Caltrain serves dozens of stations between San Francisco and Gilroy* on weekdays. I usually drop off/pick up friends to San Jose Diridon. From this station, it is a convenient way to travel north to San Francisco or SFO International by getting off at Milbrae and taking BART to the airport. Just another way of commuting. read more

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This Caltrain station serves its purpose for providing transportation linkages between the local trains, Amtrak and buses. There's a basic seating area inside the station and relatively clean bathrooms. I have seen homeless people inside washing up or sitting but I just keep my distance and no issues. Monitors showing all the train times and tracks were easy to read and accurate. Ticket machines are installed before the ramp down to the trains but having the Clipper card in my Apple wallet makes travel more efficient since I can quickly add funds when needed. For the most part the station was clean and at least one staff posted near the departing train for any questions or assistance in boarding. read more

I owe the CalTrain a big thank you! Consider this review as such. This comment comes a decade after my first arrival at this station. A clean, prompt, and resourceful place that I have been able to commute to SF in 2 hours on the Baby Bulletin when leaving from SJ. There are slower trains that take about three hours to get to SF and stop at a variety of cities on the way up there. As trains are no longer the fastest way to travel some may be wondering what gives? Well, fortunately this is an option for those who consider smart alternatives to the herd mentality. I was able to get ahead on my studies and my worries of not driving and getting to SFSU everyday of the week was mollified. Thank y'all for keeping it quick, stylish, and safe for us commuters. read more

No one helps u at night no one answers your questions during the day so there's toilet water flooding the walk ways to enter and leave nasty and they don't make it clear what train is what read more

Honestly I remember taking this to San Francisco for day. The restrooms are clean. There is an ATM. The people are helpful. There are several machines there. Maps are available to take. There is also parking. read more

San Jose Diridon Caltrain - Inside - Train Stations Near Me - San Jose, California

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Trains leave from different tracks than as posted so I just wasted an hour waiting with no sign that I'm waiting on the right track There's at least six here and the info where to wait was incorrect. Now I'm uncertain of anything with nobody to ask. Customer service hung up on me. Clown show as usual. read more

This is a shoutout to the person who cleans the women's bathroom. You do an incredible job. Everytime I am at the station, it is clean and spotless. Thank you for what you do - I really appreciate it. read more

I like using this station. The station is close to downtown and it is kept clean and safe.

Constant equipment breakdowns and delays. Restrooms on trains out of order for days on end. They had an app to buy tickets that was the one thing that actually worked but they eliminated it and forced everyone on to Clipper, which is horrible. Passes and tickets paid for routinely vanish. Calling Clipper makes Comcast look like world-class customer service, sounds like the people who finally answer after hours-long holds are on heroin. You can buy a paper ticket if you find a machine that works, but good luck with that. Emails to Caltrain ignored. They had one employee who built an apartment in a train station and they didn't do anything about it for years. The people who actually work on the trains are nice, and that is the only good thing I can think of to say about this pathetic excuse for a transportation organization. read more

Steve the train operator came and grabbed me before leaving the train as it was the last stop, when the screen was not accurate. Thank you Steve for coming and picking me up! Deserves a recognition. Now and smooth ride all the way! I love it. read more

It is a bit pricier than BART ($21 RT from SJ to SF) but well worth it! Much cleaner and faster if you get a baby bullet or limited. I caught the 2:23pm and should arrive in 1 hour. I like the app as you can pay for your ride & parking ($5.50) all together. Makes it very convenient. Excellent way to go up to SF, then use ride share to go other places. read more

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We took the Caltrain from San Jose Diridon to SF last weekend. The exterior of the station is beautiful, but I was confused when there wasn't a train schedule board in the room you enter (there is one in the next room). The building was a little confusing and choppy. Not my favorite train station. read more

This place is like any main transport hub with the variety of people going places, and it helps to know that, but the CalTrain and other transport personnel are helpful in seeing you on your way. I have used this location to get connected to long - distance in - state and out - of - state travel and the location and people are ideal for expediting and making travel less of a chore or an adventure if you will. Nearby county rail as well as county bus service is here along with some lines that travel further, including Greyhound and Flixbus as well as Monterey county transport service. You can also find Uber, Lyft, a cab, . . . . Great! read more

I paid over 47 dollars for two people and my car to park at the lot. It took 2 hours from San Jose to the baseball stadium. They need to have express trains during these events, and they need to clean the trains they smell horrible. I would rather pay 50 dollars for parking in SF than to go through this torture. The trains should provide air conditioning and WiFi . We live in the Silicon Valley this was the last time I will take the cal train. read more

San Jose Diridon station is the major train station in San Jose. It's served by Caltrain, Amtrak (Coast Starlight and Capitol Corridor), and Altamont Corridor Express. (The VTA Light Rail Green Line also has a stop nearby, and there are several buses that stop here, including my favorite Highway 17 Express to Santa Cruz.) Caltrain technically has five stations that are within San Jose's sprawling borders--College Park, Diridon, Tamien, Capitol, and Blossom Hill--so don't get confused! I travel through this station whenever I take the train from Los Angeles to San Francisco. I take Amtrak Coast Starlight from Los Angeles Union Station to San Jose Diridon, and then I transfer to Caltrain to take me all the way to 4th and King Street. I've had no problems using this station as such. Maybe if I were a regular commuter through this station, I would grow accustomed, but for now, I am still struck by this station's beauty. It's built in the Italian Renaissance Revival style (although I feel like the interior has more of a Mission/Spanish Revival feel). It's also a nice station in that it's a staffed Amtrak station, so you can interact with a real person if you need any help with your Amtrak reservation. The one time I had to was to get a claim check for my bike, which I was checking onto the Coast Starlight. The Amtrak agent was kind, and I had no issues. Inside there are also benches so you can wait indoors, but I usually wait by the benches on the platform. I noticed in other reviews that people seemed to have issues with signage, which to be honest, I don't really get. I've found the station to be adequately signed. Like the rest of the station, even the signage on the platforms are quite beautiful in a historical sort of way. There are also modern signs in the form of screens by each platform entrance in the underground walkway, so you know what train to expect at each platform. If you're taking Coast Starlight, your train is typically at track 1, though, which does not require going to the underground walkway. Instead, you walk through some gates. Overall, I love this station a lot. read more

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What do you to entertain yourself when you are in Covid times? You do things like taking Caltrain to downtown Palo Alto for lunch instead of driving which is about quarter the time and cost. It is a beautiful building with some history. The staff were super friendly and helpful. Good experience overall, way better than BART! read more

San Jose Diridon Caltrain - Train Stations Near Me - San Jose, California

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This train station's main building is comely two story structure. This Italian renaissance style building was originally built in 1935, which is pretty old taking into consideration how young the area is. It serves not only Caltrain that runs from Gilroy r San Francisco, but also ACE (Altamont Corridor Express) from San Jose to Stockton, VTA (Valley Transit Authority) which runs a light rail service in San Jose and neighboring cities), and Amtrak which has trains that go throughout California and North America. I give this space four stars because it is the center of public transportation in San Jose. The inside of the building and general condition of the platforms has improved, however it does not fit well into Silicon Valley vibe. You would expect more high tech conveniences. This may change in the future as San Jose continues to grow and serve as a hub for high tech sector. read more

San Jose Diridon Caltrain - Train Stations Near Me - San Jose, California

Huge thank you to the crew of the San Francisco to San Jose train that returned my sister's bag she accidentally left on the train. She was visiting from out of town and had her wallet and money in the bag. A kind Samaritan must've handed it in and Garret and team form Train 508 secured it at the San Jose station. Disaster avoided. read more

I am reviewing the San Jose Diridon station itself, not my horrible Greyhound bus experience. It's a cool, old building- almost bank vault-like, and a little creepy at night. The uncomfortable benches seem better suited for sleeping than sitting, but at least they have chilled drinking fountains. I took a picture of the bathroom. Either the "N" was missing from "MEN", or the bathroom is one of those forward-thinking, gender-neutral types that just said "Me". read more

San Jose Diridon Caltrain - One of them "gender neutral"restrooms - Train Stations Near Me - San Jose, California

Convenient and easy. Troublesome traffic and homeless. Diridon station is as convenient as it gets. The options and schedule get you almost anywhere you need to go in the region, as far north as Sacramento. Proximity to my office in Downtown SJ is super convenient, especially coupled with the CalTrain Baby Bullet to SF. Ticketing and boarding are easy and relatively well-organized. And I appreciate the majority of folks being professionals and para-professionals commuting. My two knocks on the station are the aggressive homeless people and those that treat the station as a camp/toilet. Wish services would help more. Second would be security managing the drive. Too many people park and block traffic for their own convenience, despite the signs and impacts on others. Can't wait until the remake of Diridon Station into the Grand Central Station of the West. The plans that have been published show it's going to be amazing. Even better with the Google and other development in the area. SJ is turning into a gem of a big city! read more

My friends and I were attending a concert at SAP. What's the fastest way to get from SF to SJ after work on a Friday? Why Cal Train of course! We arrived at the San Jose Diridon Station on August 17th around 7:15pm. This was only my fourth time ever taking Cal Train, so I followed my friend's advice. Walked from downtown to the 4th & King Station in San Francisco. Took the Baby Bullet which departed a little after 6pm. For $10.50, we arrived at this station in a little over an hour later. And since it was the bullet, we only had 5 stops. Not bad considering I didn't have to deal with traffic and bouts of road rage. I rarely take Cal Train. But for public transportation from SF to SJ, I'd say this would be the way to go. read more

$4 to park and the great thing about it is that once you pay for your spot, you don't need to return to your car to put proof on your dashboard however, I believe on game nights parking is $15. It was my 2nd time on the train. While my 1st experience 2 years ago was good, this time wasn't so great but that may be due to influences they can't control. I strongly feel that this is not a stroller-friendly environment. Traveling w/ a kiddo is tough, once you factor in the stroller, and if you are by your lonesome, it's 100x harder - I guarantee it. Unfortunately Diridon Station did not alleviate the hardships. I was pretty much running to catch the train only because I intended to catch the later train but hell, if I could get to San Francisco early for the game, why the hell not? The door closed on me but I was already on the train and trying to unfold the stroller so in the end, we made it. I'm thankful my kiddo knew to stand there whilst I gather everything together. The train was not well ventilated. I was cold upon arriving at the station but once I sat down, it felt like an oven. We were able to grab a seat but 3 stops from here, there was not even a place to stand. The hundreds of fans entering the train did not bother me and it was awesome that the train is able to provide a traffic-free route (driving to the game is what I normally do can be horrendous if you count the regular rush hour commute) but I wish the train operator announced each stop accordingly. It's $18 round trip and to be honest, I'm never taking the train to the game again. It took a little longer than an hour to arrive and back - I would much rather drive so I can go at my own pace and not have to deal w/ drunks and obnoxious folks on the train (ride back was awful). read more

San Jose Diridon Caltrain - $4 daily parking (all day). - Train Stations Near Me - San Jose, California

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Thankful for this stop. My gripe: security needs to.m come out and regulate these Uber/lyft drivers. They are blocking the circle for pickup and drop offs making it extremely dangerous to get out of the cars. This one Lyft driver wasn't paying attention and pulled out almost hitting an elderly lady and clipping my car. I was yelling at him and he sped away, next time I will get their license plate!!! read more

Train station is as one would expect. We took Caltrain for the first time from San Jose Diridon to San Francisco on a Sunday. There was ample day parking available, although I would assume the lots fill up quickly during holidays/big events. Some reviews noted insufficient signage however, we felt there was plenty of signage for the trains and buses. If it's your first time, strongly recommend going a bit earlier than your departure time to ensure you have enough time to figure out where you need to be. Definitely recommend getting the app so you can buy your tickets and pay for your parking straight on the app. Makes getting to the platform a much less stressful process. You can also stay up to speed on arrival times per stop which we found very convenient. There are signs in the station noting where to go for buses and where to go for trains. There are also individual monitors throughout the station noting the platform for a specific train, the train number, the destination stop and the status of its arrival time. Once you get to the designated platform, there are more signs with the same information and flashes when a specific train is arriving. Once on the train, someone may or may not come around to check your tickets so make sure you have them ready or your app ready to show your valid ticket. During the ride, the conductor announces each stop sufficiently so there's no worry about missing your stop. Face coverings are still required on the train (whether or not you're vaccinated). We will see how the same route goes for the Fourth of July! read more

Convenient location in SJ. Hub for Caltrain, Amtrack, and the ACE Train. The restrooms here are slightly better/cleaner than what you'd expect at a typical train station. There isn't much shade at track #1 in the afternoons. The ACE train ticket validation machine is jammed at least once a week. Just make sure you get it validated by the attendant before boarding. $5 all day on-site parking. read more

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I was last here a decade ago, and not much as changed: the building is still old, small, and redolent of urine and recalcitrant hobos. The front doors are flimsy as ever, suddenly blowing open on windy days and letting in all kinds of riffraff. The station is located far from the bustling downtown area and surrounded by what look like dilapidated or abandoned buildings: not exactly the location that a modern train station in a thriving, 21st century city deserves. Unless the entire building is gutted, remodeled, and purged of its undesirables, I really can't see this being a future high-speed rail station in any place other than an apocalyptic alternate dimension or maybe Season 2 of Westworld. read more

San Jose Diridon Caltrain - Train Stations Near Me - San Jose, California

This small station is conveniently located in DTSJ, across the SAP center and has it's own drop off and parking areas. It's connected with VTA, Amtrak and Cal takes you to SF and anywhere in between. The station is kept clean, though a bit small and is easy to access. Check your routes, what station you are coming from and where your destination is. You can buy your tickets at the ticket machines and pay with either cash or card. From SJ to SF you're looking about $9 each way so, $18 total. Be wary if you put a $20 bill in you'll get $19 in dollar coins. This Caltrain is pretty clean as they are good about monitoring the trains, from keeping riders from putting their feet on the seats to announcements about the rules and exits. They also have garbage receptacles for trash on board. The train from this station takes you all the way to San Francisco in about an hour in a half, not too bad and you don't have to deal with traffic. The train runs pretty much on the dot and doesn't sit too long at any other station, it's pretty fast and efficient. The seats are comfy and the ride isn't too bad at all. Come earlier than your departure as doors do open early for the train. As with all public transportation services, be courteous to others, sit back and relax with a book or music. Also keep your ticket handy for when they have random ticket checks- you don't want to try and get on without one and pay for it with a large fine. read more

I really like this station. It shares space with AmTrak and other transportation services but something about the entrance just screams historic. I also like the fact that it's right next door to Whole Foods so you can pick up snacks for the journey. The station is relatively kept. You have to go below to access the entrance to the CalTrains. The below can sometimes reek of urine but I have yet been to a CalTrain where the smell of moldy urine doesn't welcome the senses. Overall this is a great location and station serving the people of San Jose and there's also ample parking so that's a plus! read more

The station is filthy, the signs are all broken. I have to run to the other side of the station to see the train board. The trains are disgusting and the systems are very poorly maintained. This whole service should be replaced. read more

The parking here sucks. I bought a monthly pass and I can't even find parking here in the morning. I've tried for a week to no avail so now I'm back to having my fiancé drive me to work everyday. I emailed Caltrain and they told me "sorry, no refunds" and I shot another email back saying that it's "unfair and they basically took my money and didn't care if my $55 went down the drain." I never got an email back. Seriously there's 3 parking lots here and a 4th being a dedicated employee lot but there's never any parking. What's more annoying is that they have their own employee lot but they still have scattered employee spots in the other 3 lots. Oh, to top things off, they turn the parking lots into $15 zones for SAP events so I don't know what happens to the people who needs to park there during grave yard shifts. F you to your crappy parking lots and even crappier customer service. read more

Is it fancy? no. is there a ton of seating? no. could they stand to turn the heat on a little in winter? yes. but I guess it's clean enough and gets the job done. it also smells like popcorn if that yips up your jollies at all. read more

Cute station, helpful staff. The usual homelessness you expect to see around a train/bus station but not at all a retraction. Tracks are close to the station too so the walk is short if you're in a rush like I usually am. read more

Relaxing way to travel to SF if you plan. 2nd time taking express train from SJ to SF. This time I got there 30 min early since i took kids with me and it was Giants game day. I am glad i did that. Parked at parking lot (made sure no events at Sap), remember space # & paid for parking at Caltrain ticket booth $5.50 all day parking. I beat the crowds to the ticket booth and took my time to figure out how to buy tickets. ($19.50/$9.75 for 4 zones) I recommend sitting in last cart as doors don't open at other stations. We were a group of 9, but we got to sit together. The train didn't get fill until mountain view. It was a relaxing 1 hour 6 min ride. Definitely recommend the baby bullet. The local train takes about 1 hour 40 minutes so you can save a lot of time. On the way back, i avoided getting on the after game train with Giants fans. They have restrooms on the train, but i would only use for emergencies. Overall, the trains are pretty clean even though they allow you to eat and drink on the train. Kids wanted to sit on second level, but there was only single seats in our cart. Recommed Caltrain if you are traveling to SF. read more

San Jose Diridon Caltrain - 4 zones to travel to SF. $19.50 for day pass. $9.75 for kids 5-18 yrs. - Train Stations Near Me - San Jose, California

Always have a pleasant experience with the staff here. They are super helpful when I am lost with trains etc. The cafe inside is a plus for a quick coffee or snack, but it is cash only!! Bathrooms are usually fairly clean. Sometimes they could use a little more attention. Staff at ticket counter is great! Station is located near a lot of food places etc. Scooters are all located outside for a quick ride to Whole Foods, Starbucks and other spots. read more

I usually commute to San Francisco from here daily via the Caltrain. For a mass transit center which thousands of people visit every day, San Jose Diridon is extremely clean and as a petite woman, I feel safe waiting here at night. I unfortunately can't comment on parking as I get dropped off here (but around 6:30 am, the parking lot seems to be relatively empty). The bathrooms also do not stink of pee-pee like the San Francisco Caltrain Station. This station also serves Amtrak, which I used to get back home when I used to go to college at UC Davis. read more

San Jose Diridon Caltrain - Station around 6:25 pm - Train Stations Near Me - San Jose, California

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I LOVE how this station is so close to my apartment! It's about a 10 minute walking distance. This station was well-maintained. I found it very easy to get my ticket and find the train I'm supposed to be in. I recently got a job in San Francisco so I committed a day to commute there. With the help of a couple of apps, CaltrainMe and MuniWatch (iPhone), it made my trip smoother. If you're planning to drive here, there's tons of parking around. If you're thinking of purchasing a monthly pass, you can purchase it in a retail store such as Walgreens and Whole Foods. You can order it online and they will waive the $3 fee if you set autoload but it takes like 7-10 business days to be mailed to you. read more

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After several experience at this station, I feel comfortable writing this review. Since I really prefer not to be negative I'll say this as nicely as possible. Station is a beautiful old California Mission style architecture station and a meeting point of many train service lines. Station is clean, and the staff though well meaning and polite seams to be completely inept at doing their job, to add to the staff they a several volunteers, most appear to be retirees that are again friendly and well meaning but again even more more inept than the paid staff. ("Blind leading the blind" I believe the old saying goes) In summary, just consider yourself as being on your own, and if you're unfortunately disabled, yes you're still on you're own as polite well meaning staff will forget your assistance needs and the volunteers are more like to make you're experience even more difficult than being on your own (Trust me this statement is back by a year of consistent experiences) Good luck! read more

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Wow, as a Bay Area native (i.e. with a car), I have actually never taken Caltrain until recently. Mostly because I haven't had to commute much, but definitely because I grew up with cars and didn't feel the need for public transport. On a recent visit to SF, I didn't want to fuss with parking and wanted the option to drink too much whiskey, so I opted for Caltrain. It's so easy! The baby bullet gets you there in almost the same time it takes to drive. I arrived at the station five minutes before the train departed and managed to (hastily) get a ticket using the machines and hopped on a nice upper level seat. The ride back was on a regular train with more stops, but still not a bad way to travel at all. Just $21 gets you a day pass (and a pass for exceeding your recommended daily alcohol consumption). read more

Lots of homeless and vagabond people would sleep at the seats during the night hours. The bathrooms here are not well-kept and clean. There is a food/cafe stand that opens only during daytime, but its food are not of superb quality. Also the food/cafe stand does not take any credit/debit cards. Must have cash with you when purchasing items there. The only thing good about this station is simply convenience to multiple buses and trains that can connect you to SF and the Peninsula (Caltrain and 522 Rapid Bus), East Bay/Oakland (via 181 bus), as well as to Sacramento and Los Angeles (Amtrak), and to the Central Valley (ACE train). read more

Is also a hub for various bus services, including the Santa Clara VTA. The curbs by the bus stops are sometimes a better place to wait for passenger pickup, as the drop-off area in front of the main entrance is often crowded with poorly parked vehicles blocking everyone else. I try to spend as little time as possible in transit here because *the station is basically hobo central and in a very sketchy neighborhood, *the restroom floors are somehow always wet, *the snack options are pretty lame, and there's nothing else nearby. read more