The Caltrain Holiday train is touring the peninsula this weekend to delight crowds at stations

SAN FRANCISCO – A long-standing holiday tradition in the Bay Area returns this weekend when the Caltrain holiday train travels down the peninsula from San Francisco.

Decorated with more than 70,000 glittering lights, the train runs Saturdays and Sundays, stopping at stations along the route to entertain crowds with music, dancers and even fake snow.

Ross Peterson, a Caltrain volunteer conductor for 21 years, described the event as magical.

“As soon as you roll into the first stop and look out the door at several thousand smiling faces, how do you describe that if you haven’t seen it?” Peterson said.

The Salvation Army band will perform and participants are asked to bring an unwrapped toy for the organization’s toy drive.

Major Matthew Madsen of the Salvation Army highlighted the growing need for community support.

“Every Christmas, the Salvation Army helps approximately 120,000 people throughout the Bay Area,” Madsen said, noting that requests for help are up 10% this year. “We hope we can meet that need this year.”

The celebration comes as Caltrain reports a surge in ridership following the launch of its all-electric train fleet in October.

Weekday ridership has increased by 38% compared to October 2023, while weekend ridership has more than doubled.

Dan Lieberman, a Caltrain spokesman, highlighted the improvements, noting that with electric trains, Caltrain now has trains available about every half hour instead of hourly on weekends.

“These trains represent a major improvement to Caltrain service – we’re talking faster, quieter, cleaner, more environmentally friendly,” Lieberman said.

The Holiday Train, still powered by diesel, is part of Caltrain’s efforts to attract more potential riders to its service through festive community events.

For more information about train schedules and stops, visit the Caltrain website.