Getting to Palo Alto — California: Flights, Airports & Transfers

San Francisco International Airport: The practical public-transit route is BART from SFO to Millbrae, then Caltrain south to Palo Alto. Allow roughly 70–100 minutes including the transfer; the evidence package puts the combined fare around $10.40, but verify current BART and Caltrain fares and the Caltrain timetable before landing—Caltrain is less frequent than BART. A rideshare is simpler with luggage but is traffic-dependent and usually much dearer.

Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport: Take the free VTA Route 10 airport shuttle to Santa Clara Caltrain, then Caltrain north to Palo Alto. Allow about 50–75 minutes including the connection; the evidence package lists the Caltrain portion at about $6. Route 22 or Rapid 522 runs toward Palo Alto but is slower; use it only when the train timing is poor.

Palo Alto Caltrain Station: This is the useful rail arrival for San Francisco, San José, and Peninsula stops. It is at the foot of downtown University Avenue, and Stanford’s free Marguerite shuttle connects it to campus. Buy/activate the correct Caltrain fare before boarding and check whether your chosen train stops here; limited-stop patterns vary.

California Avenue Caltrain Station: Use this smaller station if you are staying around California Avenue or south Palo Alto. It is about 2 miles from downtown and has less frequent service than Palo Alto station, so it is not the default arrival point for most visitors.