Getting to Palo Alto from the East Bay

From Oakland, Berkeley or Fremont, Palo Alto is close on a map and awkward in practice. San Francisco Bay sits in the way. You can go under it by BART, across it on one of two bridges or around its south end through San Jose. Each route makes sense at a different time of day and from a different starting point.

This page covers the trip from the East Bay cities. If you are flying into Oakland airport, read our Oakland airport guide for the terminal connections. For other starting points, see getting to Palo Alto.

The options at a glance

BART to Millbrae, then Caltrain

This is the all-week transit route. BART runs from the East Bay under the bay, through San Francisco and down the Peninsula to Millbrae. BART's Millbrae station page lists two lines that serve it: Antioch to SFO and Millbrae plus Richmond to Millbrae and SFO. Both pass through downtown Oakland, so riders from Berkeley, Oakland and the Antioch line can reach Millbrae without changing trains on the right service. Train patterns differ in the evening and on weekends, so check the BART trip planner for your time.

At Millbrae, BART and Caltrain share a station with a cross-platform connection. Board a southbound Caltrain to Palo Alto or California Avenue. Millbrae is in Caltrain Zone 2 and Palo Alto in Zone 3, so it is a two zone ride. The adult fare was $6.25 in October 2026 and is set to rise to $6.50 on January 1, 2027. On the late October 2026 weekday timetable, express trains took about 21 minutes from Millbrae to Palo Alto and locals about 28.

The long BART leg is the drawback. From downtown Oakland the whole trip runs well over an hour once you add the transfer. Use the joint Millbrae transfer timetable to pick a train pair that connects well. Our Caltrain guide explains tickets and train types.

BART and the Dumbarton Express

On weekdays a commuter bus crosses the bay directly. The Dumbarton Express starts at Union City BART and crosses the Dumbarton Bridge to the Peninsula. AC Transit administers it on behalf of a group of agencies that includes BART, SamTrans, VTA and Union City Transit. The Dumbarton Express site lists these basics:

• Two lines. DB and DB1 both begin at Union City BART. DB serves downtown Palo Alto, the Caltrain station, Stanford Hospital and the Stanford campus. DB1 serves Stanford Research Park and the Palo Alto VA Hospital.
• Weekdays only. Buses run about 5:30 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. The DB timetable effective October 6, 2025 shows gaps of 30 to 40 minutes at peak on route DB alone. Midday gaps run up to 2 hours. The last westbound DB bus leaves Union City at 6:40 p.m. A figure of about every 20 minutes may count DB and DB1 together.
• Holidays off. No service on New Year's Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas.
• Clipper or exact cash. Pay with a Clipper card or exact cash. The transbay cash fare is $6.50 after July 1, 2026. Other fares are on the operator's fares page.

Buses also stop at the Ardenwood Park and Ride in Fremont, which suits drivers who want to leave the car on the east side. For Fremont and Union City residents this is usually the quickest transit trip to Stanford. Check the timetable before you go, since a missed bus can mean a long wait. Daily riders should read our guide to commuting between Palo Alto and the East Bay. Our page on buses in Palo Alto shows how it fits with local routes.

Capitol Corridor and ACE

Two regional rail lines from the east end at San Jose Diridon, where Caltrain runs north to Palo Alto. Amtrak's Capitol Corridor comes from Sacramento through Emeryville, Oakland, Hayward and Fremont. ACE trains come from Stockton through the Tri-Valley and Fremont. Both run on commuter-oriented schedules, so check each operator's timetable. From Diridon a Caltrain express reaches Palo Alto in about 21 minutes. Our guide to getting here from San Jose covers that leg.

Driving the Dumbarton Bridge

The Dumbarton Bridge carries State Route 84 from Fremont and Newark to Menlo Park and East Palo Alto. It is the southernmost bay crossing and the closest one to Palo Alto. On the Peninsula side, Route 84 continues as Bayfront Expressway. Turn south on University Avenue, which crosses US 101 and runs straight through East Palo Alto into downtown Palo Alto. Willow Road is the other main turn, toward Menlo Park and the Stanford area.

Tolls

Tolls are charged westbound only, which is the direction you travel to Palo Alto. The toll for a two-axle car rose to $8.50 on January 1, 2026. The Bay Area Toll Authority has approved further steps, as reported by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission:

There are no cash lanes. Pay with a FasTrak tag or let the system bill the car by plate. Carpools of three or more get half off on weekdays from 5 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m. in a carpool lane, with a FasTrak tag.

Driving the San Mateo Bridge

The San Mateo Bridge carries State Route 92 from Hayward to Foster City. From there, follow US 101 south through Redwood City to the Palo Alto exits: University Avenue for downtown, Embarcadero Road for Stanford Shopping Center or Oregon Expressway for California Avenue. The toll is the same as on the Dumbarton Bridge and is also charged westbound only. From Hayward, San Leandro or Castro Valley this is often the better crossing, especially if traffic on Route 84 is backed up.

Around the south end of the bay

You can skip the bridges entirely. Take Interstate 880 south to Milpitas, then State Route 237 west to US 101 north. It is longer in miles but has no bridge toll. From southern Fremont or Milpitas it can be just as quick. Our driving guide covers the Palo Alto exits and parking once you arrive.

Traffic and timing

Commute traffic runs heavily westbound across the bridges in the morning and eastbound in the evening. Weekday peaks run roughly 7 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m. The approaches to the Dumbarton Bridge on both sides are known bottlenecks at those hours. Midday, evenings and weekends are usually much easier.

• If you drive west on a weekday, cross before the morning peak builds or wait until after 10 a.m.
• For a weekday visit, the Dumbarton Express avoids the parking hunt at Stanford.
• Check 511.org for bridge incidents before you set off.

Arriving in Palo Alto

Caltrain and the DB line both reach Palo Alto station, at the foot of University Avenue. Downtown is a short walk east and the free Stanford Marguerite shuttles leave from the bus plaza on weekdays. Drivers crossing the Dumbarton Bridge pass through East Palo Alto on the way in. Planning a trip the other way? See our day trips to Oakland and Berkeley.

Frequently asked questions