Public Transit to SLAC

This is California, where the automobile is king. Nevertheless, it is possible to get to SLAC from the nearby airports by public transit. This plan assumes a best-case scenario; many of these services do not run on weekends or at night.

You may also go to the web site 511.org and create your own plan. The results may not be optimal.

All paths converge at the Palo Alto CalTrain station. It is a regional Transit Center where many bus lines come together.

From San Francisco International (SFO) to Palo Alto:

• By train (recommended)
  • Go to the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station on the lower level of Garage G of the International terminal. Use the free AirTrain to get there from the domestic terminals. Take a northbound BART train on the Pittsburg/Bay Point line to the next station, San Bruno. (Schedule). The fare should be $4.
  • Transfer to a southbound BART train on the Richmond/Daly City line to the next station, Millbrae.
  • (On weekends and at night there is a train directly from SFO to Millbrae.)
  • Millbrae is a station for both BART and CalTrain. Take a southbound CalTrain to Palo Alto. (Schedule). A one-way ticket should cost $4.25. Tickets must be purchased before boarding the train.
• By bus (difficult if you have luggage)
  • SamTrans has buses to Palo Alto from multiple locations at the airport.
  • Express line KX ($5) has 19 runs per day. Line 397 ($2) has 4 runs per day.
• There are several options for private carriers including vans, taxis and limousines. Some require reservations in advance.

From San Jose International (SJC) to Palo Alto:

• By train
  • Take the free VTA Flyer (#10) westbound bus to the Santa Clara CalTrain station.
  • Take a northbound CalTrain to the Palo Alto station (Schedule). A one-way ticket should cost $4.25. Tickets must be purchased before boarding the train.
• By bus (slower, and difficult with luggage)
  • Take the VTA Flyer to the Santa Clara CalTrain station as described above.
  • Instead of the train, take the westbound VTA 522 Express ($4) or 22 bus ($2) to Palo Alto CalTrain. Exact change is required.
• There are several options for private carriers including shuttles, taxis and limousines. Some require reservations in advance.

From the Palo Alto CalTrain station:

• To get to SLAC from the Palo Alto transit center, take the free Stanford Marguerite shuttle bus. The Marguerite buses have their own loading area south of the train station, on the opposite end from the VTA and SamTrans buses. See the small inset in the map.
  • Plan A: Take the "A" line bus to the University campus. Get off at any stop on Serra Street. Cross the street and take a SLAC line bus to SLAC.
  • Plan B: Take the "B" line (counterclockwise) bus to Parking Structure 5 on Stock Farm Road. Switch to the SLAC line bus.
• Conference Hotels:
  • The Stanford Guest House is located at SLAC.
  • The Sheraton hotel is a short walk from the Transit Center.
  • The Creekside and Stanford Terrace hotels are both on or near El Camino Real. From the transit center take the eastbound VTA #22 bus for $2. Exact change is required. The Stanford Terrace is also about a block from the Yale Court stop of the Marguerite "A" line.