Altamont Corridor Express

Altamont Corridor Express
ACE train climbing its namesake Altamont Pass in 2010
Overview
OwnerSan Joaquin Regional Rail Commission
Area servedSan Joaquin Valley, Tri-Valley and Silicon Valley
Transit typeCommuter rail
Number of stations10
Daily ridership2,900 (weekdays, Q1 2025)
Annual ridership763,800 (2024)
HeadquartersRobert J. Cabral Station in Stockton, California
Websiteacerail.com
Operation
Began operationOctober 19, 1998 (1998-10-19)
Operator(s)Herzog Transit Services
Reporting marksACEX
Infrastructure manager(s)
Number of vehicles10 locomotives, 30 passenger cars
Train length1–2 locomotives, 4–8 passenger cars
Technical
System length85 mi (137 km)
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Average speed39 mph (63 km/h)
Top speed79 mph (127 km/h)
System map
Altamont Corridor Express highlighted in purple
Bus connection to
Sacramento Airport
Natomas/Sacramento Airport
Old North Sacramento (2029)
Midtown Sacramento
()
City College (2029)
Elk Grove
Lodi (2027)
ACE service facility
Stockton
Valley Rail
(2026/2030)
Valley Rail
(2026/2030)
North Lathrop (2027)
Manteca Transit Center
Ripon (2027)
Modesto
Ceres
layover facility
bus bridge
Phase 1 (2026)
 
Turlock (2029)
 
Phase 2 (2030)
Livingston
Atwater
(option)
Layover and
maintenance facility
Merced CAHSR
Lathrop/Manteca
Tracy
Vasco Road
Livermore
Pleasanton
Union City
(planned)
Fremont
Amtrak (planned)
Santa Clara–
Great America
Santa Clara
San Jose
Caltrain to Gilroy
Coast Starlight to Los Angeles

All stations are accessible

The Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) is a commuter rail service in California, connecting Stockton and San Jose during peak hours only. ACE is named for the Altamont Pass, through which it runs. Service is managed by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, and operations are contracted to Herzog Transit Services. The 86-mile (138 km) route includes ten stops, with travel time about 2 hours and 12 minutes end-to-end. In 2024, the line had a ridership of 763,800, or about 2,900 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2025. ACE uses Bombardier BiLevel Coaches, MPI F40PH-3C locomotives, and Siemens Charger locomotives.

Altamont Commuter Express began on October 19, 1998, with two weekday round trips. A third round trip was added in May 2001, followed by a fourth round trip in October 2012. The service was rebranded as Altamont Corridor Express in 2012. Saturday service began in September 2019, but was suspended in March 2020 due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The tracks are owned by Union Pacific Railroad, previously built along the Western Pacific Railroad main line. Under the ACEforward program, a number of improvements to the service are being considered. These include a rerouted line through Tracy, an extension to Modesto and Merced, and connections to BART at Union City and Tri-Valley.