Despite the winter weather, Caltrain’s ridership continues to show major gains, with December 2024 having over a half million passengers, a 41% increase over December 2023, the commuter rail agency announced this week.

Since the launch of electric service in September 2024, the agency has been reporting its best ridership numbers since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Caltrain had more than 588,000 passengers last month, a substantial increase from 416,000 in December of last year.

Average weekday ridership stood at just over 24,000, a 39% increase from last December, following October’s increase of 38% and November’s 24% increase. Weekend ridership is also standing strong since service was doubled at launch, with Saturdays seeing a 62% increase and Sundays an 85% increase from last December, bringing it to nearly pre-pandemic levels.

“Electric service is continuing to deliver on its promise,” said Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard. “We are providing a fast, convenient, modern service, and many people who are tired of sitting in gridlock on 101 are getting onboard and experiencing the future of travel firsthand.”

Caltrain’s historic electrification project was the first undertaking in North America in a generation in which diesel trains and their infrastructure components are transitioned to an electrified system.

The result, according to the agency, has delivered more service that’s faster to arrive at destinations, as well as a rail fleet that’s quieter and more comfortable while also offering new amenities such as customer-facing Wi-Fi and accessible outlets.