Commuting from Palo Alto to Redwood City

Redwood City is about 7 to 8 miles north of Palo Alto and one of the easiest commutes on the Peninsula. Downtown offices sit near Courthouse Square and the Caltrain station. Stanford's Redwood City campus is on the east side of town near Bayshore. Business parks such as Seaport Centre and the Redwood Shores offices line the bay. Express trains cover the distance in six minutes, so the question for most people is how to handle the last mile. This guide covers each option for someone living in Palo Alto, then the reverse commute.

Train times come from the weekday timetable on Caltrain's schedules page in early November 2026. Drive times are approximate.

Caltrain

Redwood City station, at 1 James Avenue by downtown, is an express stop. Every weekday train stopped there on the early November 2026 timetable, 52 in each direction.

Northbound expresses left Palo Alto at 6:43, 7:43 and 8:43 a.m. and again from 3:43 to 6:43 p.m. Limiteds left at 10 past the hour in the peaks and locals at 25 and 55 past. Going home, southbound expresses left Redwood City at about 6:53, 7:53 and 8:53 a.m. and 3:53 to 6:53 p.m., with locals in between. The last weekday southbound train left Redwood City at 12:47 a.m.

Fares for 2026 and 2027

Redwood City is the last Zone 2 station heading south. Palo Alto is in Zone 3. That makes this short ride a two zone trip. These adult fares are from the Caltrain fares page:

Caltrain says customers with a two zone or larger monthly pass get free local rides or credits on SamTrans, which helps with the last mile in Redwood City. From January 1, 2027, monthly pass holders must tap on and off for every ride. Our Clipper and fares guide explains Clipper and tap to pay.

Shuttles from Redwood City station

Several free shuttles meet trains on weekdays, according to Caltrain's station shuttle list:

• Stanford Marguerite RWC runs from Redwood City Transit Center to the Stanford Redwood City campus. Like other Marguerite lines it is free and runs on weekdays. Our Marguerite guide explains the system.
• Midpoint, run by Commute.org, links the station with the Mid Point Technology business park at commute hours.
• Seaport Centre, also run by Commute.org, links the station with the Seaport Centre business park at commute hours.
• Alexandria Center, run by the property owner Alexandria Real Estate Equities, links the San Carlos and Redwood City stations with the Alexandria Center for Life Science.

Some employers in Redwood Shores and the bayside parks run private shuttles for their own staff. Those routes are internal, so check with your employer before you rely on one.

SamTrans buses

Redwood City Transit Center, beside the station, is SamTrans's main hub on this part of the Peninsula. From Palo Alto:

• SamTrans ECR runs from the Palo Alto Transit Center up El Camino Real through Menlo Park and Atherton to Redwood City and beyond. It is slower than the train but stops along the whole corridor.
• Route 296 links Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton and Redwood City by a more easterly route. A 296 Owl runs overnight.
• EPX runs on weekdays from East Palo Alto through Redwood City Transit Center to SFO, San Bruno BART and San Francisco.

SamTrans listed an adult cash fare of $2.25 on its 2026 timetables. For a bus that skips traffic on El Camino, the train is still the better bet.

Biking

A 7 to 8 mile ride is a good bike commute. Middlefield Road is the usual route from Palo Alto through Menlo Park, Atherton and North Fair Oaks into downtown Redwood City, with bike lanes on much of it. Alameda de las Pulgas to the west is hillier but quieter. Allow about 35 to 45 minutes at a steady pace.

Many people ride one way and take the train the other. Each electric Caltrain train has two bike cars, each limited to 36 bikes, at no extra charge. Board the bike car first, stack bikes by destination and display a destination tag. Folding bikes up to 32 inches wide can ride in any car if folded. Redwood City station has a BikeHub secure room, eLockers and racks. Caltrain eLockers cost 5 cents an hour, or 2 cents nights and weekends.

Driving

US 101 is the quickest route to downtown, Stanford Redwood City and the bayside offices, using the Woodside Road (State Route 84), Whipple Avenue or Marsh Road exits. El Camino Real is direct but slow, with many signals through Menlo Park and Atherton. Interstate 280 suits the hillside neighborhoods of west Redwood City. Outside rush hour the trip takes roughly 12 to 15 minutes. At peak times 25 to 40 minutes is common.

Northbound 101 slows in the morning around the Marsh Road and Woodside Road interchanges, where Bayfront Expressway and Dumbarton Bridge traffic adds to the flow. In the evening, southbound 101 and Bayfront Expressway back up toward Palo Alto and the bridge. Our traffic and rush hour guide explains the patterns.

Express lanes

This commute runs entirely inside the San Mateo County 101 express lanes, which start at the county line by Palo Alto. They are tolled Monday to Friday from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. in both directions. Solo drivers pay the posted toll, two-person carpools pay half and carpools of three or more ride free with a FasTrak Flex tag set to 3+. The lanes are most useful when the regular lanes stop near Woodside Road. Our express lanes guide explains the rules. There are no bridge tolls unless you cross the bay.

Parking in Redwood City

Downtown Redwood City has several public garages and metered street parking, with rates and permit options on the city's parking pages. Big events at the Fox Theatre and Courthouse Square fill the downtown garages. Stanford Redwood City charges visitors $2.50 an hour or $20 a day through ParkMobile. Stanford affiliates use permits. Most business parks in Redwood Shores and along the bay provide parking for staff. Redwood City's Caltrain lots have 557 spaces and charge $5.50 a day.

Starting a job and need a place near the office for a few weeks? You can compare hotels in Redwood City close to the station.

The reverse commute: Redwood City to Palo Alto

Redwood City residents working in Palo Alto ride south. Southbound expresses reach Palo Alto in 6 minutes. From Palo Alto station the free Stanford Marguerite lines serve campus, the medical center and Stanford Research Park on weekdays. SamTrans ECR runs south to the Palo Alto Transit Center. By car, southbound 101 into Palo Alto slows at the University Avenue and Embarcadero Road exits in the morning. Our guide to downtown Redwood City covers what is near the station.

Frequently asked questions