how do you buy Caltrain tickets?

Answer 1

One-way tickets and Day Passes can only be purchased at the station on the day of travel due to validity period. Ten-ride and Monthly tickets may be purchased in advance at staffed stations, Ticket Vending Machines (TVM), or through the mail. Cash, checks and credit or debit cards may be used to purchase tickets at stations.

Passengers must have a valid ticket before boarding the train or be subject to citation. Please show ticket to the conductor or fare inspector upon request.

One-way tickets and Day Passes can only be purchased at the station on the day of travel due to validity period. Ten-ride and Monthly tickets may be purchased in advance at staffed stations, Ticket Vending Machines (TVM), or through the mail. Cash, checks and credit or debit cards may be used to purchase tickets at stations.

Caltrain fares are based on the number of zones that are partially or wholly traveled through by the passenger.

TICKET TYPES

One-way Ticket
Valid for use within four hours of the date and time sold. One-way tickets will be honored for one-way passage away from the point of origin, including stopovers/transfers, within the zone limits.

Day Pass
Day passes are honored for unlimited travel within zone limits. Valid for use through the last train on the service day on which sold.

Ten-ride Ticket
Valid for use for 60 days from the date sold and will expire at 3:00 a.m. on the day after the validity period ends. Ten-ride tickets will be honored for 10 one-way rides away from the point of validation within the zone limits. The 10-ride ticket is valid for multiple use by the purchasing customer and any member of his or her traveling party.

Each one-way trip on a 10-ride Ticket is limited to use within four hours of the date and time validated by a validator, located at each station near the ticket vending machines. The 10-ride Ticket must be validated using the validator before boarding the train for each trip. This includes multiple customer use of a 10-ride Ticket by a travelling party. Validators are set four hours in advance so the stamp denotes when the ticket expires.

Monthly Pass
Valid for use for the calendar month for which issued. Monthly passes will be honored for unlimited weekday trips between zones indicated on the pass. On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, the pass will be honored for unlimited trips between all zones. In addition, the Monthly Pass will be honored for morning passage on the first weekday of the following month. When the first weekday of the following month falls on a legal holiday, such passes also will be honored for morning passage on the next weekday.

Zone Upgrade Ticket
Valid for use within four hours of the date and time sold. Zone Upgrade tickets are valid only when accompanying another valid ticket (One-way, Day Pass, 10-ride or Monthly tickets) and cannot be used alone. The Zone Upgrade ticket will be honored for one-way passage for additional zones purchased beyond the original ticket's zone limits. The Zone Upgrade ticket's validity period does not supercede the original ticket's validity period.
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You can also buy tickets by the internet, but it is not through the website. You have to send an email or application page (SNAIL MAIL) to get your tickets.
http://www.caltrain.com/caltrain_TBI.html

Answer 2

Caltrain Tickets

Answer 3

They don't ask for ID, so unless you look like a lost child it shouldn't be a problem