Colma station
| Company type | Rapid transit station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | February 24, 1996 |
| Headquarters | San Mateo County, California , United States |
Area served | San Mateo County, California |
| Products | Bay Area Rapid Transit services (Red and Yellow lines) |
Colma station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) facility situated in the unincorporated northern region of San Mateo County, California, adjacent to both the town of Colma, California and the city of Daly City. It provides service for the Red and Yellow lines. Located in a valley next to BART's Daly City Yard and a sizeable parking structure, the station consists of three tracks: an island platform positioned between the two eastern tracks and a side platform alongside the western track. Revenue operations are conducted exclusively on the eastern tracks.
Nearby, a former station operated on the Southern Pacific Railroad Ocean View Branch from 1863 until 1928; this station was later relocated and restored as a museum in the early 2000s. The BART yard was constructed between 1984 and 1988, with Colma station itself opening in 1996.
Southern Pacific station
The San Francisco and San Jose Railroad extended southward from San Francisco to San Francisquito Creek on October 23, 1863. The initial stop outside San Francisco was called School House, named after a nearby schoolhouse located near Mission Street and Old San Pedro Road. Around 1863, a station building was erected. In March 1868, Southern Pacific took over the railroad; it became part of the Coast Line and supported Peninsula Commute operations. During the 1870s, both the station and its surrounding village were renamed "Colma."
Originally situated north of Washington Street, the station was relocated slightly southward circa 1913. The inauguration of the Bayshore Cutoff in 1907 diminished passenger traffic on the original line, which then became known as the Ocean View Branch. After this date, Southern Pacific's passenger service along this branch was curtailed and ultimately ceased by 1930. However, freight operations persisted through Colma until 1978.
In 1981, this former station gained recognition as a historic resource affected by BART developments. Between 1983 and 1993, it underwent multiple relocations to accommodate new construction projects. Ownership was transferred to the Colma Historical Association by BART in 1996. Subsequently, in 2003, both the station and freight house were moved to 1500 Hillside Boulevard where they were restored as museum facilities for the Colma Community Center, which officially opened on November 21, 2004.
BART station
The right-of-way of the Ocean View Branch was adapted between 1984 and 1988 to establish the Daly City Turnback and Yard, thereby increasing train turnaround capabilities along with providing storage and maintenance amenities. In both 1986 and 1988, voters in San Mateo County approved proposals for constructing a Colma station. BART initiated discussions with county officials and its transit agency, SamTrans, in 1987 to develop this station as part of the initial phase extending service to . SamTrans made an initial contribution of $10 million in December 1989. Between 1991 and 1992, grants from the Federal Transit Administration amounting to $120 million were secured. Construction commenced in May 1992.
Contracts awarded in early 1993 covered station construction ($36.8 million) and parking garage development ($32.4 million). By November that year, underground tail tracks had been completed. The entire project cost totaled $170 million, financed through $128 million in federal funds, $21 million from state sources, and $21 million contributed by SamTrans. The station includes a five-story parking garage with capacity for approximately 1,400 vehicles built above the yard using air rights; this structure is connected via a pedestrian bridge to an additional surface parking area. Colma station officially opened on February 24, 1996, serving as BART’s southern endpoint on the San Francisco Peninsula until extension to the airport was completed in 2003. The station also gained cultural recognition by appearing in the 2006 film Colma: The Musical.