Show HN: When is the next Caltrain? (minimal webapp)

#1

Post by eschluntz » Wed, Aug 06, 2025, 3:50 PM UTC

I was frustrated with the existing caltrain websites / apps, so I made a super minimalist one to answer the actual question I have: how long until the next train?

If you're in SF it grabs the next southbound trains, otherwise, the next northbound.

Show HN: When is the next Caltrain? (minimal webapp)
erikschluntz.com

Re: Show HN: When is the next Caltrain? (minimal webapp)

#2

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Aug 06, 2025, 3:50 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Show HN: When is the next Caltrain? (minimal webapp)

#3

Post by PaulHoule » Wed, Aug 06, 2025, 5:32 PM UTC

I am not in the area so I had to click on the thing to view all schedules, I would say it is super slick, I like it.

Re: Show HN: When is the next Caltrain? (minimal webapp)

#4

Post by lindig » Wed, Aug 06, 2025, 5:37 PM UTC

The public transport service in Hannover/Germany once had a screensaver that you could configure to show the next departure from your nearest station. I thought that was clever marketing. Today you probably could implement this as a web service.

Re: Show HN: When is the next Caltrain? (minimal webapp)

#5

Post by npinsker » Wed, Aug 06, 2025, 5:43 PM UTC

Thanks, this'll be a nice little timesaver!

Re: Show HN: When is the next Caltrain? (minimal webapp)

#6

Post by nilsbunger » Wed, Aug 06, 2025, 5:52 PM UTC

Very cool. Would be good if it also shows whether it's a local train or limited or express, and/or which stations it stops at.

Re: Show HN: When is the next Caltrain? (minimal webapp)

#7

Post by andreyk » Wed, Aug 06, 2025, 5:52 PM UTC

haha nice, the official caltrain schedule is a bit of a hassle to parse...

Re: Show HN: When is the next Caltrain? (minimal webapp)

#8

Post by aeternum » Wed, Aug 06, 2025, 5:57 PM UTC

Closest station: San Francisco

But there are two SF stations

Re: Show HN: When is the next Caltrain? (minimal webapp)

#9

Post by eschluntz » Wed, Aug 06, 2025, 5:59 PM UTC

aeternum wrote: post #8

Closest station: San Francisco But there are two SF stations

"22nd st" shows up separately

Re: Show HN: When is the next Caltrain? (minimal webapp)

#10

Post by eschluntz » Wed, Aug 06, 2025, 5:59 PM UTC

nilsbunger wrote: post #6

Very cool. Would be good if it also shows whether it's a local train or limited or express, and/or which stations it stops at.

bullet trains should be displayed in red, but I haven't tested it yet at the right time and I've been too lazy to write tests with mocked time / gps :)