What Altamont Corridor Express does

Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) is a public commuter rail service operating weekday round-trip trains between Stockton and San Jose along the Altamont Corridor, serving ten stations from Stockton through Lathrop/Manteca, Tracy, Vasco Road, Livermore, Pleasanton, Fremont, Great America, and Santa Clara, terminating at San Jose Diridon. Founded in 1998, the service is managed by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC), a public California rail commission, and operates on Union Pacific Railroad-owned right-of-way. ACE carries 1.4 million+ passengers annually with an average on-time performance of 90% and rider satisfaction of 91%+, competing primarily with private vehicle travel on the congested I-580 Altamont Pass, which carries over 65,000 daily drivers.

ACE's product surface includes the core weekday commuter service, a Saturday pilot launched September 7, 2019, special event trains for 49ers games and the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, the ACE Rail mTickets mobile app (Masabi platform, iOS/Android) with Apple Pay and Masterpass, the PCI-DSS compliant payment stack, GTFS data feeds for third-party developers, onboard WiFi, and bike-friendly cars. The Stockton Maintenance Facility is a 64-acre, 157,000 square foot LEED Silver-certified complex (the first in the U.S. for a rail maintenance building) with 1,100+ solar panels providing 20% of facility power, operated under contract by Herzog Transit Services Inc.

Revenue derives primarily from passenger ticket sales (one-way, round-trip, 10-trip, 20-trip, and monthly passes), with discounted fares for seniors, children, and disabled riders, plus ancillary co-revenue from the California’s Great America theme park partnership and special event services. The service is largely publicly funded through a mix of California state grants (SB132 $400M for expansion, SB1 $12.3M for Saturday service), federal grants (USDOT BUILD $20M for the Stockton Diamond Grade Separation, CalSTA TIRCP for Valley Rail), and local measures (Alameda County Measure B/BB). ACE serves tech and professional commuters, leisure travelers, and event attendees, with a stated goal of extending service to Ceres, Modesto, Turlock, Merced, and Sacramento via the Valley Rail expansion program.

Name

Altamont Corridor Express

Legal name

San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission

Website

https://acerail.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) is a public commuter rail service, operated by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission since 1998, running weekday and Saturday round-trip trains across ten stations between Stockton and San Jose to serve Central Valley-to-Silicon Valley commuters, leisure travelers, and event attendees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commuter Rail Services

NAICS

Commuter Rail Systems (485112)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Event & Peak-Only Commuter Rail Services (THAIACAI)

Keywords

• Commuter rail service
• Passenger rail transit
• Mobile rail tickets
• Transit operations
• Special event trains

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Passenger Ticket Sales: ACE Rail generates revenue primarily through the sale of passenger tickets. Ticket types include one-way, round-trip, 10-trip, 20-trip, and monthly passes. Tickets are sold via mobile app, at staffed station booths, and through select third-party outlets. Fares vary by origination station and destination.
2. Special Event Train Service: ACE operates special game-day train service to Levi’s Stadium for San Francisco 49ers games and other major events (e.g., FIFA World Cup 2026). This generates additional ticket revenue and brand exposure.
3. California’s Great America Partnership: ACE partners with California’s Great America theme park to offer discounted admission tickets to ACE riders, generating commission or co-revenue from park ticket sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

ACE Rail operates a weekday commuter rail service running four daily round trips between Stockton (Cabral Station) and San Jose (Diridon Station) with stops at Lathrop/Manteca, Tracy, Vasco Road, Livermore, Pleasanton, Fremont, Great America, and Santa Clara. Since September 7, 2019, two Saturday round trips have been offered as a pilot service. Passengers purchase one-way, round-trip, 10-trip, 20-trip, or monthly passes via the ACE Rail mTickets mobile app (Masabi), staffed station booths, and select third-party outlets; special-event trains serve Levi's Stadium (49ers games) and California's Great America, with FIFA World Cup 2026 service planned.

Product overview

Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) operates a core commuter rail service connecting Stockton to San Jose through the Central Valley, Tri-Valley, and Silicon Valley regions. The service includes weekday round-trip trains and Saturday service (launched 2019). Key offerings include the ACE Rail mTickets mobile app for mobile ticketing, GTFS data feeds for developers, free onboard WiFi, bike accommodations, and employer partnership programs. The service operates with 4 daily round trips on weekdays and 2 on Saturdays, with special event service for Levi's Stadium and California's Great America. The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) oversees operations with maintenance performed by Herzog Transit Services at the LEED Silver-certified facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ACE Rail Weekday Commuter Service Core weekday passenger rail service operating four daily round trips across 10 stations between Stockton (Robert J. Cabral Station) and San Jose (Diridon Station), with intermediate stops at Lathrop/Manteca, Tracy, Vasco Road, Livermore, Pleasanton, Fremont, Great America, and Santa Clara; designed for long-distance commuters in the Altamont Corridor.
• ACE Saturday Service Saturday commuter rail service operating two daily round trips from Stockton to San Jose, designed for leisure travelers, weekend visitors to California's Great America, wine country, and other Bay Area destinations.
• ACE Rail mTickets Mobile App Mobile ticketing application for iOS and Android allowing passengers to purchase and activate one-way, round-trip, 10-trip, 20-trip, and monthly passes; tickets display tri-color visual validation and barcode for conductor inspection; PCI-DSS-compliant payment processing.
• Special Event Train Service (49ers & FIFA World Cup 2026) Special train service for major events at Levi's Stadium including all San Francisco 49ers home games and scheduled FIFA World Cup 2026 SF Bay Area matches, providing direct transportation between Stockton area and the stadium.
• Great America Partner Ticket Bundle Co-branded offering bundling discounted California's Great America theme park admission tickets ($38 weekday/$40 any day; $34 group rate for 15+) with round-trip ACE train fare to Great America station, including free VTA shuttle access.
• Employer Partnership Program (Test Ride Program) Program partnering with employers to inform employees about ACE commute options, including a Test Ride offer of two free round trips for first-time riders; supports corporate commuter benefit programs and partnerships for over 25 years connecting Central Valley to Tri-Valley and Silicon Valley.
• GTFS Data Feed Publicly available General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data files containing stops, routes, trips, and schedule information in ZIP format for third-party trip planner developers and applications; download access requires agreement to terms of use.

Quantifiable outcome

• On-time performance average of 90%
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• California’s Great AmericaflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2019ACE partners with California’s Great America theme park to offer deeply discounted admission tickets ($38-$40) to ACE riders. Groups of 15+ receive deeper discounts ($34/ticket). Partnership includes Saturday service to Great America station.
• MasabicoreTechnology or Integration · 28 March 2019Masabi was selected as the mobile ticketing vendor after a competitive bid process to implement ACE’s first mobile ticketing solution. Masabi is a global company specializing in mobile ticketing and serves major transit operators including MTA (New York), MBTA (Boston), and Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit.
• Union Pacific RailroadcoreOthersACE Rail operates on Union Pacific Railroad infrastructure. Union Pacific is the owner of the rail lines used by ACE and is responsible for track maintenance and right-of-way. The Sunol Quiet Zone was implemented on the UPRR Oakland subdivision.
• BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBART connects with ACE at Livermore (via Wheels bus to W. Pleasanton/Downtown BART station) and Pleasanton (via County Connection to BART). Free connections available with Wheels Route 53 on Saturdays.
• VTA (Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVTA provides free bus and light rail connections at Great America, Santa Clara, and San Jose stations. VTA shuttles serve Great America station for commuters. Partnership for Levi’s Stadium game-day service and FIFA World Cup 2026 shuttle modifications.
• LAVTA / WheelscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWheels (LAVTA) provides bus connections at Livermore and Pleasanton stations. Wheels Route 53 provides Saturday connections to W. Dublin/Pleasanton BART. Livermore tickets available at Wheels Transit Center.
• CaltrainminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCaltrain connects with ACE at Santa Clara station and San Jose Diridon station for seamless multi-modal travel options.
• Amtrak San JoaquinscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmtrak San Joaquins connects with ACE at Livermore and San Jose stations. ACE and Amtrak San Joaquins are two separate rail agencies under different management. Sacramento Extension project includes joint ACE and Amtrak San Joaquins service.
• San Joaquin RTD (Regional Transit District)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSan Joaquin RTD provides connecting bus service at Lathrop/Manteca station (Routes 1, 2, 3 on weekdays). RTD also provides Direct Connect service for Mountain House residents.
• AC TransitminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAC Transit provides connecting bus service at Fremont station for riders traveling to/from the East Bay.
• Manteca TransitminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManteca Transit serves Lathrop/Manteca ACE station on Routes 1, 2, and 3 on weekdays, meeting ACE trains 5 and 7 in the morning and trains 4 and 6 in the afternoon.
• Levi’s Stadium / San Francisco 49ersflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLevi’s Stadium and the San Francisco 49ers have a renewed partnership with ACE Rail for special game-day train service. ACE operates special stadium trains for all 49ers home games with ribbon-cutting events at stations. FIFA World Cup 2026 SF Bay Area matches will also be served by special ACE trains.
• San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC)coreOthersSJRRC is the managing agency and owner of ACE passenger rail service. SJRRC oversees all ACE operations, planning, and expansion including Valley Rail project. Stacey Mortensen is the Executive Director.
• San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA)coreOthersSJJPA is a joint powers authority that partners with SJRRC on the Valley Rail project, including the Sacramento Extension. SJJPA manages Amtrak San Joaquins service.
• Herzog Transit Services Inc. (HTSI)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHTSI is contracted by SJRRC to clean, perform maintenance, and prepare ACE rail cars for following day’s passengers at the Stockton Maintenance Facility.
• dibsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDibs is a carpool/vanpool program partner that promotes ACE rail through Rideshare Week promotions. Dibs offered $75 gas cards for passengers parking at Lathrop/Manteca or Tracy stations.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit): Northern California commuter rail between Sonoma and Marin counties. Highly comparable as a California commuter rail with Masabi mobile ticketing (same vendor as ACE) and similar public-agency governance structure.
• Caltrain: Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board commuter rail connecting San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties. Directly comparable as a California commuter rail operator serving Silicon Valley employment centers, with shared track and station connections at San Jose Diridon and Santa Clara.
• Coaster (NCTD): North County Transit District commuter rail operating between Oceanside and San Diego along the Southern California coast. Comparable commuter rail service model connecting suburban residential areas to a major downtown employment center.
• SunRail: Central Florida commuter rail operated by FDOT and managed by a local authority. Comparable as a publicly-funded commuter rail service serving a multi-county region with similar weekday-oriented ridership patterns.
• Metrolink: Southern California Regional Rail Authority commuter rail serving Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties. Closest functional analogue as a publicly-funded commuter rail serving suburban-to-urban employment commutes in a major California megaregion.
• Tri-Rail: South Florida Regional Transportation Authority commuter rail connecting Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties. Closely comparable publicly-funded commuter rail serving multi-county suburban-to-urban commute patterns with similar funding model (state, federal, county).
• FrontRunner (UTA): Utah Transit Authority commuter rail connecting Ogden, Salt Lake City, and Provo along the Wasatch Front. Comparable publicly-funded commuter rail operating multiple daily round trips in a growing suburban-urban corridor.
• Sounder (Sound Transit): Sound Transit's commuter rail serving Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, and Lakewood in the Puget Sound region. Comparable commuter rail service connecting suburban residential areas to downtown employment centers with similar weekday peak-oriented service pattern.

Broad incumbents

• BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit): Bay Area regional heavy rail transit connecting San Francisco, Oakland, and surrounding counties. Broader Bay Area transit incumbent that ACE connects to via BART feeder bus service, overlapping on the Central Valley-to-Bay Area commute value proposition.
• Amtrak: National passenger rail operator including California routes (Amtrak San Joaquins, Capitol Corridor, Pacific Surfliner). ACE's connecting partner at multiple stations and a broader passenger rail incumbent sharing California's state-supported rail funding pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ACE_train
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgtVY5Sut4fEk-w2Me6_K9g?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/AltamontCorridorExpress
• Instagraminstagram.com/ace_rail

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Altamont Corridor Express