san francisco to paramount great america.?
which public transportation is the best from SAN FRANCISCO TO GREAT AMERICA. and why. i am on a budget.
VTA (Valley Transportation Authority)
VTA light rail trains and buses arrive daily from points throughout Santa Clara County. Call 408-321-2300 or visit www.vta.org
AMTRAK
Trains arrive daily at Great America station from Reno, Sacramento, Oakland and other points north. Call 1-800-USA-RAIL or visit www.amtrakcapitols.com
ACE (Altamont Commuter Express)
Trains arrive at Great America station from Stockton, Tracy, Pleasanton and other points east. Call 1-800-411-RAIL or visit www.acerail.com
BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit)
Take the # 140, #141 or #180 VTA bus from the Fremont Bart station. Call your local BART Phone Information Center or visit www.bart.gov
CALTRAIN
Connect to the VTA light rail at the Mountain View Caltrain station from points throughout the San Francisco Bay Peninsula and south to Gilroy. Call 1-800-660-4287 or visit www.caltrain.org
THANKS
If you’re coming from Downtown San Francisco, Caltrain is definitely the best way to go. Only one easy train-to-train transfer at Mountain View station. No need to fool around with the buses.
The cost is $11.50 (Caltrain) + $3.50 (VTA Light Rail) = $15.00 round-trip.
http://www.caltrain.com/
BART and bus is slightly cheaper, but not by much: $10.00 for the train + $3.50 VTA Bus = $13.50 round-trip.
http://www.bart.gov/
ACE and Amtrak are for long distance travellers from the Central Valley and other states. They typically come to Great America for conventions rather than the theme park. Scheduled runs are limited and delays are common, so it doesn’t really apply to daytrippers from San Francisco.
In my experience, one of the quirks of public transportation is a train – whether light rail or heavy rail – is almost always more comfortable and faster than a bus.
San Francisco: Century of Transportation 1905-2009
