Caltrain Go Pass

The Go Pass is available FREE to eligible university employees and postdoctoral scholars. It allows unlimited travel on Caltrain between all zones and is valid seven days a week for the entire calendar year. Stanford purchases these passes primarily for your commute to Stanford; however, their use is not restricted. You can use them to travel freely to a Giants' game, to get to the airport, or skip the high cost of parking while spending the day in the city.

Since Stanford pays for passes for all eligible employees and postdoctoral scholars, regardless of whether or not you use them, it does not save the university or hospital any money if you do not request your transit pass(es). So, go ahead and request them – and use them as little or as often as you like.

Sign up now to request your Go Pass

Caltrain Go Pass Eligibility

The Go Pass is available to university employees and postdoctoral scholars. Residing off Stanford property and within typical commuting distances.

Eligible	Not eligible
University and SLAC employees who meet all of the following conditions: work 20 or more hours per week receive regular Stanford University benefits are at Stanford primarily for employment Postdoctoral scholars Residence address is not on Stanford property (outside of the 94304, 94305, and 94309 ZIP codes*) [Note: This ZIP code exclusion doesn’t apply to university employees whose primary worksite is Stanford Redwood City.] Residence address is within a typical commuting range of Stanford's main campus (i.e., Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, and Yolo counties) Are not in a classification listed under "Not eligible"	Undergraduate students Graduate students Temporary and casual employees, contractors, and visiting scholars Employees working less than 20 hours per week Anyone whose residence address in the HR database has a 94304, 94305, 94309 ZIP code* [Note: This ZIP code exclusion doesn’t apply to university employees whose primary worksite is Stanford Redwood City.] Anyone whose residence address in the HR database has a blank ZIP code* Employees whose residence ZIP code and/or worksite is/are not within the typical commuting range of Stanford's main campus (e.g., outside of California, Southern California, etc.)

Eligible

Not eligible

University and SLAC employees who meet all of the following conditions:
- work 20 or more hours per week
- receive regular Stanford University benefits
- are at Stanford primarily for employment
Postdoctoral scholars
Residence address is not on Stanford property (outside of the 94304, 94305, and 94309 ZIP codes*) [Note: This ZIP code exclusion doesn’t apply to university employees whose primary worksite is Stanford Redwood City.]
Residence address is within a typical commuting range of Stanford's main campus (i.e., Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, and Yolo counties)
Are not in a classification listed under "Not eligible"

Undergraduate students
Graduate students
Temporary and casual employees, contractors, and visiting scholars
Employees working less than 20 hours per week
Anyone whose residence address in the HR database has a 94304, 94305, 94309 ZIP code* [Note: This ZIP code exclusion doesn’t apply to university employees whose primary worksite is Stanford Redwood City.]
Anyone whose residence address in the HR database has a blank ZIP code*
Employees whose residence ZIP code and/or worksite is/are not within the typical commuting range of Stanford's main campus (e.g., outside of California, Southern California, etc.)

* Proof of residence off Stanford property will not be accepted for ineligible (94304, 94305, 94309) or blank ZIP codes in the Stanford Transportation database and no exceptions can be made.

Please note: If your affiliation has changed or will change, the passes on your Clipper card may be deactivated. Please contact commuteclub@stanford.edu to check the status of the passes on your Clipper card and whether you need to take additional action.

Consequences of Transferring the Go Pass

Fraudulent use and transfer of the Go Pass, SmartPass, or EasyPass is a serious program violation.

Transferring a transit pass constitutes fare evasion, violating California Penal Code 640. Unauthorized use of a Stanford-issued transit pass includes, but is not limited to, allowing a non-eligible person to use the transit pass.

Stanford affiliates who transfer their transit pass and individuals who accept the pass not issued to them will face the following consequences:

First Violation: Deactivation of all Stanford-issued transit passes for 12 months and potential fines up to $400 under California Penal Code 640.

Second Violation: Permanent deactivation of all Stanford-issued transit passes and potential fines up to $400 under California Penal Code 640. In addition, those affiliated with Stanford will immediately forfeit the privilege of receiving future passes and prizes through Stanford Transportation.

Violations by University employees will be reported to Human Resources for possible disciplinary action.

Please refer to Caltrain's Go Pass Clipper Use Acknowledgement page for more information.

SmartPass (VTA)

Fraudulent use and transfer of the SmartPass is a serious violation of the program. Stanford affiliates who are caught transferring their SmartPass and individuals who accept an SmartPass that was not issued to them, will face confiscation and potential fines up to $400. In addition, those affiliated with Stanford will immediately forfeit the privilege of receiving future passes and prizes through Stanford Transportation.

EasyPass (AC Transit)

Fraudulent use and transfer of the EasyPass is a serious violation of the program. Stanford affiliates who are caught transferring their EasyPass and individuals who accept an EasyPass that was not issued to them, will face confiscation and potential fines up to $400. In addition, those affiliated with Stanford will immediately forfeit the privilege of receiving future passes and prizes through Stanford Transportation.

Go Pass Renews Automatically

No action is required for employees and postdoctoral scholars who remain eligible.

As long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements of the Stanford transit pass programs, your pass(es) will remain active. The Caltrain Go Pass is reactivated every four months (April, August, December) to avoid Clipper’s 180-day deactivation policy. The VTA SmartPass and AC Transit EasyPass are renewed each calendar year.

You can confirm your eligibility and transit pass status at any time through the Transit Pass Eligibility and Status Checker.

If Your Go Pass is Lost, Stolen, or Damaged

If the Clipper card containing your VTA SmartPass, Caltrain Go Pass and/or AC Transit EasyPass is lost, stolen, or damaged, please notify our office immediately so we can deactivate your SmartPass, Go Pass, and/or EasyPass.

Request a replacement pass

University employees

To get a replacement, Clipper Card pre-loaded with your Caltrain Go Pass and VTA SmartPass (and AC Transit EasyPass if eligible):

Request a replacement via our replacement form.
Your Clipper Card will be mailed to you within 3 to 5 business days

Replacement limits (per calendar year)

In cases of ‘lost’ or ‘stolen’ passes, you are eligible for two Caltrain Go Pass replacements and one VTA SmartPass replacement per calendar year.

Replacements for other reasons, such as a damaged Clipper card or switching a virtual pass to a new mobile device, do not count against ‘lost’ or ‘stolen’ replacement limits.

Please be aware that it can take 3 to 5 business days to load or mail a replacement Go Pass, SmartPass, and/or EasyPass. While waiting for your replacement, Stanford Transportation will not reimburse Caltrain or VTA fare except in cases where the Go Pass, SmartPass, and/or EasyPass need to be replaced because of a Stanford Transportation error.

Notify us when Clipper replaces your Go Pass.

If you get a replacement Go Pass directly through Clipper, we strongly urge you to let us know your new Clipper card number so we can update our records. If we don’t have the latest number, your Go Pass will not automatically renew the next time we load the Go Passes (done every four months: Jan. 1, May 1, and Sept. 1).

Register your Clipper card.

You are encouraged to register your Clipper card in advance on the Clipper website. Although Stanford Transportation can deactivate your Go Pass, SmartPass, and/or EasyPass, we cannot protect cash value or other passes you may have loaded on the card. By registering your Clipper card in advance, you can contact Clipper to deactivate it to protect the additional products or cash value you may have on your card if it is lost or stolen.

Report your lost Clipper card.

Even if you don't plan to use your Go Pass, please report your Clipper card as lost or stolen to protect yourself in the event of fraudulent use of your pass. Otherwise, you may be held responsible for transferring your pass.