Sharks fans on VTA light rail. Photo courtesy @execlaw on Twitter
This weekend in the Bay Area has championship events that are being seen worldwide. From Stanley Cup Finals games 3 and 4 in San Jose, to the NBA Finals in Oakland on Sunday, to the Copa America Centenario games in Santa Clara, the world is watching the Bay Area sports scene.
This post details the bus and rail options available for these big time sporting events.
Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara is now history. Congratulations to the Denver Broncos for winning Super Bowl 50 last Sunday over Carolina by a score of 24-10.
A big “Thank You” goes to BART, Caltrain and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) for providing public transit to and from Super Bowl 50. VTA carried 9,500 fans to and from Super Bowl 50. Of that number, 60% of them transferred from light rail to Caltrain in Mountain View, according to Mass Transit Magazine.
Here’s how those who took VTA and Caltrain saw Super Bowl 50…
We're running extra trains as #SB50 fans arrive, but trains may still be crowded https://t.co/JX3jtLJVNW pic.twitter.com/4mTx3bRb12
— VTA (@VTA) February 1, 2016
Both Super Bowl 50 teams have landed and are in their hotels. This is the start “Super Bowl Week” where Sunday’s game will be hyped up. All this week, many football celebration events in San Francisco and San Jose will take place. These are detailed in the Super Bowl 50 transit guide just finished.
Monday’s Super Bowl 50 activities culminate with Super Bowl Opening Night at SAP Center in San Jose. The transit guide to SAP Center details all train and bus alternatives to driving and parking hassles.
Even with extra trains added, expect standing room only (SRO) conditions on BART, Caltrain, and especially VTA light rail as fans shuttle between events in San Jose and San Francisco. If you frequently use these transit agencies, allow extra travel time this week. If possible, leave early so that you avoid these crowds.
Also, expect standing-room only conditions on VTA bus lines serving downtown San Jose like the 522 Rapid, 323 limited stop, 22 and 64.
Keep up with the transit alerts in the San Jose area by following @svtransitupdts on Twitter.
More info later this week…
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users
Sharks fans head to Levi’s Stadium for this evening’s outdoor hockey game vs. the LA Kings. Source: @ThinkBiggerSJ
There’s a San Jose Sharks-L.A. Kings outdoor hockey game tonight Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara at 7pm. Expect overcrowding on Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light rail system-wide, as hockey fans travel to and from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
Note some of the other transit options like Caltrain linking with VTA buses and light rail in Mountain View to take hockey fans to and from this special game. Note some of the other transit options to and from tonight’s game as well.
Had a good or bad experience on VTA tonight for the game or any other game? Bring that issue up to VTA Customer Service and management thru these steps.
We’ll be monitoring the transit service before, during, and after the game via @svtransitusers on Twitter.
The latest transit updates tonight – and any time – are available via @svtransitupdts on Twitter.
Stay safe when riding the buses and trains tonight.
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users
Hotel 22 Trailer from Elizabeth Lo on Vimeo.
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)’s 22 bus line runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It is Santa Clara County’s only 24-hour public transit service. Because of this, the 22 bus line is infamously known as a place where homeless people who can’t obtain proper shelter end up sleeping overnight. As a result, this bus line is known amongst the homeless population as the “Hotel 22.”
More on the increase in homeless people on additional VTA bus lines and light rail – and what can be done to end homelessness in Silicon Valley – follows.