Bus & Rail

Bus Service

Local Bus Service

VTA operates an extensive network of local bus routes serving the urbanized portions of Santa Clara county. These routes serve main arterial streets, neighborhoods/residential areas, shopping, schools, employment areas and other businesses. Approximately 80% of Santa Clara County residents are within a quarter mile of a transit route.

Commuter Services

Express Bus Service
VTA operates Express bus routes linking residential areas of the County with Silicon Valley industrial centers. Major employers work with VTA to develop and refine commuter services. In addition, regional Express Route 181 provides daily service connecting Caltrain, Downtown San Jose, and Milpitas with BART in Fremont.

Park and Ride Lots
VTA provides Park and Ride lots for commuters using VTA bus and light rail services.   Most VTA Park and Ride lots are served by Express bus routes. Many lots have special features such as passenger shelters, transit schedule signs and bicycle lockers.

Airport Flyer
The free VTA/SJC Airport Flyer takes off for Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport daily from 5:00 am until 11:30 pm - weekdays, every 15 minutes; weekends, every 30 minutes. Catch the Airport Flyer at VTA's Metro/Airport Light Rail stop and at the Santa Clara Caltrain station.

Want Free Long-Term Airport Parking For up to Seven Days? You got it!

Park Free For up to Seven Days!
VTA wants to make it easy for you to park, ride, and fly. That is why we are now providing Airport Long-Term Parking at many of our Park & Ride lots. Now you can park your vehicle for up to seven days at select VTA Park & Ride lots, and let us take you to the airport! Just park your vehicle in one of over two hundred and fifty designated Airport Long-Term Parking spaces at the following VTA Light Rail Stations: Almaden, Blossom Hill, Branham, Capitol, Cottle, Curtner, Ohlone/Chynoweth, Santa Theresa, Snell, and Tamien. As with regular Park & Ride parking, Airport Long-Term Parking is a free service of VTA. Enjoy your trip and don’t forget Airport Long-Term Parking is limited to a 7-day maximum, look for signs marking the designated spaces.

Light Rail Service

VTA offers more than 42.2 miles of light rail service through the cities of San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and Campbell and Mountain View. There are 62 convenient stops along the system, including: residential areas of South San Jose, Downtown San Jose, San Jose Civic Center, North First Street high-tech area, Great America theme park, Tasman Drive high-tech and residential areas, Downtown Campbell, Lockheed Martin, Middlefield Road industrial areas, and Downtown Mountain View.

Light rail service is provided seven days a week to serve Silicon Valley's round-the-clock lifestyle. The system provides links with dozens of VTA bus routes and employer shuttles, as well as with Caltrain commuter rail in San Jose and Downtown Mountain View, and the Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) at the Lick Mill Station in Santa Clara. For those who wish to drive to light rail, there are 14 Park & Ride Lots where you can leave your vehicle. Or, if you choose to bicycle to light rail, you can sign up for bike lockers located along the line, or simply take your bike on board.

All VTA light rail stations are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Light rail fares are the same as those charged for regular VTA bus routes. All light rail stations have ticket vending machines, from which you can purchase Single Ride tickets good for two hours (light rail only), or an Excursion Pass good for unlimited rides on light rail for 8 hours from the time of purchase..

VTA, in cooperation with the Transportation Fund for Clean Air, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and San Jose State University, operates free shuttle buses that circulate on a fixed-route through downtown San Jose.   You can use the shuttle to make direct connections from Caltrain or Light Rail to various downtown locations such as San Jose State University, City Hall, Convention Center, Tech Museum, and many hotels, restaurants, and businesses or to make connections with other bus routes.

VTA has been operating the Downtown Area Shuttle (DASH) Bus Program since 1996 when the DASH Shuttle was introduced to the public. The program was implemented to provide convenient connections from downtown rail stations to major downtown locations, and thus, encourage use of the Light Rail system.