When will SJC get direct VTA light-rail connection? (Los Angeles, San Jose: apartment, mover)

[kyle242]

Will the Mineta San Jose Airport ever get direction connection? Currently it connects via free shuttle bus, but the airport is so close, I do not see a reason why they wouldn't.

[cardinal2007]

Originally Posted by kyle242

Will the Mineta San Jose Airport ever get direction connection? Currently it connects via free shuttle bus, but the airport is so close, I do not see a reason why they wouldn't.

While I agree with you, VTA has had a people mover plan since the time they first came up with the BART extension to Santa Clara. So they will likely continue to develop that plan, I think a simple airport wye on airport Pkwy will work, but a connection to Caltrain and BART would be good.

[sonarrat]

It would probably be better to do it along Matrix Blvd. as there is more room to spare.. but the 10 bus is free, fast, connects to Caltrain and is never full due to the excellent frequency of service.. I don't really see the need.

[bobby_guz_man]

NEVER.

We are a 3rd-world backwater city. Not gonna ever happen.

[kyle242]

Originally Posted by bobby_guz_man

NEVER.

We are a 3rd-world backwater city. Not gonna ever happen.

LOL. On what did you base your opinion?

[kyle242]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

It would probably be better to do it along Matrix Blvd. as there is more room to spare.. but the 10 bus is free, fast, connects to Caltrain and is never full due to the excellent frequency of service.. I don't really see the need.

Yes, but you have to leave the island and cross to other said and wait, sometimes 10 min but if it was going directly through SJC you wouldn't have to. Also keep in mind, most of those who probably take public transit start from bus instead of light rail so its extra inconvenient transfer and waste of time. Light rail is not very extensive and compared to sprawled San Jose, it covers small portions.

I am flying out of SJC in next few weeks and will be taking cab instead of cheap public transportation. Why? 15-20min direct from my apartment, vs 1h by walk->bus->walk-LTR->shuttle. Bus added the most to travel time!

[neutrino78x]

This is an example of a situation in which elevated, modular rail would help. It would be easy to add a spur from the airport.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by bobby_guz_man

NEVER.

We are a 3rd-world backwater city. Not gonna ever happen.

Unfortunately, true. America does such a shytty job when it comes to mass transit. 1st World costs for Third World service (actually some 3rd World countries have better service) It's embarrassing.

[neutrino78x]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

Unfortunately, true. America does such a shytty job when it comes to mass transit. 1st World costs for Third World service (actually some 3rd World countries have better service) It's embarrassing.

It's not really embarrassing. Europe has better trains because cities in Europe were designed for trains (and for travel on horseback before that). Here in the USA, you can drive for five hours and be in the same state. In Europe, five hours of driving can take you to another country.

That's true of New York City too. The subway has been there since the 1800s or something. In the USA, west of the Mississippi, cities are very far apart and not designed around mass transit at all.

Having said that...a lot of people on here don't seem to be familiar with how to plan out a trip on public transit, and they seem to think because you own a car, ipso facto you must drive everywhere, and if a transit trip takes longer than a car that means you should commute in your car instead of taking transit.

It seems like there are many times where transit goes exactly where someone needs it for commuting, yet they choose to drive. Makes no sense imho.

[kyle242]

Originally Posted by neutrino78x

It's not really embarrassing. Europe has better trains because cities in Europe were designed for trains (and for travel on horseback before that). Here in the USA, you can drive for five hours and be in the same state. In Europe, five hours of driving can take you to another country.

That's true of New York City too. The subway has been there since the 1800s or something. In the USA, west of the Mississippi, cities are very far apart and not designed around mass transit at all.

Having said that...a lot of people on here don't seem to be familiar with how to plan out a trip on public transit, and they seem to think because you own a car, ipso facto you must drive everywhere, and if a transit trip takes longer than a car that means you should commute in your car instead of taking transit.

It seems like there are many times where transit goes exactly where someone needs it for commuting, yet they choose to drive. Makes no sense imho.

Even in Canada, Toronto, mass transit seems to gain up on speed. Its not maybe fair comparison to New York City, but they are just building express train from Pearson Airport to downtown. Cities such London, Hong Kong, Oslo have downtown express trains to airports.

Here is not up to par but cities east of Mississippi like Chicago, NYC have subway directly from downtown to airport (in NYC connecting via Airtrain to JFK). West of Missippi, Minneapolis, Dallas, Seattle, Portland and San Francisco have rail to downtown. Los Angeles seems to never get off the ground.