Tens of thousands of Bay Area residents spent Monday honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. For hundreds, that included taking a special train ride from San Jose to San Francisco. From trivia questions about King’s life to drums, tributes and dancing, people aboard Caltrain’s MLK Celebration Train found many ways to honor the legendary civil rights leader during the hourlong trip. For some, the annual ride is not about the physical destination but the journey toward equality. “This is a very special day,” Belinda Ahmed of San Jose said. “I’ve been doing this every year for the last 10 years. I come to fight for equity and justice and lifting us up.” Atlanta 10 hours ago MLK Day kicks off with daughter's warning about anti-woke rhetoric Holidays Jan 18 Here's what's open and closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2025 Many children were on the train as well, including brothers Kellan and Kieran Leslie of San Jose. They embraced the real-life civics lesson. “We celebrate MLK’s legacy of civil rights and the great things that he did for us in regard to equal rights,” Kieran said. Grady Turner said King’s message is more important now than ever: “We need peace with all the stuff going on. We need 110% positivity and positive energy all over the place.” Celia Beltran said in addition to honoring King, she rode the Celebration Train for another reason. “I’m 75 years old and I’m here today because I want to boycott the inauguration,” she said. Once the group arrived in San Francisco, they joined more than 4,000 others and marched together through the city to a rally at Yerba Buena Gardens.