Commuting from Palo Alto to Sunnyvale

Sunnyvale is a big job center for Palo Alto residents. Downtown offices cluster around Murphy Avenue and the Caltrain station. Moffett Park and the 237 corridor in the north hold some of the largest tech campuses in the valley. Peery Park and the Lawrence Expressway area fill in the rest. At about 10 miles, Sunnyvale is close enough that the train, a bike and a car can all make sense, depending on where you work. 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. Bus times come from VTA's published route schedules. Drive times are approximate.

Caltrain to Sunnyvale and Lawrence

Sunnyvale has two Caltrain stations. Sunnyvale station on Evelyn Avenue, a block from Murphy Avenue, gets every train including expresses. Lawrence station, near Lawrence Expressway on the Santa Clara border, gets locals and limiteds only.

Weekday trains run four an hour in each peak and two an hour midday. Southbound expresses left Palo Alto at 6:59, 7:59 and 8:59 a.m. and 3:59 to 6:59 p.m. Northbound expresses left Sunnyvale for Palo Alto at about 6:32, 7:32 and 8:32 a.m. and through the evening peak. Weekend trains are locals about every 30 minutes.

Fares for 2026 and 2027

These adult fares are from the Caltrain fares page:

One zone fares do not change in 2027. Youth riders pay $1.00 for any trip. From January 1, 2027, monthly pass holders must tap on and off for every ride. See our Clipper and fares guide.

Light rail and buses

For Moffett Park and north Sunnyvale, the best transit trip often skips Sunnyvale station. Ride Caltrain to Mountain View station in 7 to 10 minutes and transfer to VTA's Orange Line light rail. It runs east through the Whisman area and north Sunnyvale toward Milpitas and Alum Rock, with stations near the Moffett Park campuses.

VTA buses also help:

• Rapid 522 runs from the Palo Alto Transit Center along El Camino Real. A 7:16 a.m. weekday bus reached Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road at 7:50 a.m., about 34 minutes.
• Route 21 runs from Stanford Shopping Center along Middlefield Road to Mountain View Transit Center and on through Sunnyvale to Santa Clara.
• Route 55 leaves Sunnyvale Transit Center at the Caltrain station for De Anza College in one direction and Old Ironsides station in north Santa Clara in the other.

VTA's adult fare is $2.50 for local buses and light rail, with two hours of free VTA transfers on Clipper. Clipper's regional transfer discount takes up to $2.85 off the second agency's fare when you switch from Caltrain to VTA within two hours. Our VTA guide has more.

Biking

A 10 mile ride each way is long but doable on an e-bike or for a keen cyclist. The calmer routes avoid El Camino Real. From south Palo Alto, the Adobe Creek bridge over US 101 leads to the Bay Trail and the Stevens Creek Trail in Mountain View, which head toward the north Sunnyvale business parks. Evelyn Avenue is a common route toward downtown Sunnyvale. Check a current regional bike map for connections, since trail work and construction change some links.

The train makes biking easier. Each electric Caltrain train has two bike cars with room for 36 bikes each, at no extra charge. Board the bike car first, stack bikes by destination and show a destination tag. Folding bikes no wider than 32 inches can go in any car. Conductors may limit bikes on crowded trains, which happens most often on peak expresses. VTA light rail and buses also carry bikes. Our bike parking guide covers lockers at the Palo Alto end.

Driving

The main routes are US 101 for north Sunnyvale, Central Expressway for downtown and Peery Park and El Camino Real for the shopping districts. Central Expressway starts as Alma Street in Palo Alto and has few driveways, so it often moves better than El Camino. Outside rush hour, a drive takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes. At peak times 30 to 45 minutes is common.

• Morning. Southbound 101 slows near the State Route 85 interchange in Mountain View and again at the Mathilda Avenue and 237 exits.
• Evening. Northbound 101 backs up from the 237 interchange toward Palo Alto. Central Expressway signals at Rengstorff Avenue and Shoreline Boulevard queue at peak times.

Express lanes and tolls

The US 101 express lanes run from Embarcadero Road in Palo Alto to State Route 237, which covers most of this commute. 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 get 50 percent off and three or more ride free with a FasTrak Flex tag set to match. State Route 237 also has express lanes between North Mathilda Avenue and Interstate 880, on the same weekday hours, according to FasTrak. There are no bridge tolls on this commute. Our express lanes guide explains FasTrak Flex.

Parking in Sunnyvale

Most offices in Moffett Park, Peery Park and along Mathilda Avenue provide parking for staff. Downtown has public lots and garages near Murphy Avenue, with posted time limits. The CityLine redevelopment around downtown has changed some parking locations, so check signs and the city's site. Sunnyvale's Caltrain lot charges the standard $5.50 a day. If you drive only some weeks, you can compare rental car prices instead of keeping a second car.

Shuttles

Caltrain's list of public station shuttles shows none at Sunnyvale or Lawrence in late 2026. Many large employers in Moffett Park and the 237 corridor run private shuttles and coaches for their own staff, some from Caltrain and light rail stations and some from Peninsula neighborhoods. Routes are internal, so ask your employer. Companies may also offer Caltrain GoPass or pretax transit benefits.

The reverse commute: Sunnyvale to Palo Alto

Sunnyvale residents working in Palo Alto can ride a northbound express from Sunnyvale in 10 to 11 minutes. From Palo Alto station, the free Stanford Marguerite shuttle runs to campus, the medical center and Stanford Research Park on weekdays. VTA Rapid 522 and Route 21 run north all day. By car, the morning crunch is on the Palo Alto end: the Embarcadero Road, Oregon Expressway and San Antonio Road exits from 101 and Page Mill Road near the Research Park.

Frequently asked questions