Kids and trains in and around Palo Alto

If your child stops dead at every railroad crossing, Palo Alto is a good place to be. Caltrain runs right through the middle of town, with dozens of electric trains a day stopping at a 1941 depot. San Francisco's cable cars are a train ride away. In the Santa Cruz Mountains, a narrow-gauge steam train still climbs through the redwoods. A model railroad club meets in a historic station one stop north.

This guide covers where to watch trains, how to ride them with kids and which railroad outings are running in late 2026. Everything here is based on what the operators publish. Schedules shift with the seasons, so check before you go.

Electric Caltrain

Caltrain runs the length of the Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose. It switched to full electric service on September 21, 2024. The new trains are quieter than the old diesels and accelerate quickly, so they slide into the station almost silently. Kids who knew the old trains often notice the difference.

Three kinds of trains run on weekdays. Locals stop everywhere. Limited trains skip some stations. Express trains call at only 11 stations between San Francisco and San Jose Diridon. Palo Alto is one of them, along with Redwood City and Mountain View. On weekends all trains are locals and run about every 30 minutes. Our Caltrain guide covers fares and schedules.

Where to watch trains

Palo Alto station

Palo Alto station at 95 University Avenue is the top spot. Every weekday train on the main line stops here, so you will rarely wait long on a weekday. The depot on the platform is a piece of history in itself. Southern Pacific opened it on January 25, 1941, in the Streamline Moderne style, with long horizontal lines meant to echo the streamlined trains of the time. University Avenue passes under the tracks right beside it, so kids can feel a train rumble overhead from the underpass.

California Avenue station

At California Avenue station, local and limited trains stop but express trains pass through. A train passing at speed is the highlight for many young fans. Stand well back behind the yellow line and hold small hands.

El Palo Alto Park

The redwood that gave the city its name stands beside the tracks near Alma Street and Palo Alto Avenue. El Palo Alto has watched trains pass since the railroad arrived in the 1860s. A 1929 photo shows a steam train rolling past it. Today the small park beside the tree is a quiet place to watch electric trains cross San Francisquito Creek, with no platform crowds.

Riding Caltrain with kids

Riding is the best part. A short hop to Menlo Park or Mountain View makes a fine first trip for a toddler. Older kids may want the full run to San Francisco, which takes about 40 minutes on an express from Palo Alto. In October 2026 Caltrain's adult fare was $4.00 for one zone, with more for each added zone. Check Caltrain's fare page for child and youth fares before you tap.

• Sit upstairs. The upper level gives the best view of the tracks and stations.
• Ride on a weekend. Trains are less crowded and kids can move around more easily.
• Know the restroom. Caltrain says it is in the second car from the north end.
• Bring bikes if you like. Each electric train has two bike cars holding up to 36 bikes each.

San Francisco cable cars

From Caltrain's 4th and King terminal, a short Muni ride or a 20 minute walk brings you to the Powell Street cable car turnaround at Powell and Market. Riding a cable car up the hills is a classic for any train-loving child.

The SFMTA lists a single ride at $9.00, with children 4 and under free. Strollers must be folded and the child taken out before boarding, so bring a carrier for a baby. Lines at the turnaround can be long on weekends. Check the SFMTA cable car page before you go.

The Cable Car Museum

The Cable Car Museum at 1201 Mason Street, at Washington, is the stop that makes the system make sense. The museum sits in the powerhouse that drives the cables pulling the cars. Visitors can watch the big winding wheels turn. The museum's own information page lists admission as free and says it is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. It lists hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from October through March. Our San Francisco guide has more for the day. If you want a guide, browse San Francisco tours with cable car rides.

Roaring Camp Railroads

Roaring Camp Railroads at 5401 Graham Hill Road in Felton runs steam trains in the Santa Cruz Mountains, about an hour from Palo Alto. Its Redwood Forest Steam Train climbs over trestles and through redwood groves to the summit of Bear Mountain in about 75 minutes, with conductors narrating the history. Roaring Camp says its engines are among the oldest and most authentically preserved narrow-gauge steam engines in regular passenger service in America.

Its second line, the Santa Cruz Beach Train, runs from the mountains through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Roaring Camp lists it as returning in spring 2027, so it is not an option for 2026. Operating days vary by season. Check the calendar on Roaring Camp's site or call (831) 335-4484. Pair it with the redwoods at Henry Cowell next door. Our Santa Cruz guide covers the rest of the day.

Small trains for small kids

In Los Gatos, the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad runs a small train on a one-mile loop from its station in Oak Meadow Park, at 233 Blossom Hill Road, around neighboring Vasona Park. Rides take 8 to 10 minutes. The W.E. "Bill" Mason Carousel sits beside the station. Each rider needs one ticket per ride. The railroad's hours page lists weekend winter hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. from November 2, 2026. It does not run in rain or when temperatures reach 98°F or above.

Model trains

The West Bay Model Railroad Association operates from the historic depot at the Menlo Park Caltrain station, 1090 Merrill Street. Caltrain lists the club as a tenant there. The Almanac reported in March 2025 that the club runs an HO scale layout, was marking its 75th anniversary and held open houses on the first and third Saturdays of each month, when visitors can watch the trains run. Local papers have also covered holiday open houses in early December in past years. We could not confirm a current 2026 schedule, so check with the club before you go. Our Menlo Park station guide covers parking and the building's history.

For the story of how the railroad shaped the city, from the 1860s line to the Stanford stop, read the railroad and Palo Alto.

Frequently asked questions