Category: Transit Guides

Silicon Valley transit tips and guides where appropriate.

Happy Birthday, Dr. King, Jr.

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b/w photo of Dr. King, Jr. against American flag

Source: chatcentralgateway.com

Today, we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Transit agencies such as Caltrain, VTA and SamTrans will run on a regular weekday schedule. However, the Altamont Corridor Express will run on a modified schedule.  This modified schedule has three southbound trains for the morning hour and three northbound trains in the evening rush hour.

To celebrate and honor Dr. King, Jr., several events from San Jose to San Francisco will take place.

San Mateo will have a Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration at its Caltrain station starting at 8:30am. It will end at around 10:30am when the special Caltrain “Celebration Train” is due to arrive to pick up passengers going to the celebration parade in San Francisco.  That parade in San Francisco starts at the Caltrain Station at 4th/King at around 11am, when the “Celebration Train” arrives. The parade ends at the Yerba Buena Center a few blocks away, where the rest of the Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration activities will take place.

I leave you with the full (as possible) audio Dr. King, Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech from 1963…

In some ways, the Dream must still be realized. We can still realize Dr. King, Jr.’s dream – and more – when we work together.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

Merry Christmas!

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christmas 2013

On behalf of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.  I especially wish a Merry Christmas to those who cannot be with their families.

Today, many transit agencies serving Silicon Valley (VTA, SamTrans, are running a Sunday/Holiday schedule.  Also, Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) rail service and Dumbarton Express buses will not run today, with service resuming on Monday.

Flying to or from San Jose? Read our transit guide for VTA and other bus service to and from Mineta San Jose International Airport to help you beat traffic gridlock.

Taking Greyhound or Megabus to or from San Jose? Our transit guides to the Greyhound bus station in downtown San Jose and Diridon Station for Megabus help you beat traffic. Note that Diridon Station also serves Caltrain, Amtrak buses and trains, VTA buses and light rail, Monterey-Salinas Transit buses, and Highway 17 Express bus service to Santa Cruz.

Doing any last-minute or post-Christmas shopping? Our transit guide to shopping centers and malls throughout Silicon Valley helps you beat parking hassles and traffic gridlock. You will always have a parking spot when you take a bus or train to shop.

Make sure to stay safe out there this Christmas holiday season.  See you on the bus or train.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

 

Thanksgiving Weekend Transit Tips

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happy thanksgiving

On behalf of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, I want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving Day – and weekend.

On Thanksgiving Day, all Silicon Valley transit agencies like Caltrain, SamTrans in San Mateo County and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will operate on a Sunday/Holiday schedule.

On Friday, many of these same transit agencies will run on a modified weekday (and in the case of Caltrain, a Saturday) schedule.

There are plenty of events this long weekend with good transit options to help you beat the expected traffic gridlock. Details follow…

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Pride, Baseball, Soccer…and Farewell

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This year, the fireworks come before the Fourth of July. This is especially true, given Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision granting same-sex couples the right to marry anywhere in the nation

Celebrating this landmark decision and “equality without exception” are the themes for the 45th Annual San Francisco Pride Celebration and Parade this weekend. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the festivities in downtown San Francisco this weekend.

On the outskirts of downtown San Francisco, the Giants host two games against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday and Sunday at 1:05pm. Their single-A minor league team, the San Jose Giants, host the Modesto Nuts on Saturday at 6pm (with fireworks after the game) and Sunday at 1pm.

Meanwhile, in the South Bay, two other events are taking place this weekend. Saturday night at Stanford Stadium features the “California Clasico” soccer match between the San Jose Earthquakes and visiting L.A. Galaxy.  In Santa Clara at Levi’s Stadium on Saturday evening and Sunday evening, two of the last five shows ever for the Grateful Dead will take place.

Standing room only (SRO) conditions are expected on Caltrain this weekend due to these events.

This transit guide lists all of the bus and rail options in Santa Clara County help you beat traffic gridlock expected at these big events.

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Transit Service To the Warriors’ Victory Parade

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warriors parade map

Warriors victory parade map in Oakland on Friday. Courtesy NBC Bay Area and BART.

It’s time for another Bay Area sports team victory parade. On Tuesday, the Golden State Warriors won their fourth overall NBA title, beating Cleveland in six games. The Warriors will have their victory parade celebrating their first NBA championship since 1975 in downtown Oakland on Friday starting at 10am. Oakland officials will allow the crowd to gather along the parade route starting at around 5am.

Because of the parade, expect traffic gridlock conditions in the downtown Oakland area all day Friday. To address this issue, BART will run extra trains with rush hour service all day to (safely) transport fans to and from the parade route.

Download the map for the Warriors’ victory parade route in downtown Oakland here.

Planning on going to the victory parade in Oakland? You’ll want to get there as early as possible to obtain the best viewing spot. This guide features transit information allowing “Dub Nation” in Silicon Valley to beat the traffic gridlock to and from the victory celebration in Oakland on Friday. Details on Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and Dumbarton Express (DB) connecting buses to BART trains to the victory celebration follow below.

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