Palo Alto teens heading to San Francisco, San Jose, or anywhere along the Peninsula can ride Caltrain for a dollar each way, and the transit agency says the bargain is working.

Youth trips on Caltrain jumped 26% during the first five months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, the agency reported on Thursday, July 10. Riders ages 5 to 18 took approximately 355,000 trips from January through May under the $1 flat fare program, which also offers a $2 day pass for unlimited rides.

Palo Alto's University Avenue station gives local teens direct access to the line without needing a transfer.

Caltrain expects summer to push numbers higher

In 2025, youth ridership climbed 35% between spring and summer. Caltrain said that seasonal pattern could make 2026 a record year for young riders on the system.

About 32% of youth trips happen on weekends, nearly double the weekend share for adult passengers. The stations with the highest concentration of young riders are College Park, Broadway, Belmont, Menlo Park, and Bayshore.

How to ride

The $1 fare applies to riders ages 5 to 18. Children 4 and younger ride free. No special application or income verification is required.

Riders must pay before boarding using a Clipper card, contactless credit or debit card, digital wallet, or a ticket from a station vending machine. No tickets are sold onboard.

For a Paly or Gunn student, a round trip from any station on the line costs $2. A day pass offering unlimited rides costs the same $2.

Caltrain has not announced an end date for the program. Full details are available at caltrain.com/dollarfares.