Stanford stadium Caltrain station

Most Caltrain riders have rolled past Stanford station without noticing it. It is a pair of plain platforms off Embarcadero Road, between the Palo Alto and California Avenue stops, a short walk from Stanford Stadium. There is no depot, no parking lot and no ticket machine. For most of the year no train stops here at all.

That is by design. Caltrain's Stanford station page says trains stop here "only for select events." In practice that has meant big football games. This page explains how game day service works when the station opens, why it is closed in 2026 and how to get to the stadium by train anyway.

Status for the 2026 season

The short version: Stanford station is not open for 2026 football games. Caltrain's event pages for the fall 2026 home games, including Stanford vs Elon on October 17 and Stanford vs SMU on November 28, say the same thing. Caltrain will run its regular service. Riders going to the game should use Palo Alto station "as Stanford Station will not be open."

From Palo Alto station, Caltrain's directions are simple. Walk along Palm Drive and turn left on Arboretum Road to reach the stadium. The walk takes a little over 20 minutes. Our guide to Palo Alto station covers that station's parking, bike parking and accessibility. In late October 2026 Caltrain still listed the SMU kickoff as to be announced, so watch Stanford's athletics site and Caltrain's event pages for the time.

Caltrain has not said whether the station will reopen for later seasons. Check the station page before each season rather than relying on past practice.

How game day service works

When the station does open, Caltrain does not usually add special trains. Instead it tells selected regular trains to make an extra stop. The Big Game against Cal on November 22, 2025 is the most recent example. That Saturday, Caltrain's regular weekend local trains served Stanford station before the game and again after it. Three northbound and three southbound trains stopped on the way in. Two in each direction stopped after the final whistle.

For the 2025 Big Game, Caltrain announced the stopping trains in a news release the day before the game. The release listed train numbers rather than a separate timetable, so riders looked up those train numbers in the published schedule to find the times. We do not print the times here, since they belong to a single game day and a single timetable.

Getting from the platform to the stadium

Caltrain's directions for the 2025 Big Game explained the layout:

• Riders arriving on the northbound platform take the pedestrian ramp beneath the tracks and follow Embarcadero Road onto campus.
• Riders arriving on the southbound platform exit the station and walk along Embarcadero Road to the stadium.

The stadium sits on the campus side of El Camino Real, so either way you cross El Camino Real on the walk in. Follow the crowd and the posted game day signs.

How the pattern has changed

Service has varied from season to season. In 2018, for example, Caltrain said it would serve Stanford station for all weekend home games that season. For a Friday game that year it ran standard weekday service to Palo Alto station instead. Stanford's Marguerite ran several routes between that station and the stadium. In 2025 the station opened for the Big Game. In 2026 it stays shut. The lesson for fans is to check each game rather than assume. If a game falls on a weekday, remember that the free Marguerite runs that day and can shorten the walk from Palo Alto station.

Tickets and fares

Stanford station is in Zone 3, the same fare zone as Palo Alto and California Avenue. There are no ticket machines on the platforms. That shapes how you should pay:

1. Clipper or a contactless card. Tap on at your starting station and tap off at the end of each ride, as on any Caltrain trip.
2. A day pass. Buy it from a machine at your starting station. It covers the return trip, which spares you a line after the game. Day passes are valid until the end of that service day.
3. Youth fares. Caltrain's game day pages highlight that riders 18 and under pay $1 one way or $2 for a day pass across all zones.

Caltrain is a proof of payment system, so conductors check fares on board. Open alcoholic beverages are prohibited on trains from 9 p.m. on special event days. Fares and payment rules are in our main Caltrain guide.

Accessibility

Caltrain lists Stanford station as not wheelchair accessible. It is the only stop in Palo Alto with that label. Riders on the northbound side reach Embarcadero Road by a pedestrian ramp beneath the tracks. Even in seasons when the station opens, Caltrain advises riders with accessibility needs to use Palo Alto station and to buy a day pass or use Clipper.

From Palo Alto station, the Marguerite shuttle is wheelchair accessible, but its main lines run on weekdays only and most home games are on Saturdays. Stanford Athletics posts its game day fan policies online, so check there for accessible parking and seating options. Our accessible travel guide lists other options.

Parking and bikes

The station has no Caltrain parking lot and no bike racks or lockers on Caltrain's amenity list. Do not plan to drive to this station. On game days, Stanford runs its own football parking in lots around the stadium. Those lots open five hours before kickoff and need a pass bought ahead or payment on site, with no cash accepted. The details are on our Stanford parking and transit page.

Cycling is a good way to reach a game. Stanford has thousands of bike racks across campus. Bring a strong lock and expect racks near the stadium to fill early. Bikes can ride on Caltrain in the two bike cars on each electric train, but trains are crowded after a game and conductors may limit bikes.

What is nearby

The station is on the edge of a busy part of Palo Alto and Stanford. Within a 15 minute walk:

• Stanford Stadium, home of Stanford football. Our Stanford sports guide covers tickets, bag rules and tailgating.
• Klein Field at Sunken Diamond, the baseball park on the same side of campus. See Sunken Diamond.
• Frost Amphitheater, the outdoor concert venue on campus. Read about Frost Amphitheater.
• Town & Country Village, the open-air shopping center at El Camino Real and Embarcadero Road. See Town & Country Village.
• The Stanford Arboretum, with its trees and the Stanford family mausoleum, between the stadium and Palm Drive. Read our Arboretum guide.

On a non-game day none of these can be reached by stopping here, since no trains call. Use Palo Alto station, a little farther away but served by every train.

Frequently asked questions