VTA Transit Service
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is an independent special district service provider who provides sustainable, accessible, community-focused transportation options to Santa Clara County.
VTA provides bus, light rail, and paratransit services, as well as participates as a funding partner in regional rail service including Caltrain, Capital Corridor, and the Altamont Corridor Express.
VTA provides these services throughout the county, including Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga and Sunnyvale.
Experiencing Clipper Card Issues?
If you are having issues with your SmartPass (or BayPass) Clipper Card, please email us, or come into our office. Alternatively, you can visit the VTA Customer Support Center in downtown San Jose or the Clipper Customer Support Center in downtown San Francisco for in person customer service.
VTA Park & Ride Lots
A variety of free park and ride lots are offered through VTA and select regional transit agencies. We recommend using VTA park and ride lots for students and staff commuting to campus.
If you are traveling from Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga – we recommend driving to Bascom station
If you are traveling from Santa Cruz – we recommend driving to Ohlone-Chynoweth (view regional transit for Highway 17 Express Bus lots in Santa Cruz)
If you are traveling from Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto, North San Jose, Fremont, East Bay, Peninsula – we recommend driving to 880 or Great Mall
If you are traveling from East San Jose – we recommend driving to Eastridge or Curtner (Eastridge is the only station without light rail service)
If you are traveling from South San Jose – we recommend driving to Capitol, Curtner, Branham, Ohlone-Chynoweth, Blossom Hill, Snell, Cottle, or Santa Teresa
If you are traveling from Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Hollister Valley – we recommend driving to Santa Teresa
Transit App
To find real-time arrival times for public transit routes, directions, and traffic alerts, download the Transit App. The application is available in both the App Store and Google Play Store.
Guaranteed Ride Home
VTA has a Guaranteed Ride Home Program.
The GRH program encourages commuters to use sustainable transportation options, such as biking, walking, vanpooling, carpooling, public transit and micro-transit, to work or school in Santa Clara County. It acts as a safety net during unexpected emergencies, providing eligible participants with up to six reimbursements a year or $500 in total reimbursements, whichever comes first. This means your SmartPass users can now commute confidently, knowing they have a reliable backup plan. The VTA Guaranteed Ride Home program is free to join and participate in.
Visit the Guaranteed Ride Home Portal to check your eligibility and sign up for the program. The program works by reimbursing you after you pay for a ride home using an eligible method.
What types of emergencies are eligible for a qualified GRH trip?
- Personal or family illness, injury or emergency
- Home emergency
- Eldercare or daycare emergency
- Bicycle/e-scooter theft or breakdown
- Unforeseen change of work schedule (supervisor verification will be required)
- Carpool/shuttle partner emergency/cancellation resulted in loss of ride home
- Local air quality index exceeds 300
What types of trips or reasons are not covered?
- Typical transit delays
- Worker strikes
- Personal errands or appointments
- Ride to work or school
- Carpool app provider cannot find a match to get the commuter home
- Non-emergency side trips
- Business-related travel
- Transportation to a doctor or hospital resulting from an on-the job injury
What mode of transportation can I use for my GRH trip?
- Taxis
- Rental cars (including insurance and tolls)
- Carshare vehicles (including insurance and tolls)
- Transportation network companies (Lyft, Uber, etc.)
- Public transportation
- Shared bicycle or e-scooter provider (micro-transit)
Visit the VTA Guaranteed Ride Home page for more information. If you have any questions, please call (408) 321-2300 or email grh@vta.org.
