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Introduction and Disclaimer
How To Use This Guide (with Map)
VTA Buses Serving the Sports District
List of Bus Stops Near the Sports District
After the Event (10:30pm or later)
Bordered by Senter Rd., Keyes St., South 7th St., and Phelan Avenue lies San Jose's unofficial "sports district." This area of San Jose is the site of:
The purpose of this guide is to give you mass transit options to the "sports district" as an alternative to parking hassles, high gas prices, and traffic gridlock in and around the area. For major sporting events in the area, please try to get to the event 90 minutes before the start of the event, to allow for security measures.
Current Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) fares can be found here. When boarding any VTA bus, please have exact fare ready to speed boarding and speed the trip. Riding VTA light rail? Please make sure 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 bus services, system maps, and fares, contact VTA at (408)321-2300.
You are strongly advised to call VTA before going to the event, in case there are street closures around the area that will affect where the buses will stop and when they will run. This guide assumes no street closures around the area before, during, and after the event takes place.
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 public 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 nor have they provided any assistance whatsoever with this guide. For specific information about VTA services, system maps, and fares, please contact VTA at (408)321-2300.
SCVTARU is not responsible for anything that occurs on VTA buses or trains, or on any public or private property as a result of use of this guide.
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 Buses Serving the Sports District
VTA Bus line 25 De Anza College/Valley Medical Center to Alum Rock light rail station (west-east route). Closest stops to "sports district" are 10th & Keyes as well as 7th & Keyes. Walk 1.5 blocks south to Spartan Stadium.
If you are going to Sharks Ice (B on the map) walk south for two blocks to Alma Avenue. Sharks Ice is the white factory-like building with the word "ICE" on the front, diagonally across the street from Spartan Stadium and behind right field at Municipal Stadium.
If headed to Municipal Stadium, get off at Keyes and Senter. Walk one long block southbound on Senter until you reach Alma Street. The "Muni" is at the corner.
VTA Bus Line 73 Downtown San Jose - Capitol Expressway & Snell (north-south route). Stop closest to Spartan Stadium is Alma & Senter (in front of San Jose Municipal Stadium - home of the San Jose Giants minor league baseball team). Walk one (1) block west to Spartan Stadium or Sharks Ice (the white building behind right field of Municipal Stadium).
The 73 bus 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 Downtown San Jose's hotels.
VTA Bus Line 82 Mission & 21st - Westgate Mall (north-south route). Nearest bus stop is near the west end of Spartan Stadium on 7th Street. To reach Sharks Ice or Municipal Stadium, walk one block along Alma Street. The "Muni" is right behind Sharks Ice.
VTA Bus Line 66 Santa Teresa Hospital-Milpitas and Line 68 Gilroy-San Jose Caltrain Station (southbound and northbound). If travelling to downtown San Jose, the 66 or 68 buses northbound is the best way back to downtown San Jose.
The 25 and 82 buses also serve the 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: on weekdays, the last Caltrain northbound to the Peninsula and San Francisco from Tamien station departs at 8:45pm.
List of Bus Stops Near the Sports District
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).
For events ending after 10:00pm
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) - this bus takes you to the Tamien Light Rail station for connections to the rest of VTA Light Rail
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 transit alternatives during late hours. There is no bus service to West San Jose anytime after 10:30pm.
As an alternate, drive to the Tamien Light Rail station and take the 25 East San Jose bus to the "sports district" per the above instructions. Parking is free.
We hope this guide helps you beat the traffic gridlock, high gas prices, and parking hassles in travelling to San Jose's sports facilities outside the downtown area. Imagine the money you save on parking that you can spend on concessions and food. We hope you have fun!
--SCVTARU 12/26/2003 www.vtaridersunion.org
revised 10/9/2007
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