California High-Speed Rail (CHSR)

In November 2008, California voters approved $9.95 billion in bonds (Proposition 1A) to design, environmentally clear, and begin construction of a high-speed rail system between Northern and Southern California.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) is responsible for planning, designing, building and operating the high-speed rail system.

By 2029, the CHSR system is expected to run from San Francisco to the Los Angeles basin in less than three hours. The system will eventually extend to Sacramento and San Diego, totaling 800 miles with as many as 24 stations. For the segment from San Francisco to San José, it is anticipated that Caltrain and High-Speed Rail will share Caltrain's existing tracks, operating as a blended system.

The CHSRA is also working with regional partners to implement a State-wide rail modernization plan that will invest billions of dollars in local and regional rail lines to meet the State’s 21st century transportation needs.

Additional information regarding the California High-Speed Rail project is available at the CHSRA website.

Caltrain Modernization (CalMod) Program

Caltrain's CalMod Program electrified and upgraded the performance, operating efficiency, capacity, safety, and reliability of Caltrain's commuter rail service. The first phase of Caltrain Modernization is Positive Train Control (PTC) reduced the potential for human error and train-to-train collisions. Caltrain implemented PTC by the end of 2018. Caltrain implemented the remaining phases of the CalMod Program, with the fleet going fully electric in September of 2024. In addition to increasing capacity and improving performance, the CalMod Program helped prepare the Peninsula rail corridor to eventually accommodate California's State-wide high-speed rail service, planned for 2029.

Additional Information and Updates

In October 2012, a Local Policy Maker Group (LPMG) was formed to participate in the CalMod Program planning process. Information regarding LPMG and its meetings is available on the CalMod website.

VTA Transit Service and Future Plans

Visit the VTA website for the current 2025 Service Plan and Trip Planner.

VTA has a Visionary Network for aspirational, equitable, and sustainable transit service in Santa Clara County. At full implementation, the Visionary Network would offer 83% more service compared to the 2023 Service Plan, with 77% more service on weekdays and 87% more service on weekends. After adoption in June 2023, staff have been exploring opportunities to secure new operating funds necessary to implement the Visionary Network in phases. Click here to learn more: VTA Visionary Network

VTA is also the leading the BART Silicon Valley Extension project

Automated Guideway Transportation Feasibility Study

In February 2018, the City of Mountain View completed the Automated Guideway Transportation (AGT) Feasibility Study to address future anticipated demand for commuter access between Downtown Mountain View Transit Center and North Bayshore. The City Council had indicated that adding roadway capacity in Mountain View would be socially and environmentally undesirable as well as economically impractical. City Council had also indicated that repurposing existing roadway capacity for higher-occupancy modes would be undesirable for motor vehicle access in the city. In order to increase capacity, the City therefore commissioned a study to understand the potential for implementing advanced mobility systems that range from Aerial Lifts, Automated People Movers, Monorail, Personal Rapid Transit and Group Rapid Transit to Autonomous Transit. The study assumed that the system would operate on elevated, exclusive tracks.

Based on the study, Autonomous Transit and Group Rapid Transit emerged as the most appropriate technologies from the perspective of passenger experience, infrastructure needs, technology application, and cost. The study also outlined key considerations for future planning as technology continues to evolve.

This next phase of this planning effort has been deferred.