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Introduction and Disclaimer
How To Use This Guide (with Map)
Before the Kickoff
During the Game
After the Game
The fifth edition of the Silicon Valley Football Classic, to be played on December 30 at 8:00pm at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, features the Northern Illinois Huskies playing against the Troy Trojans. This game will be televised on ESPN2.
Parking across the street at the running track on 10th Street and near Municipal Stadium typically costs $8 for the event. However, overall space is very limited - at most only a thousand cars total will be able to occupy the parking lots. Parking in front of Logitech Ice will not be allowed, as that is private property.
The purpose of this guide is to give you mass transit options to the game as an alternative to parking hassles and traffic gridlock in and around Spartan Stadium. Due to security measures that will likely be in place at the stadium and its vicinity, please try to get to the stadium 90 minutes before kickoff at 8:00pm.
VTA fares are $1.50 one-way for adults and $4.00 for an adult day pass, good for use on the entire bus and light rail system for that day. When boarding any VTA bus, please have exact fare ready to speed boarding and speed the trip. If you are using VTA light rail, please ensure you have a ticket or day pass which you can purchase from vending machines at any VTA light rail station throughout the system. For specific information about VTA services, system maps, and fares, contact VTA at (408)321-2300.
As the Silicon Valley Football Classic will be played on a Thursday evening, all VTA buses and light rail are expected to run on a weekday schedule. You are strongly advised to call VTA before the game, in case there are street closures around the Spartan Stadium area that will affect where the buses will stop and when they will run. This guide assumes no street closures around the Spartan Stadium area will occur.
This guide was created as a public service from the Santa Clara VTA Riders Union (SCVTARU), a grassroots-based non-profit organization of citizens concerned about mass transit in Silicon Valley. We are not affiliated with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) in any form whatsoever. VTA has not endorsed this guide. For specific information about VTA services, system maps, and fares, please contact VTA at their Customer Service number at (408)321-2300.
Click on the (
MAP)
included. Each number indicates a bus stop and the VTA buses that serve that
stop. Each listing for the stop contains links to VTA's web site pointing you to
the schedule for the buses. Where possible, we have indicated the times before,
during, and after the game when each bus is due.
Landmarks:
VTA Bus line 25 De Anza College/Valley Medical Center to East San Jose (westbound and eastbound). Buses run every 10-20 minutes until around 7:00pm. Stop closest to the Stadium is 10th & Keyes. Walk 1.5 blocks south to the Stadium for the game. If you are going to the Pre-Game Party at Logitech Ice (B on the map) walk south for two blocks to Alma Avenue. Make a left and walk one (1) block to South 10th Street. Logitech Ice is the white building with the word "ICE" on the front, diagonally across the street from Spartan Stadium.
VTA Bus Line 73 Downtown San Jose - Capitol Expressway & Snell (northbound and southbound). Buses run about every 20 minutes. Stop closest to the Stadium is Alma & Senter (next to San Jose Municipal Stadium - home of the San Jose Giants minor league baseball team). Walk one (1) block west to Spartan Stadium for the game, and Logitech Ice for the pre-game party. The 73 connects you to VTA Light Rail along 1st and 2nd streets in Downtown San Jose at James St., Santa Clara St., and at Paseo De San Antonio - within walking distance of the hotels.
VTA Bus Line 82 Mission & 21st - Westgate Mall (northbound and southbound). Bus runs every half hour until 7:00pm where service runs every hour until the last bus at around 8pm. Nearest bus stop to the stadium is on the west end of the stadium on 7th Street. The pre-game party at Logitech Ice is one long block away on the corner of 10th and Alma. See directions on how to go to Westgate after 8pm.
VTA Bus Line 66 Santa Teresa Hospital-Milpitas and Line 68 Gilroy-San Jose Caltrain Station (southbound and northbound) - buses run every 10-30 minutes along South 1st Street during the day. At night, buses run every 30-60 minutes along Monterrey. If travelling to downtown San Jose, the 66 or 68 buses northbound is the fastest way back to downtown San Jose.
The 25 and 82 buses also serve Tamien Light Rail station for connections to VTA Light Rail to South San Jose, Downtown San Jose, San Jose Airport area, North San Jose, Milpitas, Cisco, Great America Theme Park, the northern portions of Santa Clara and Sunnyvale, and downtown Mountain View. You can also connect at Tamien to Caltrain if you are coming from the Peninsula or San Francisco. Be advised: the last Caltrain northbound to the Peninsula and San Francisco departs at 8:45pm.
In case you need to leave Spartan Stadium during the game, here are the following transit routes you can use:
Stop 4 (S. 12th and Keyes)
Stop 10 (S. 7th and Keyes - two blocks north
of stadium)
25 Valley Medical Center/De Anza College (westbound)
Stop 3 (S. 12th and Keyes)
Stop 9 (S. 7th and Keyes - two blocks north
of stadium)
25 East San Jose (eastbound)
Stop 6 (Monterey and Alma - in front of Wendy's - two blocks west of
stadium)
66 Santa Teresa Hospital (southbound)
68 Gilroy
Caltrain Station (southbound)
Stop 7 (Monterey and Alma - two blocks west of stadium
66
Milpitas (northbound)
68 San Jose
Caltrain Station (northbound)
Stop 8 (S. 7th Street - across from Spartan Stadium)
82
Westgate (southbound)
Stop 5 (on 7th street near Keyes - one block north of stadium)
82 Downtown
San Jose, Mission/21st (northbound)
Stop 1 (Senter and Alma at Kelley Park, across from SJ Municipal Stadium -
one block east of football stadium)
73 Downtown
San Jose (northbound)
Stop 2 (Senter and Alma - in front of SJ Municipal Stadium - one block
east of stadium)
73 Capitol Expwy. and Snell (southbound)
For those of you who took the 82 bus west of San Jose (Westgate Mall, Lawrence Expwy. and Moorpark Ave., et al.), there is an alternative for when you need to leave during the game. Take the 25 westbound (Valley Medical Center or De Anza College) to Tamien Light Rail station. Board a Santa Teresa-bound light rail train southbound to the next stop (Curtner Light Rail station). Go downstairs to the bus stop area and take the 26 Lockheed (or Sunnyvale-Fair Oaks Avenue) bus. It runs slightly parallel to the 82 along Curtner, Bascom, and Campbell Avenues until the 82 bus stop at Westgate Mall (Hamilton Ave. east of Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road). Be advised that the last 26 bus leaves Curtner light rail station for Sunnyvale at
After the Game
If the game ends in regulation and barring any delays, some VTA buses are still running which allow you to get home (or to your hotel) safely.
Stop 3 (S. 12th and Keyes)
Stop 9 (S. 7th and Keyes - two blocks north
of stadium)
25 East San Jose (eastbound)
Stop 4 (S. 12th and Keyes)
Stop 10 (S. 7th and Keyes - two blocks north
of stadium)
25 Valley Medical Center (westbound)
Stop 6 (Monterey and Alma - in front of Wendy's - two blocks west of
stadium)
66 Santa Teresa Hospital (southbound)
68 Gilroy
Caltrain Station (southbound)
Stop 7 (Monterey and Alma - two blocks west of stadium
66 Downtown
San Jose, Milpitas (northbound)
68 Downtown
San Jose, San Jose Caltrain Station (northbound)
For those of you who took the 82 bus west of San Jose (Westgate Mall, Lawrence Expwy. and Moorpark Ave., et al.), call VTA Customer Service at (408)321-2300 for ride alternatives for after the game. There is no bus service to West San Jose anytime after 10:30pm.
We hope this guide helps you beat the traffic gridlock and parking hassles at the 4th Annual Silicon Valley Football Classic at Spartan Stadium on December 30. Imagine the money you save on parking that you can spend on concessions and food. The fun part of it is that you do not have to worry about having your car broken into or stolen when you use mass transit. We hope you have fun at the game!
For compliments or complaints about VTA transit services, please contact their Customer Service number at (408)321-2300. In addition, use our DIY portlet to contact VTA Board members and management and let them know as well.
--SCVTARU 12/26/2003 www.vtaridersunion.org
revised 12/17/2004
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