Public transportation simple to use, efficient

By Alyssa Tomasello

One of the key features of Santa Clara University is its central location within the Bay Area; there are places to go in every direction. Whether it be venturing to Santana Row for dinner or taking a day trip to San Francisco and the waterfront, the Bay Area's transportation has an affordable and convenient option available.

Santa Clara students often explore Palo Alto, San Francisco and Stanford. Downtown Palo Alto is ideal for dinner dates and light shopping. The unique downtown area is a hot spot for the best eateries in the area, featuring styles such as Thai, Mediterranean and American cuisine.

In the mood for shopping? If so, Stanford Shopping Mall is the place to be. This large outdoor mall features large department stores such as Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and Macy's, as well as numerous trendy boutiques.

Also, a trip to San Francisco for dinner on the wharf, shopping in Union Square, attending a sporting event or concert or even sight seeing is highly accessible via public transportation.

The Caltrain has a couple stops in the city, which are either within walking distance or simply a bus ride away from major attractions. Escaping the Santa Clara University bubble is made easy with Caltrain.

"Caltrain is an efficient way of transportation," sophomore Matt Perry said. "My friends and I use it all the time. During fall quarter it was perfect for LoveFest. It was the safest way to get to the city and back."

The Caltrain station located across from the entrance of Santa Clara University on the Alameda is ideal for transportation. Caltrain transportation stretches from the South Bay in Gilroy to San Francisco.

When planning trips to Palo Alto, San Francisco or Stanford, one should consider this form of transit.

The trains begin running at 4:30 a.m. with the latest train returning from San Francisco at midnight.

The fares range depending upon the number of zones the passenger is traveling between and can cost as little as $2.

The typical fare from Santa Clara Caltrain Station in zone four to Palo Alto or Stanford in zone three is $8.50 for an all-day pass. Travels between San Francisco in zone one and Santa Clara's depot is $15.50 for the day. With trains running at multiple intervals during the day, Caltrain is an ultra convenient option.

Still, there are additional attractions accessible by public transportation within Santa Clara. Santana Row and Westfield Valley Fair Shopping Mall are located just a few miles away.

Bus route 60 travels from the Santa Clara Transit Center to the Valley Fair Transit Center. Directly across from each other at the intersection of Stevens Creek Boulevard and Winchester Boulevard, these two places are perfect for dining and shopping. Transportation to and from these locations is made possible through the VTA bus system at a cheap fare of $2 for a single ride or $6 for a day pass.

The easy accecibility is an ideal, cost effective alternative for students without cars.

"Because freshmen are not able to have cars on campus I have made great use of public transportation," freshman Jessica Reiner said. "At first I was a little hesitant but it was so easy to get the hang of. My friends and I take it all the time to Santana Row for dinner, or even to Target. There is a stop just minutes away from any place we need to go."

There are several bus stops located around campus including the intersections of Market and Monroe Streets and Bellomy and Alviso Streets.

With bus stop locations spread out around the area, travel via the VTA system is readily available. Utilizing Internet resources is helpful when planning a trip. Www.511.org offers information on planning trips using public transportation.

By entering a destination point and departure time, the traveler receives several different options for travel and information on fares.

Contact Alyssa Tomasello at atomasello@scu.edu or at (408) 551-1918.