You can once again wait for an Amtrak train inside the Modesto station and 3 others
Amtrak is reopening station interiors in Modesto and three other cities as of Monday, Oct. 5.
The buildings had closed because of COVID-19 in late March, but trains still stopped at the platforms. The other stations are Merced, Fresno and Hanford, part of the Amtrak San Joaquins route between Bakersfield and Oakland.
The line will continue to have four daily round trips, down from five before the pandemic. And the two trains to Sacramento are still handled by buses as Amtrak deals with sharply reduced income.
Stations have COVID-19 safeguards
Passengers will again be able to check baggage and purchase tickets at the four stations, but cash will not be accepted out of concern for virus transmission. Online reservations are urged.
Face coverings and social distancing are required in the stations and on the platforms. Amtrak also has reduced the number of riders in each car and stepped up the cleaning of surfaces.
The reopened stations have these hours seven days a week:
Modesto: 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Merced: 10:15 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Fresno: 5:45 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.
Hanford: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The other 14 stations on the route have remained open. They include Turlock/Denair, which has a platform but no building.
‘Safe and reliable service’
The service is managed by the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority on freight tracks belonging to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.
“Our primary ongoing commitment is providing a safe and reliable service to our communities and essential travelers,” Executive Director Stacey Mortensen said in a news release.
The pandemic also forced cutbacks on the Altamont Corridor Express, which carries mainly commuters between Stockton and San Jose. The four weekday round trips have been reduced to two.
ACE will build branches to Stanislaus, Merced and Sacramento counties over the next few years.
This story was originally published October 4, 2020 at 11:42 AM.
