Frequently Asked Questions

The Capitol Corridor is an intercity passenger rail service with 18 stations between Auburn and San Jose. Visit our Destinations page for trip ideas or view our route map to see where we can take you!

No. The Capitol Corridor is an unreserved route, so no reservations are required, and you can buy your tickets at any time and easily hop on board! Because we are unreserved you may purchase a ticket and use it at a later time or date (within one year of purchase) if your travel plans change. However, certain promotions and discounts may require advance purchase. Additionally, some connecting bus routes require reservations, due to limited seating, so please plan accordingly.

You can find fare and schedule information on our website under Tickets or Routes and Schedules or pick up a schedule at the station or on board the train.

Capitol Corridor also offers several every day discounts for children and seniors, as well as seasonal promotions. Check the Deals and Promotions page for more information.

First, determine if you will be travelling on a weekday or weekend, and which direction you will be going—westbound toward San Jose or eastbound toward Sacramento. Locate your departure and arrival stations, listed vertically along the left side of the chart. Once you have located your stations, simply follow the row across to see all the departure and arrival times for the day. If you follow the column up from your departure or arrival time, you’ll see the respective train numbers. Times that appear in the gray shaded area are for connecting bus service.

If you are unsure if you are reading the schedule correctly, you can go to the home page and enter your travel dates along with the departure and arrival stations to see a list of all the trains for that day. Other Amtrak routes may be listed, so look for Capitol Corridor. You can also call our Call Center (1-877-9-RIDECC) Monday-Friday, 8am – 6pm, for help planning your trip.

There are three ticket options: one-way/round-trip, monthly unlimited, and 10-ride. You can read more about the each ticket option on our Tickets page.

You can buy tickets online, from the station agents at staffed stations, from Ticket Kiosk machines, or on board the train.

Ticket Kiosk machines are located at all stations except Oakland Coliseum and Hayward and accept cash, debit, and credit cards.

If you purchase tickets on board, you will only be able to buy a one way ticket and a surcharge will be applied unless you are boarding at an unstaffed station. The conductor will accept payment with cash or most major credit cards. Certain deals and promotions can only be purchased online and require advance purchase.

In accordance with Amtrak’s refund policies, one-way and round-trip tickets along Capitol Corridor will be refunded minus a 25% refund fee*. Monthly unlimited tickets will be fully refunded only if returned before the month for which it was issued begins. If returned within the first 10 days of the month, you will get a 50% refund. After the first 10 days, you cannot refund your monthly ticket. A 10-ride ticket is fully refundable, only if none of the rides have been used; if one or more rides have been taken, then no refund will be offered. Please note that the 25% refund fee is applied to the total amount refunded on all ticket types.

*Please note, because the Capitol Corridor service is technically unreserved, passengers who cannot travel on their booked departure date may keep their ticket and use it to travel on another day within one year of the travel date without incurring a penalty.

All Amtrak connecting buses require your trip to include at least one train segment, with the exception of South Lake Tahoe. Most bus routes (excluding Emeryville to San Francisco) require you to purchase your tickets in advance. If your trip starts with a bus segment and you don’t have a ticket in hand or on your smart phone, then you will be required to surrender your photo ID to the bus driver temporarily until you arrive at a staffed train station. The buses will be in marked locations at the station, but if you are having trouble locating them, ask a station agent for assistance.

Groups of 20 or more passengers traveling together are eligible for a 50% group discount, and we specifically designed a program for K-12 student and youth groups called Train Treks®.

All groups of 20 passengers or more will need to submit a Group Travel Request at least 21 days in advance of travel. Please visit the Group Travel section of our website or call 1-877-9-RIDECC (1-877-974-3322) for more information. Groups of less than 20 passengers should check our Deals and Promotions page for any applicable discounts.

Capitol Corridor has partnered with local transit agencies in the Sacramento region and Bay Area so that you can easily transfer from the train to a bus or light rail. Ask a station agent or your conductor for up to two free transit transfers, good for one-time use through the dates marked. You can also purchase a Clipper Card or discounted MUNI tokens in the Café Car. Visit Connections for more information.

Parking varies by station and is often run by the local municipality. Many of the staffed stations offer validated parking passes with the purchase of a ticket, so you must ask the station agents for a permit to display in your car. At other stations you may have to pay for parking. For parking information specific to your location, please check our Stations page.

Yes passengers are allowed to have two carry on items. Carry on items cannot exceed 50 lbs and 28” x 22” x 14”. The two-piece limit for carry-on bags does not apply to personal items such as briefcases, purses, laptops, and baby paraphernalia such as strollers, diaper bags, and car seats. All carry-on items, like on a plane, must be placed in the overhead bins or under the seat in front of you. Capitol Corridor does not offer checked baggage service.

Please be aware following items are prohibited onboard the train: non-service animals, firearms and ammunition, hover boards, corrosive or dangerous chemicals and materials, incendiaries, martial arts and self-defense items, archery equipment, devices containing propellants, sharp objects, and similar items. For a complete and detailed list of prohibited items, visit the Amtrak website. Read more about luggage on Capitol Corridor.

Yes. You must store your bike on the lower level bike racks or in the designated bike cars of the train. These are usually located either at the end of the train, opposite the locomotive, or the second car from the locomotive. Bike cars can be identified by a bike decal on the outside of the car. Please bring U-lock to keep your bike secure.

Bike space is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If there is not enough space available for your bike in your car, follow the conductor’s instructions on where to store your bike. If conditions will compromise the safety and mobility of other passengers, you may be asked to leave your bike at the station. We advise bringing a bungee cord in the event you need to secure your bike to something other than the bike rack.

Securely locking and storing your bike is important for the safety of fellow passengers and for preventing your bike from being stolen. If you do not need your bike at your destination, it is recommended that you park it at the station for when you return. For more information, read Bikes On Board.

Most connecting buses can accommodate a limited number of bikes on a first-come, first-serve basis. You must load and unload your own bike, as on the train. Most buses offer storage underneath the motorcoach in the luggage compartment or on front-end racks. For more information, read Bikes On Board.

Yes! The Wi-Fi is free and available to all passengers. Look for AmtrakConnect in your device’s list of available hot spots. The Wi-Fi does not support high-bandwidth activities such as streaming movies and music or downloading large files. Read more about Wi-Fi and other on-board amenities.

Yes. With Café Cars on all Capitol Corridor trains (exceptions on Train 549 and Train 550) passengers can purchase premium sandwiches, fresh salads, snacks, beverages, and more!  Enjoy your purchase in the Café Car’s dining seating or take it back to your seat in the passenger car. You may also bring your own food on board but outside food is not allowed in the Café Car. Additionally, Amtrak does not allow you to drink alcoholic beverages you’ve brought on board, however you may drink alcoholic beverages purchased in the Café Car throughout the train. Read more about food and beverage policy on Capitol Corridor.

Children 16 and older can travel unaccompanied without restriction, but must have valid photo identification when purchasing tickets and when on board the train or when riding buses. Children 13, 14, and 15 years old may only ride unaccompanied in accordance with the conditions of Amtrak’s Unaccompanied Minor Policy. If your child is 12 years old or younger, they are not permitted to travel alone and must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 18 years old.

Yes. The train can accommodate standard wheelchairs, either manual or battery-powered, that do not exceed 30” wide and 48” long. The combined weight of the passenger and the wheelchair cannot exceed 600 lbs. Wheelchair accessible bathrooms are located on the bottom floors of each car. Read more about accessibility on Capitol Corridor.

The only animals allowed on board are service animals. Service animals are animals that have been trained to perform a specific task for the benefit of a person with a disability. Animals that are for emotional support, security, or comfort are not considered service animals, and you cannot bring them on board. You must have control over your service animal at all times. If your animal causes disruption or harm to other passengers, the conductor may ask you to remove the animal from the train. Read more about service animals on Capitol Corridor.

The lost and found is located at the Sacramento Station. Please call 916-444-7907 and leave a message or email [email protected] with a detailed description of the item you lost, along with the date of travel and the train number you were riding or the station you visited.

Although the Capitol Corridor would like to provide longer train sets for the early morning and evening trains we are working with very limited equipment. Because we share equipment with the Amtrak San Joaquins route it is nearly impossible to coordinate equipment rescheduling with what we currently own.

In order to keep up with rising passenger needs we cannot give up a passenger car for another bike car. To add on more bike cars would require a huge purchase investment and could take years for the cars to be available as there is only one U.S. manufacturer of these types of train cars. To create more bike storage we have upgraded our on board bike racks and expanded secure at station bike storage options. We continue to encourage bicyclists to bring their bikes on board only when absolutely necessary.

Taking the train is good for you and for the environment. By taking the train, you are reducing the number of car trips you take, which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions. You can calculate your reduced carbon footprint on our Green Travel page. Aside from the environmental benefit, taking the train reduces your stress caused by traffic, keeping you happier and healthier. Travel time in a car is wasted time; but in a train, you can catch up on work or leisurely activities, or simply enjoy the view!