Caltrain’s $1 youth fare fuels surge in ridership

Caltrain’s $1 youth fare fuels surge in ridership

Caltrain said that its $1 fare for riders ages 5 to 18 is driving a sharp increase in youth ridership, with trips by young passengers up 26% during the first five months of 2026 compared with the same period last year.

Caltrain's $1 youth fare fuels surge in ridership

Caltrain said that its $1 fare for riders ages 5 to 18 is driving a sharp increase in youth ridership, with trips by young passengers up 26% during the first five months of 2026 compared with the same period last year. The transit agency reported about 355,000 youth trips from January through May and said summer travel is expected to push ridership even higher. In 2025, youth ridership increased 35% between spring and summer, a trend officials s…