Santa Cruz to San Francisco - iridethebus.org
Trip overview
| Transportation | To | Time | Fare | Runs every |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walk/bike/drive | Pacific Station (Metro Center) | |||
| 920 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz | ||||
| Highway 17 Express | San Jose (Diridon) Station | 1 hour | $4.00 | 1-2 hours |
| Caltrain | San Francisco (4th&King) Station | 1.5 hours | $7.50 | 30-60 min |
| 700 4th St, San Francisco | ||||
| San Francisco Muni | All points in San Francisco | $1.50 |
| Total fare | $11.50 |
|---|---|
| Total travel time | 2 to 3 hours |
| Latest departure time | 9 PM |
| Latest return time | 8 PM |
You can walk lots of places in San Francisco, so the last step is optional and not covered. The Muni Metro N and K/T streetcars are just a few of the many local transit routes that serve San Francisco (4th and King) Caltrain Station. Tip: If you travel frequently, print your own wallet-size Highway 17 + Caltrain schedule, only available here!
1st Step: Highway 17 Express to San Jose
Please review the Santa Cruz to San Jose page. When you are finished with that page, use your Web browser’s “Back”
command to return here. Differences to note:
- If you are leaving Santa Cruz on a Sunday, do not use the last Highway 17 bus of the day. There is no train left for it to connect to.
2nd Step: Caltrain to San Francisco
You will use Caltrain to get from San Jose to San Francisco. Caltrain’s double-decker cars have comfortable seats and ample storage space. The newest cars, used mainly during commute hours, have tables and electric outlets. You can bring food on board — even alcohol! Each train has a restroom.
Buying a Caltrain ticket
Using the machine is the fastest way to buy a Caltrain ticket. There is no need to go to the counter in the waiting room. Enter San Jose (Diridon) Station by the side door, which is to your right as you get off the Highway 17 Express bus. Buy a one-way ticket from the current zone to Zone 1. The fare is $7.50. Keep the ticket with you until you get off the train, in case an agent asks to see it.
Finding the train
After buying your ticket, check the black sign board, which is to the left of the waiting room door. It lists departure times and platform numbers. Now, go down the ramp, find your platform, and go up. Make sure that your train says “Caltrain”
, and that it’s going to San Francisco (north). Avoid trains bound for Tamien or Gilroy (south). Also avoid trains marked ACE, Amtrak, or Amtrak California. If in doubt, ask!
Preparing to get off in San Francisco
San Francisco (4th and King) Station is the last stop. An agent will announce it.
Selected attractions in San Francisco
| Who | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Happy Donuts | Generous sandwiches. Near Caltrain. | Leave station, cross 4th Street, and go right, to King Street. Go forward one block on King, and cross 3rd Street. Address: 761 3rd Street |
| SBC Park | San Francisco Giants baseball. | Go to Happy Donuts, then cross King Street. Address: King and 3rd Streets |
| Union Square | Cable cars, shops, same-day theatre ticket booth. | Leave station and go right, to King Street. Cross King part-way, to platform. Deposit $1.50 in machine. Take ticket and hold on to it. Get on Muni Metro N streetcar. Get off at Powell Street Station. Exit to street and follow cable cars. |
| Chinatown | Restaurants, bakeries, shops. | Leave station, cross 4th Street, and go left, to Towsend Street. Get on Muni 30 Stockton trolleybus and deposit $1.50 in farebox. Take a transfer and hold on to it. Get off after tunnel. |
| Sam Wo | Excellent Chinese food. Menu reads, “Low prices, everyone welcome.”Open late. Simple atmosphere. | Follow directions for Chinatown. Go forward to Washington Street. Turn right and go 2 short blocks. Address: 813 Washington Street |
| North Beach | Restaurants, cafes, bookstores. | Follow directions for Chinatown, but stay on bus until just before Columbus Avenue and Broadway (look for big neon signs). |
| Stella Pastry | Authentic Italian pastries. Sidewalk and indoor seating. Closed Mondays. | Follow directions for North Beach. Cross Columbus Avenue and Broadway. Turn left and go 2 blocks on Columbus. Address: 446 Columbus Avenue |
| Golden Gate Park | Gardens, trails, museums. (California Academy of Sciences temporarily closed.) | Follow directions for Union Square, but stay on streetcar until just before 9th Avenue and Irving Street (look for Starbucks on the right or Jamba Juice on the left). Turn right on 9th and go 1 block. |
| Central YMCA | Affordable overnight lodging. $50 for a private room with shared bath, basic breakfast, gym access, TV, wireless Internet. Welcomes people of all genders and all faiths. Old but well-maintained. | Follow directions for Union Square, but stay on streetcar until Civic Center Station. Exit to street. Find Burger King and go 3 blocks up Hyde Street. Turn right and go 1 block on Golden Gate Avenue. Address: 220 Golden Gate Avenue |
| Golden House Restaurant | Excellent Vietnamese food, including made-to-order imperial rolls. Closed Sundays. | Follow directions for the Central YMCA, but go left on Golden Gate Avenue. Address: 336 Golden Gate Avenue |
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Photos: Shakespeare Garden at Golden Gate Park; cable car near Union Square; cookies at Stella Pastry in North Beach.
Returning home
Finding the return train
After buying your ticket (current zone to Zone 4) from one of the machines at San Francisco (4th and King) Station, look up and down the hall. Caltrain agents hang wooden signs over the platform doors to indicate when each train will leave. All trains stop in San Jose (though some skip stops on the way).
An agent will unlock the platform door a few minutes before the train is scheduled to leave. If your bus connection in San Jose will be tight, sit in the first or last car. In San Jose, those cars will be closest to the exit ramps.
Preparing to get off in San Jose
Get off at the first — and sometimes only — San Jose stop, called Diridon. An agent will announce it. Avoid Tamien.
Planning your trip
There’s no need to plan your San Francisco trip in advance. The Highway 17 Express bus runs every one to two hours and Caltrain, every half hour to an hour. In case you do have to wait, all points on this itinerary have stations with indoor waiting areas, restrooms, water fountains, telephones, and food vendors.
If you do check schedules in advance, you can find a short connection and a fast train. There are three kinds of trains:
| When | Travel Time | Timetable Shading | Train Numbers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commute | 1 hour | Red | 300-series | Bullet |
| Weekday | 1 hour:20 minutes | Yellow | 200-series | Limited |
| Every day | 1 hour:40 minutes | Plain | 100- or 400-series | Local |
Telephone numbers
For the Highway 17 Express, dial 1 877 9-RIDE-CC (nationwide, toll-free). Ask for schedules between Santa Cruz and San Jose. For other transportation services, dial 511 (San Francisco Bay Area, toll-free) or 1 408 817-1717.
Know before you go
The information on this Web page might be incomplete, out of date, or incorrect. Also, there is always a risk of delays and missed connections.
© 2001-2008, Paul Marcelin. This Web site is a public service, not affiliated with any transportation provider.