With Super Bowl LX rapidly approaching, Caltrain, the commuter rail line that connects San Francisco to the South Bay, is preparing to accommodate thousands of new commuters coming from outside the Bay Area. To manage the influx of riders, the rail service has implemented new measures to make the ticketing process easier with updated Clipper cards and new ambassadors to guide passengers. Caltrain still plans to run its regular half-hourly service and believes its current operations are adequate for the significant increase in ridership.
With neither Super Bowl contender being from the Bay Area, Caltrain anticipates that many riders will be unfamiliar with the Bay Area’s transit ecosystem. To assist them, Caltrain plans to increase the number of ambassadors at stations to inform people about routes to Levi’s Stadium.
Along with ambassadors, Caltrain will enhance security at the busiest stations throughout Super Bowl week by deploying additional guards to ensure safe travel during peak hours.
One of the biggest changes Caltrain has implemented to help new riders is the adoption of Clipper 2.0. On Dec. 10, Caltrain, along with other Bay Area transit agencies, integrated new readers that allow commuters to use contactless payment methods such as Apple Pay and credit and debit cards. For many people outside the Bay Area, a Clipper Card will provide little value beyond their time during Super Bowl week. Therefore, this new system will make commuting across the Bay Area easier, as they don’t need to worry about buying a Clipper Card.
The Clipper 2.0 system will also allow for discounted transfers throughout all agencies that use Clipper as a payment system. For commuters traveling with more than one transit agency, a discount of up to $2.50 will be given if the fare is paid with the connecting agency within a two-hour window.
Caltrain’s enhanced service plans are not just for game day on Feb. 8. They will extend to additional events that week, including various concerts across the Peninsula.
“The way we’re looking at it, it’s not just the big game,” Dan Lieberman, Caltrain’s public information officer, said. “It’s the whole week of activities that are going on beforehand on this side of the Bay.”
Regarding service times, Caltrain doesn’t expect to increase train frequency for commuters. They will still be running their half-hourly operations with trains similar to those used in regular day-to-day service.
For many commuters, Caltrain will be the most useful service for Super Bowl activities, as many places of interest, such as the Moscone Center, which is hosting the Super Bowl Experience, are easily accessible by Caltrain and BART. Additionally, many sports fans arriving at San Francisco International (SFO) will find themselves gravitating to Caltrain’s rail lines as their stop in Millbrae Station connects with trains arriving from SFO.
For more information on Caltrain’s plans for the Super Bowl, visit caltrain.com for updates on events and deals throughout the week.
