July 27, 2005

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Publication Date: Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Caltrain starts new schedule Aug. 1

The new schedule more than doubles the number of Baby Bullet express trains, drops weekday service to Atherton and Burlingame's Broadway station, and increases the number of weekday train trips between San Francisco and San Jose from 86 to 96. The streamlined schedule is expected to reduce travel times.

Riders who use the Atherton station will be able to catch a free shuttle to the Redwood City station during weekday commute hours. The shuttle will make seven stops in the morning and seven in the evening, said Atherton City Manager Jim Robinson. Atherton will still have train service on weekends.

Redwood City is to serve as a transfer station for local train service. Instead of stopping at all stations, local trains will become hybrids, making limited stops from San Francisco or San Jose to Redwood City, and then making local stops for the rest of the trip, or vice versa.

For instance, passengers who need to get from Menlo Park to the San Mateo station must get off the train in Redwood City and board the following one. Trains are timed so there should be no more than a five-minute wait to transfer, said a Caltrain spokesperson.

Caltrain has been running 12 of the popular and lucrative Baby Bullet routes on weekdays. The new schedule includes an additional 10, including six that will stop in Menlo Park for the first time. Menlo Park will have three southbound Baby Bullet trains during morning commute hours that will carry commuters to San Jose in 23 minutes, and three northbound in the evening.

Caltrain officials are counting on a revamped schedule and higher fares to shore up the struggling rail service's finances. Higher fares went into effect July 1, and an additional 25-cent increase is set for January.

The full schedule is available at caltrain.com or by calling (800) 660-4287.

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