This is my go to station! Its the last stop in San Jose before going down to Gilroy so when I take it to the city I'm literally the first and last stop. Yes it can be a long ride but that's why you take the bullet (which makes less stops.) Advantages: - If you live in South SJ you can get to this Cal Train station without the fwy. I take Almaden Expressway all the way down there. - FREE PARKING! Which is WAY better than $4 a day at DT SJ Diridon Station. This is great since sometimes I spend the night in the city and have left my car and its been fine. - Plenty of parking. Even when you get to the station somewhat late you can park your car in the dirt area like others do. Be careful of the deep holes tho! Don't mess up your car. - Right next to VTA for those people that take the Light Rail Disadvantages: - No restrooms - It gets really deserted at times and I've seen shattered glass before (thinking someone's car got broken into) - Not all trains go to Tamien so sometimes I do have to suck it up and drive to the DT station read more

I like this station: 1) Only one stop away from San Jose Diridon 2) Free parking 3) about half of the bullet trains stop here 4) Free parking 5) Closer to home if you live in Willow Glen, Cambrian, Los Gatos, Campbell, than other stations up north. 6) Free parking 7) Nursery on site for those with small kiddos 8) Free parking 9) VTA (tram or light rail) station connection 10) Did I mention free parking? Do keep in mind: -Don't bring your expensive car here or leave valuables in it. Other reviewers have reported occasional shattered windows. -Parking is barely sufficient for the demand: by the third bullet train, there are no spaces left. -Fewer trains stop here as compared to Diridon (the primary San Jose station) -If you don't get off here, you'll end up in Gilroy read more

See all

I was reluctant at first to park here due to several mentions of cars being broken into, but they do offer valid advice - don't leave any valuables in the car! There's never any parking on the other side of the train station (on Lick Ave, with the children's center), however, there is ample parking on the other side near the Hwy 87 entrance. Relatively easy trek to and from South Jose and like everyone mentioned, it's free! Saves me so much on gas when driving to Palo Alto. Make sure to always have a CalTrain Station Time Table to know exactly what train is arriving, departing and where it's potentially headed. read more

Parking lot is big and free but a little sketchy so take precautions as others have mentioned. Don't leave anything of possible value in sight, and park under a streetlamp if you think you'll be returning late. It's all common sense. Otherwise this is a very straightforward, clean, covered, well lit station. Just be sure and check the schedule..not all trains stop here. read more

Too dangerous due to crime, not enough trains, But I'm giving it more than 1 star for existing! read more

It gets 1 Star by default but really...this station deserves it. I felt like taking the train and not paying for parking so Tamien was the best choice. I started to question that decision as soon as I walked through the parking lot seeing shattered glass twice on my way in. I know the kind of area I'm in because I don't live that far from the station but seriously?! I CalTrain knows about the break-ins from police reports and this still happens?! Parking is free, but that really isn't the case when you car windows get busted. At least pretend like you care CalTrain and install some cameras in the area! This is why you don't park at Tamien CalTrain Station near sunset. You probably shouldn't park here during the day either. read more

Tamien Caltrain Station - Better not leave your car here at night...or ever. - Train Stations Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

I'm taking this train to my work at PA. My co-worker told me to take this train because the parking is free! The drive is only 10mins away from my place so I'm really glad. I start work early so I'm able to find parking before it gets full. Based on some reviews I read, it's not good parking here at night. People mention their car's glass got shattered and no cameras around to catch the culprit. Anyways, I catch the bullet train so it only takes me 20 minutes to arrive at PA. read more

Tamien Caltrain Station - Train Stations Near Me - San Jose, California

This Caltrain station is a great alternative to having to pay for parking at Diridon. Most trains going north and southbound also stop here. Including the bullet trains. This station is clean and the parking lot is well-lit. Don't leave anything in your car though because I have seen a couple of cars (over the course of a year) with shattered windows. read more

Last week I took the train from Belmont to meet up with my friends who live 5 mins away from this station. What I like is that practically nobody is on the train dayside when I left. It was just me and 2 other riders. Talk about having a cart all to myself, it was nice. The station itself is a little sketchy. I know that a lot of drug deals go on around here. Cars are broken into like all the time. Which is so sad. Make sure you keep everything out of your car, don't put anything into your trunk when you get there, someone might be watching you. Keep your bags next to you and leave that way. Best option is to have someone drop you off if possible? Great little station if it works for you. read more

Pros: 1. FREE parking unlike all the stations north of this station that charge 4-5 dollars a day. 2. Even though I have a lot of cons listed below, taking the train still beat sitting in traffic on the 101 from San Jose - Palo Alto everyday. I'd go insane if I didn't have an alternate transportation option. Cons: 1. If you are not on the 6:56am train or come early to the 7:56am train parking can be a challenge. There is an unpaved uneven dirt lot people are forced to park in during the summer. In the winter ony people with Four Wheel Drive can brave the muddy mess. 2. This station is only operatinal from 5am-9am and then trains start coming back to it at 4pm. This can he very inconvenient if you need to get back to your car in the middle of the day. The closest station is the downtown Diridon station 2 miles away. I walk it or ride my bike back to Tamien if I have to come back early. 3. This lot is totally unpoliced. I've seen broken glass, cars on blocks with all four wheels stolen, teens smoking pot in the open like it's legal etc. Make sure you take everything off your seats and lock your doors! 4. This is more of a reflection of CalTrain in General: No Wifi on the train, the trains are so much slower and spend so much time at each station (way less efficient than BART), and during the non-commuter hours (10am-4pm) the trains only operate once an hour. read more

This review is namely a shout-out to the security guard who offered to help me out today. I had missed my stop at Diridon-- embarrassingly, because I has gotten caught up in reading BBC News. After getting off at Tamien, I was happy that there was enough signage to direct me to the Light Rail. However, after noticing that the VTA rail might take awhile, I figured I'd grab a Lyft instead. Enter the cool security guard, who asked if I needed any help, and who kindly escorted me to the correct parking lot, where said mustachioed car was waiting. I felt a hell of a lot safer with the guard walking with me-- especially since the sun had gone down. Sadly, I did not get his name. Nevertheless: thank you, unnamed sir! You did a small but kind service for me this evening, and San Jose was the better for it! read more

On one hand, Tamien Station is the best station for San Jose commuters. It's the starting (and ending) point for the Baby Bullet lines so you can always get a seat at some point during your ride and it's also a very convenient transfer point for the South Bay's Light Rail system. Another benefit is that parking is free and there's always space in the dirt lot adjacent to the station if you can't get one in the asphalt lot in front. On the other hand, the station is located at the edge of one of the bad areas of San Jose so there are usually hood rats lingering in and around the station. It's also a ripe area for getting your car broken into or vandalized. In the past month, I've been both harassed by a wandering crack head and had my car window smashed - nothing stolen as I had no valuables in the car - so I've stopped using the lot altogether and just taking light rail to Tamien instead. For monthly Caltrain passholders who have the convenience of living near a light rail station, consider taking it to Tamien since light rail fare is included with your monthly pass. It's worth any any trouble caused for the peace of mind (and cost) of having your car broken into. read more

I've been parking at Tamien for nearly one year, and for the most part this CalTrain station meets your commuting expectations. Pros: - Free parking. However, as mentioned by previous reviewers, this lot can fill up very quickly. If you take the trains prior to 7a, you should be guaranteed a parking spot. Otherwise, people often use the adjacent dirt lot or along the streets. - Guaranteed seating. Because Tamien is usually the last and first stop for many of the bullet trains, you will have a great seat -- perfect for doing work, napping, reading etc. - Connection to Light Rail station. I have never used the Light Rail, but this options opens up Tamien to many more commuters living in the San Jose area. - Shuttle connection to San Jose Diridon over the weekends. There are no trains that go from Tamien to the city on weekends, but you can park here and take the shuttle to Diridon to take advantage of the free parking. The lot is very empty on weekends, though, so use at your own risk. Cons: - Limited trains. Bullet trains are only in the early mornings and after 5pm, which makes sense given the work schedule of many commuters. However, this means that if you have a midday appointment in San Jose, it is better off to drive to work that day OR park at San Jose Diridon. The earliest train that gets back to Tamien is at 4:07p. - Parking fills up. As mentioned earlier and by fellow Yelpers, parking fills up very quickly after the 7a trains. - Unpoliced area with no cameras. Though this station is located in the rougher area of San Jose, the parking lot is not under surveillance. If you come pick up your car by 8:19p (which is the arrival time of the last limited train), you should be fine. However, anything later than that (10:18p and 11:18p) you risk your car being vandalized. One evening when I came back from work on the 10:18p train, 4 of my tires were slashed, and I saw that other cars were victimized, too. The police also took a while to get to the scene -- something about how Tamien is under San Mateo County's jurisdiction. So, if you plan on returning late, I would *strongly* recommend parking at San Jose Diridon, which has more activity and surveillance throughout the day and night. It is worth the $5 for your peace of mind. You never know what may happen, and I definitely learned my lesson. read more

Hey CalTrain, have you heard of something called "signs"? They are things you can post to help your customers figure out where they are. You should check into them - totally cutting edge technology. Today I took the train to work for the first time. I went up to Tamien to catch the express train. There are no signs indicating how to get to the CalTrain platform if you happen to end up on the VTA platform, like I did. After I made my way to the CalTrain platform there was a train on either side of the track. The trains do not have signs indicating where they are going, nor do the LED displays. As I was looking for a sign, one of the trains pulled away. I was supposed to have been on that train but didn't know it. I have never in my life stood on a train platform that didn't include maps, signs, or instructions of any kind. I was blown away by it, actually. When I asked other people on the platform how they know which train to board I got answers like, "It could be either side", "No one really knows", and "If you look closely at the very front of the train there's a number that corresponds to the train route". When I finally boarded a train I was anxious because I didn't know if I was going the right way. There are station maps on the trains (not very useful until you've boarded) but anyway I had one with me. If I was on the right train the map said the next station would be San Jose Diridon. Except when I got to the next station all the signs said was "San Jose", nothing about Diridon. If I had been going the wrong way the train would still have been in San Jose, so - again, not helpful. I'm not sure how they expect to get people out of their cars when they don't provide any information to traveling commuters. To be honest I found it easier to take the train when I visited Japan than it was in my own backyard. read more

The only bummer about this station is that the Caltrain does not depart or stop here as often as Diridon, only on every other hour I believe (for the most part). Free parking + no traffic when leaving the station = awesome. I'm always guaranteed a seat here vs. Diridon where it gets pretty packed! I hope the schedule will adjust to accommodate this location more frequently. read more

I do like this light rail station because it cuts my commute by 30 minutes. However, there needs to be more Clipper scanners at the station. There didn't seem to be one on the upper level where the train tracks are, so I had to go to down to ground level again and tag. It's a nuisance - especially for those who are in a hurry thinking they can tag on by the tracks, or for those who have difficulties walking. read more

I love this station but I could not find security anywhere. I felt violated seeing my window was smashed after a hard day at work. read more

Tamien Caltrain Station - Smashed window - Train Stations Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

My car was broken in here in broad daylight, but considering the dearth of broken glass in the parking lot, I don't think this is a regular thing. This station is neat because there is a ton of free parking, and it is the farthest north station that has free parking. However, many trains begin one station up at San Jose Diridon, so be sure to check the schedule so when you come home you get on the right train. Not all the baby bullet trains make it here. Check the schedule. The station itself is a logistical nightmare if you are a commuter and live in the area. There is one staircase that leads out of the platform, so when one of those aforementioned baby bullets gets there, everyone bunches up to get down the stairs. If you want to wait less time, board the train second from the back; that one usually lets you off closest to the stairwell. The only exception is the last bullet train, in which you want to be on the first train in the front, but it doesn't really matter because that train is not usually that crowded. The clocks are a minute fast, and they also sometimes leave a few seconds early in the morning, so don't dilly-dally. And certain conductors take the last stretch, from San Jose Diridon to Tamien, at about 3 miles per hour, so the train is often 5-10 minutes late. This is especially true for the one that arrives at 5:39 p.m.! read more

Can we get the Employee that wishes everyone a great day each morning a raise? (Bald guy with glasses). He would be the guy on UnderCover Boss who gets promoted. Great attitude every morning. Definitely brightens everyone's long commute. read more

I think I am done parking at this station. Yesterday for the third time in a year, my car was burglarized there. The first time they took the spare tire and owner's manual. The second time the battery and cables. After that I reinforced the locks, so the third time they drilled out the passenger side door lock and attacked the door handle with a crowbar. Contrary to what others have said, the burglaries are not at night, they are in the daytime because the trains are not running at that time. And I am convinced that VTA doesn't care, of they would have installed security cameras. Diridon station is a longer drive and costs $6 a day, but at least my car won't be trashed. read more

I'll start with the pros. The best thing about this place is that there is no parking fees. Secondly, there is plenty of parking spaces, plus there is a field to the right side of the station were you can also park your car too. Now going to the cons. I've seen a kid breaking into a car in the parking lot at about 10 pm with my own eyes. Lots of incidents like these happen -- so my greatest recommendation is not to leave any valuables in your car and not to leave your car in the station after 9pm. read more

Warning: There is NO SECURITY in this parking lot or the overflow parking area. My car window was smashed while I was at work. Fortunately, nothing was stolen inside. $250 later, I'm left wondering why Caltrain doesn't address this common problem of cars being vandalized? read more

First time I park there in a year and get 3 tires slashed at 7:03am 8/18/15 (5 minutes after the train leaves). I know because the car texted me a low pressure alert. Car next to me had one tire slashed. Never again. Someone I spoke to parks in the street to minimize risk. VTA security guard wandered over and told me there is no Caltrain security and no cameras. Break-ins are common. Not safe at any time of day. Shameful. read more

Tamien Caltrain Station - First time I park there in a year and get 3 tires slashed. Happened at 7am! Nope... - Train Stations Near Me - San Jose, California

With Caltrain prices going up I'm so glad they have free parking at the Tamien station, otherwise I would go back to driving to work instead of taking the train. Some words of wisdom about this place: - Like other reviewers mentioned lock up your car and don't leave valuables. - Not all trains stop here, most stop at Diridon. - This is the most convenient station I've found especially if you live in the South Bay. It's right off of Hwy 87 and it takes me like 20 minutes to get to Campbell or Los Gatos if you go through the back roads. - The station is actually pretty clean. The escalator doesn't smell like piss as you would expect at an open air train station. read more

A new development will get rid of all parking on the caltrain side and the dirt lot where the day care sits. They added a couple of spaces to the other side but didn't address the lack of spaces. Their solution is for people to park at the other lots and take the vta from there. This is a caltrain depot and transfer location. tech buses continue to abuse the lot and take up parking for their employees. Once google comes downtown, expect no parking spaces unless you take the 5:50am trains. Caltrain and VTA let the commuters down by selling the land for quick cash. Expect more problems since no security patrols watch this lot. Caltrain didn't even bother showing up to the town hall meeting. My guess is it's not their problem. All VTA lots are crime ridden and their excuse is they don't have money for security to watch all parking lots. Like I've said in the past. You're best bet is to clean your car out of everything valuable and take your registration with you to work. These parking lots continue to be a cesspool of crime with no consequences. read more

Be very careful when you park here! My radio was stolen when I got back. Already gave the police a call but obviously tree's nothing they can do. read more

Excellent location nestled in the neighborhood. Ride share, childcare, buses, lightrail and amtrak!

great spot to watch fireworks. Also love that they have security here.

Was here to catch the 283 express to SF and the conductor was the rides person I've ever meet. I don't write bad reviews very often. But this one has to be made. If there was another way to get from willow glen to SF without driving I would take it after this experience and I'm a very loyal fan of cal-train but when you higher ppl like her something needs to be said about it. read more

Yay for plenty of free parking! Boo for trains that stop here infrequently.

sort of deserted on weekends, but have ridden during the week also shuttle service on weekends sort of deserted ghost town feel on weekeneds. clean no litter and clean porta potti outside in parkling lot read more

My commute consists of leaving the San Jose (Tamien Station, zone 4) and arriving at Palo Alto (University Avenue, zone 3) each week day morning. I understand that Caltrain car #362, leaving Palo Alto, University Avenue, has been traveling Southbound on this route for 5+ years. On Wednesday, September 5th, I boarded the train at Palo Alto as I normally do with the same folks that I commute with on a daily basis, many of which work for Stanford University or the hospital. On that same day (9/5th), 25+ passengers and I were kicked off the train prior to proceeding to Tamien station. I understand that the stop is listed as an "unscheduled stop," however, since the train goes to Tamien on a daily basis I have requested that it be listed as a scheduled stop. My letters were addressed to Michelle Bouchard, BouchardM@samtrans.com, Manager in charge of revising the Caltrain Timetable Schedule and as of today's date I have not received a response. I have tried contacting Caltrain directly via telephone to no avail. No one has given an answer as to why they will not put Tamien station on the scheduled stop list. read more

I was trying to get the biggest bang for my buck on a recent trip to San Francisco, and that included me not paying for parking in San Jose while I was gone. So, I found out that there is free parking at the Tamien station, and decided to depart from there to SF. I arrived in the late afternoon (before rush hour), and the parking lot was PACKED. I think you would need to arrive much earlier in the day (morning, probably) to find parking at this station--probably because of the free parking. There is overflow parking in this dirt lot adjacent to the parking area, however I couldn't figure out how to get into the overflow parking, and I'm not entirely convinced that it's legal because I didn't see any signs for it at all. In fact, I think you have to drive over the curb to get there. Anyways, I drove around through the entire lot and then back again before I found a really narrow spot that I managed to squeeze my way into. Previous Yelp reviews had led me to believe that it would be a bad idea to leave my car here overnight, but I wasn't so convinced. In fact, I left it overnight for three nights! Nothing happened to my car. I made sure to put everything in my trunk. I never saw any broken glass, and actually saw a police car making rounds when I was looking for parking. Anyways, good location, safe enough for my car to be left for three nights, free parking. A win in my book. read more