Caltrain Celebrates Electric Train Anniversary as Gov. Signs Bill for More

Caltrain launched its fully electrified rail service between San Francisco and San Jose one year ago this week. From a Caltrain release marking the anniversary:

Since the launch of electrified service in September 2024, Caltrain has recorded a dramatic surge in ridership. Over fiscal year 2025, Caltrain carried 9.1 million passengers, up from 6.2 million in FY 2024. Weekend ridership has more than doubled, and July 2025 alone saw ridership increase 78 percent compared to the same month the year prior, making it the second consecutive month with more than one million riders. Special event travel has also surged, with monthly San Francisco Giants ridership up by as much as 82 percent over last year, and Caltrain running popular themed trains for special events since last December. 

Caltrain has continued to see impressive ridership gains as electrification proves its worth—and demonstrates again that when fast, frequent, rail service is on offer, people drive less and take the train more.

“Today we celebrate one year of electrified Caltrain–using clean technology to connect more communities and economies throughout our state while laying crucial groundwork for high-speed rail,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “I’m proud to back projects like this, showcasing California’s leadership in driving innovation in a way that is future-proof and accessible for all.”

Newsom signed SB 840 on Friday, which allocates and prioritizes $1 billion annually for California’s High Speed Rail project from the state’s carbon Cap-and-Invest program (formerly “Cap-and-Trade”). That will allow the state to complete the first 171-mile fully electrified segment in the Central Valley, a major step towards linking the San Jose end of the Caltrain line all the way to Gilroy, the Central Valley, and on to Los Angeles with fully electrified trains.

“Reauthorizing Cap-and-Trade is a major victory, the culmination of a campaign Transform has been working on all year,” wrote Transform’s Zack Deutsch-Gross. “The revenue—billions of dollars over the years—has been invested in climate programs: high-speed rail, affordable housing, public transit, and more. The program’s legal authority was set to expire in 2030.” Newsom also signed AB 1207, the companion bill to extend Cap-and-Invest through 2045.

“Great compliments to Governor Newsom, State Senate Transportation Committee Chair Cortese and California High Speed Rail Authority CEO Choudri for crafting the breakthrough funding request for our state-of-the-art high-speed rail line,” wrote Rod Diridon, Co-chair, U.S. High-Speed Rail Coalition. “A billion dollars more a year for the next 20 years guarantees that the project will be completed.”

It also makes up for a $4 billion shortfall caused by Trump’s attempt to claw back previously committed federal funds to the project. “Trump and his band of troglodytes are rooting for us to fail. We can’t let that happen,” added former governor Jerry Brown.