Clipper cards only. Once the ticket is purchased and loaded onto the card, the rider only needs to tag on and off on the first use each month (no need to tag after that). The pass is good for unlimited travel within the zones purchased on weekdays and in all fare zones on weekends and holidays.

Clipper

Clipperreader.jpg

To pay train fares with Clipper, tag the standalone reader located at the station before you board and tag again after you get off the train. On the first tag, the maximum available fare will be deducted. On the second tag (within four hours), the appropriate fare will be charged and the rest will be refunded to you. Do not tag when you are transferring trains in the same direction.

Caltrain 8-ride and monthly pass are available on Clipper only. Riders with 8-ride tickets need to tag on before boarding and off after exiting for every ride. Riders with monthly passes need to activate the pass by tagging the boarding and exiting stations on the first ride of the month. A minimum e-cash value of $1.25 is needed to ride Caltrain with Clipper, even you have a monthly pass or an 8-ride ticket loaded on the card.

Train conductors will check the card with a reader to see whether the fare is paid. If you plan to buy an 8-ride ticket or monthly pass online or over the phone, it can take up 3-5 days for the reader to recognize your ticket or pass. It is a good idea to buy the monthly pass a few days before the beginning of the month. If you want your ticket or pass loaded immediately, you should purchase your pass at a retailer, a Clipper Add Value machine or Muni ticket machine.

If you forgot to tag off the system within 4 hours, you'll get stuck paying the maximum fare (and a ride would not be deducted from your 8-ride ticket, if you have one). If this causes your card to run below $1.25, you will need to replenish your card or otherwise your card won't work (even if you have an 8-ride ticket or monthly pass).

If you decide not the take the train, tag off at the station within 15 minutes to receive a full refund.

Zone upgrade

If you want travel to a station that your ticket or pass doesn't cover, you can purchase a "zone upgrade" to use along with a valid Caltrain ticket or pass. Each zone upgrade is good for four hours as long as your original ticket or pass is still valid.

Riders using Clipper card with a monthly pass need to buy a zone upgrade from a ticket machine. If you use Clipper for zones beyond your 8-ride or monthly pass, you'll be charged for a regular one way fare on e-cash with no deduction taken from your 8-ride or monthly pass.

Fare upgrade is no longer available for 8-ride tickets. The necessity of tagging on and off with the Clipper card within the valid fare zones of the 8-ride ticket makes such usage impractical.

Eligible discount

One way, day pass, 8-ride ticket and monthly pass are available at a 50% discount (eligible discount) for riders who are under 18, 65 or above, disabled, or have a Medicare card.

Youth and senior passengers require special Clipper cards to load discounted 8-ride tickets and monthly passes. To obtain a youth or senior card, you will need to visit any of these offices and bring documentation to show eligibility. Disabled and senior riders can receive a 50% discount on fares by using RTC Discount Cards with Translink or Clipper logo.

Fare chart

Map of Caltrain system with fare zones

Fare is effective 2/28/16.

Full fare Eligible discount
Cash Clipper only Cash Clipper only
Zones traveled One Way Day Pass One Way 8-ride Monthly Pass One Way Day Pass One Way 8-ride Monthly Pass
1 zone $3.75 $7.50 $3.20 $23.80 $84.80 $1.75 $3.75 $1.60 $11.85 $42.40
2 zones $5.75 $11.50 $5.20 $38.50 $137.80 $2.75 $5.75 $2.60 $19.25 $68.90
3 zones $7.75 $15.50 $7.20 $53.30 $190.80 $3.75 $7.75 $3.60 $26.65 $95.40
4 zones $9.75 $19.50 $9.20 $68.10 $243.80 $4.75 $9.75 $4.60 $34.05 $121.90
5 zones $11.75 $23.50 $11.20 $82.90 $296.80 $5.75 $11.75 $5.60 $41.45 $148.40
6 zones $13.75 $27.50 $13.20 $97.70 $349.80 $6.75 $13.75 $6.60 $48.85 $174.90

Zone upgrade for 8-ride ticket and monthly pass costs $2.00 per zone for adult and $1 per zone for eligible discount riders.

Inter-agency fare arrangements

Caltrain monthly pass with 2 or more zones: