Public Transit

Public transit is a great, inexpensive way to get around the city and the bay area as a whole. You can save money while significantly reducing emissions and local air pollution. Taking buses and trains also reduces your likelihood of serious injury.

Below are key information on transit options, passes and deals, and ongoing projects:

Transit options

Local bus routes

Local buses run within a 10 minute walk of >90% of the city, and most buses run every 20 minutes or less. Local buses connect to Palo Alto, Redwood City, Caltrain, and even Hayward.

• Local Bus Route Map
• SAMTRANS Website: routes and fare options

Regional transit

Regional transit runs all across the bay area. Caltrain runs fast and frequent service from San Jose to San Francisco out of nearby Palo Alto Station, which is served by most local buses. The Dumbarton Express bus runs across the bridge to the East Bay and BART system, and it has stops along Willow Rd as well as by Palo Alto Station.

• Caltrain website and schedule
• Dumbarton Express website

Samtrans rideshare service

There is a new rideshare service in the city to help residents get around for groceries, appointments, or any other place within the city or Belle Haven. This is similar to Uber or Lyft, but it is only the cost of a bus fare ($2.25 or less).

• Download the app to schedule a ride
• Or call 650-238-5880 to schedule a ride

Transit passes & discounts

Public transit is a very affordable options, but there are even more ways to save through deals on passes, commuter programs, and discounts for youth, seniors, and low-income households.

Standard fares

These are the base fares for local transit options, without any discounts or passes applied:

• SAMTRANS (San Mateo County buses): $2.25
• VTA (Santa Clara County buses): $2.50
• AC Transit (Alameda County buses): $2.25
• Caltrain: $3.75+ (depending on distance)
• BART: $2.30+ (depending on distance)

Passes and discounts

• Clipper card discounts: Clipper cards can be used to pay for all bay area transportation options. There are special discounted Clipper cards for low-income residents, youth, seniors, and people with disabilities -- these discounts apply across all bay area transit agencies.
  • Clipper Start: Qualified low-income residents can get 50% off all bay area transit options including SAMTRANS, Caltrain, BART, and more. Click here for more information on eligibility and how to apply.
  • Youth & Senior Clipper cards: Riders 5-18 or over 65 qualify for a Youth or Senior Clipper card -- see here for more information.
  • RTC Clipper card: Riders under 65 with qualifying disabilities can apply for a discounted RTC Clipper card -- see here for more information.
• Pass options: Most transit agencies offer daily, weekly, or monthly passes for frequent users as well as youth or senior-specific passes. See below for options from each agency
  • SAMTRANS passes and free youth pass
  • Caltrain passes and promotional offers
  • VTA
  • AC Transit
  • BART

Commuters & employers

There are several programs specifically targeted towards commuters and employers. For information on transit passes for frequent riders, see above.

• Commute.org programs: Commute.org is a County agency promoting healthy, sustainable commuting for San Mateo County residents. They offer several programs to support commuters:
  • Free commuter shuttles 
  • Commuter rewards for carpooling, biking, and more including guaranteed rides home
  • Resources & assistance for commuters, employers, schools, and developers
• Employer programs: Offering discounted transit passes for employees can be a great way to encourage sustainability for staff and achieve compliance with the City’s Transportation Demand Management ordinance. Many transit agencies offer bulk discounts when employers purchase passes for their employees.
  • Caltrain GoPass — Unlimited Caltrain rides for employees for a fixed cost
    
  • SAMTRANS Way2Go — Unlimited SAMTRANS rides for employees or residents of an apartment complex
  • VTA SmartPass — Unlimited VTA rides for employees or residents of an apartment complex with pricing varying by needs
  • AC Transit EasyPass — Unlimited VTA rides for employees or residents of an apartment complex with pricing varying by needs
  • Clipper BayPass — Unlimited access to all buses, trains, and ferries across nine counties, availability is limited
  • Commute.org employer resources list out many ways for employers to support employee commutes

Ongoing projects

Bus stop upgrades

The City is partnering with SAMTRANS to improve bus stops across the city by installing benches and shielding for sun and rain (lighting? signage?) to help improve safety and rider experience. See here for more information.

Expanded transit service

In 2023-2024, SAMTRANS greatly expanded transit service to EPA by creating the RidePlus ridesharing service covering all areas of EPA as well as Route EPX, a new bus route running from EPA all the way to San Francisco.