UK to Walnut Creek/ Concord (San Francisco, Oakland: apartment, jobs, house)

[paultildsley]

hi there! i've been offered a job in california which would mean commuting between concord and walnut creek. i'm a 23 yr old guy, ive spent some time in usa but not in nothern california. i have a few questions if someone would be kind enouh to answer? i will probably be living in walnut creek or concord, but i don't drive, what is the public transport system like? the cost of living? any opinions would be much appreciated, i've read that jobs can be hard to come by but as i said i have already been offered the job. thanks in advance for any help!

[MoMark]

Originally Posted by paultildsley

hi there! i've been offered a job in california which would mean commuting between concord and walnut creek. i'm a 23 yr old guy, ive spent some time in usa but not in nothern california. i have a few questions if someone would be kind enouh to answer? i will probably be living in walnut creek or concord, but i don't drive, what is the public transport system like? the cost of living? any opinions would be much appreciated, i've read that jobs can be hard to come by but as i said i have already been offered the job. thanks in advance for any help!

Congratulations on your job offer Luckily for you, commuting between Concord and Walnut Creek shouldn't be much of a problem. The BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) trains go right through the heart of Walnut Creek and Concord and from either town, you can ride directly on to Oakland and San Francisco... and I believe there may even now be a connection to San Francisco International Airport, though I'm not sure if that's a reality yet. I haven't lived in the San Francisco East Bay since I sold my house there in 2000, but I used to live in Pittsburg (to the northeast of Concord) and take BART all the way to San Francisco back and forth every day for work. It's a very pleasant commute actually by train. Walnut Creek is exceptionally nice and it's very pedestrian friendly. Concord is also ok, but not quite as "posh" as Walnut Creek. The cost of living is high anywhere in the Bay Area, though without a car and those related expenses, you should be ok. I'd recommend finding an apartment somewhere in Walnut Creek or Concord near the BART train stations. And, my personal preference for living somewhere would be Walnut Creek because it's great for a person walking around, good restaurants, shopping, and just a very nice town.

[thesurfingcactus]

Yeah, If you don't drive you will have to live near BART. If you are used to driving then our public transit is pretty good. Everyone that is not from this area will tell you how bad the public trans is once they move here. I know people who have moved here from NYC and they have never owned a car. They were forced to purchase one upon moving here. The bus system is a joke, always at least five minutes late. Early morning buses (early means 5 a.m.) can be early by 5 to 15 minutes and will leave without you if you are not as early as they. I have never taken BART, and do not plan to, but have heard good things. However, you will have to take a bus to bart and that will be a hassle. Also, it is hard to take the bus to restaurants, shopping etc. as there are not that many stops. Also, there are alot of homeless people on the buses in the area. You really should look into getting a car, even if you do not drive it that often, just for shopping, etc. you will need it.