Politics & Government

Caltrain's Annual 'Freedom Train' Stops in Palo Alto on MLK Day

Caltrain offers special $10 round-trip on Monday, Jan. 16 to commemorate the historic 1965 Selma to Montgomery march. Mountain View residents would need to get to Palo Alto or Sunnyvale first.

Every Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day for 27 years, Caltrain has converted into a Freedom Train.

It makes a reduced-price, round-trip run to San Francisco, commemorating the historic Selma to Montgomery, Alabama March that occurred in 1965, according to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Santa Clara Valley, the founders of the Freedom Train.

For $10, the train heads from the South Bay and Peninsula to San Francisco this Jan. 16. It leaves the Palo Alto station at 9:59 a.m., but also the San Jose Diridon Caltrain Station at 9:30 a.m., Sunnyvale station at 9:45 a.m., and San Mateo station at 10:22 a.m. Mountain View residents can hop on at Palo Alto or Sunnyvale.

Tickets are only sold by the Association, and regular fair is not valid, said Caltrain spokeswoman Tasha Bartholomew. Still, all Freedom train tickets will be honored by Caltrain the day after the celebration.

The Association’s broader Northern California branch prepared a website of events occurring Jan. 16 in San Francisco. But for those looking to stay closer to home, there is a Community Day of Service at Palo Alto’s Jewish Community Center. In San Jose, the African American Community Services Agency is hosting their 32nd Annual Martin Luther King Luncheon.

For Freedom Train schedule information or to purchase tickets, visit www.scvmlk.org, email mlkinfo@yahoo.com or call (408) 861-5323.

If tickets become sold-out, passangers can buy a regular Caltrain ticket and take any regularly scheduled northbound train to join festivities in San Francisco, according to Bartholomew.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here