San Fransisco -- San Jose

For most Bay Area transit planning, use 511.org's trip planner. But don't count on it giving you the cheapest fare from point A to point B unless you already know something about the route you're traveling and your options. In fact, trying to navigate the site for specific information can be downright frustrating, despite their obvious efforts to make it user-friendly. As documented in my blog for late August and early September, I walked to Burlingame before catching the 390 to Stanford, and from there caught the 22 to San Jose. But I could have taken the 28 from Fisherman's Wharf to Daly City, and caught the 390 from there. Fares are $1.25 for each of the 28 and 390; try getting a transfer when you get on the 28 but I don't think the 390 will accept it. The 22 is $1.50, so if you're on a $3 daily budget as I was, you can spend the night hanging around the Stanford shopping center. The Starbucks opens early, around 5 AM as I remember.

So, in more detail: if you're at Fisherman's Wharf, just catch the MUNI bus number 28; from anywhere East, just catch a westbound bus or train for $1.25 and get a transfer, change to the 28 at (state? county?) highway 1 and head South (that is, catch the bus on the far [West] side of the road).

The 28 ends at the Daly City station, at or near the corner of Willits St. and Knowles Ave. From there take the SamTrans 390 for, as I mentioned above, another $1.25; I doubt they'll accept the MUNI transfer as payment but what the hell, give it a shot. The worst they can do is say "no" and make you pay the fare.

The 390 takes you to the Palo Alto Caltrans station near the corner of University and El Camino Real. From there catch the Santa Clara Valley (VTA) number 22 bus for $1.50 to downtown San Jose.

Total cost of this trip: $4.00 as of November 22, 2004 when I prepared this page from data on the web. Greyhound fare, from their site: $5.50. Recommended donation to micropayments@whatisthewww.com, if this works out for you: 50 cents. Total savings: $1.00.