Tag: train

Happy New Year 2021

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Even in a global pandemic, one New Year’s Eve public transit tradition continues.  Transit agencies like Caltrain, SamTrans, and VTA will have free fares for their bus & rail service starting around 8pm.  This despite Santa Clara County’s “shelter in place” health orders in effect until further notice.

Pandemic protection rules such as social distancing and mask wearing on board will still apply.  Per health department directives, avoid crowds to help curb the spread of COVID-19.

Read on for a summary of who’s offering what services on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, and when.

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Transit Options For the Niners’ Really Big Game

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Championship Sunday will be in Silicon Valley today.  The San Francisco 49ers host the Green Bay Packers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara in the NFC Championship game, with kickoff at 3:40pm.  The winner of the game will go to Miami to play in Super Bowl LIV.  It is the first time Levi’s Stadium will host the NFC Championship game.

Auto traffic will be very heavy for this vital game.  Fortunately, to help you beat the traffic and parking woes, several local transit agencies will provide extra service to and from today’s game.  In particular, extra service from Caltrain, Capitol Corridor, and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will be available for football fans for today’s game.

Never rode public transit before in Silicon Valley? Here’s a guide that shows you how.

Because up to 70,000 fans are expected for today’s game, expect standing-room only (SRO) conditions on VTA light rail (especially on the new Orange line) for today’s game.  Such SRO conditions are expected to last until about 7pm, when the game is expected to end.

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National Championship Transit Options

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Levi’s Stadium, east of Great America light rail station.

College football’s national championship game comes to the Bay Area for the first time.  On January 7 at 5pm, college football’s National Championship game will take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.  The Clemson Tigers face the Alabama Crimson Tide for major college football’s national championship.

This post will help detail Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) public transit options to and from fan events in San Jose and Santa Clara on January 4-7.  These options help you beat expected traffic gridlock, parking woes, and potential road rage incidents at the events.  This post will also help detail a local guide for first-time public transit riders – especially those visiting San Jose and Santa Clara from out of town.  Read on below for more information…

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Going Fourth Today and Tonight

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On behalf of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, I want to wish everyone here a Happy Independence Day.

A reminder: ALL transit agencies serving Silicon Valley are running on a Sunday/Holiday schedule today.  This includes Caltrain, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), SamTrans, Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) trains, and the Dumbarton Express bus service.  Normal weekday service and schedules will return tomorrow.

Here’s a quick guide to public transit options for some Independence Day events throughout the Bay Area today.  Much of this will help you avoid drunk driving, parking hassles, and traffic gridlock to and from the festivities.

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“Next Network” Next Year

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Passengers boarding the VTA 181 express bus to Fremont BART station in downtown San Jose.

Bus and light rail restructuring throughout Santa Clara County has been put off until 2018.  The Silicon Valley Transit Users just received official word from VTA that the BART extension to Milpitas and Berryessa in San Jose has been moved until June 2018 due to “system integration and testing.”

The VTA Board of Directors received word of the BART extension delay from staff at the August 3 Board of Directors’ meeting in San Jose.  This means that the VTA “Next Network” transit restructuring has been moved until at least 2018.

More on this story follows…

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