Moving from ny to cal job in SF near Montgomery st Bart (San Francisco: apartment)

[Nyguy37]

Hi all

We are moving to California by end of Jan. Very excited !!

I'm planning to live in Sunnyvale and take caltrain to commute. Anyone here doing a similar commute? The office from what I understand is 20m walk from caltrain stop. Some people say I can take the muni ?

Any ideas ?

[rkwalton]

Originally Posted by Nyguy37

Hi all

We are moving to California by end of Jan. Very excited !!

I'm planning to live in Sunnyvale and take caltrain to commute. Anyone here doing a similar commute? The office from what I understand is 20m walk from caltrain stop. Some people say I can take the muni ?

Any ideas ?

Well welcome! I just moved back from NYC in Sept. after living there for two years.

From CalTrain you can walk it, bring a bike and ride, or just hop on a MUNI bus. I was just there a week or so ago. I know the 10, 30 and 45 all go past CalTrain and all of those head up to Market near Montgomery Station. You can also take the N or the T streetcars that will loop around China Basin and drop you off in Montgomery Station. From there, hoping on a bus is probably easier because the streetcar stations are at the same intersection but different corners. The buses, however, are pretty close together. The 30 and 45 buses run a lot, so they're just quicker.

Here is a link to the MUNI maps page, just so you can look up other lines on your own.

[mayorhaggar]

If you work near Market Street, BART is waaaay more convenient than Caltrain. Look into living in the East Bay and riding BART.

[Nyguy37]

Originally Posted by mayorhaggar

If you work near Market Street, BART is waaaay more convenient than Caltrain. Look into living in the East Bay and riding BART.

Because of a private school that I'm looking at those are the 2 options

[rkwalton]

Originally Posted by Nyguy37

Because of a private school that I'm looking at those are the 2 options

I figured there was a reason you had to be in or near Sunnyvale. However, maybe try living as far up the CalTrain line as possible. Think of CalTrain as having schedules similar to the MTA rail system in the NY area.

Good luck!

[Nyguy37]

Originally Posted by rkwalton

I figured there was a reason you had to be in or near Sunnyvale. However, maybe try living as far up the CalTrain line as possible. Think of CalTrain as having schedules similar to the MTA rail system in the NY area.

Good luck!

Thanks. The plan is to take an apartment 1mile from caltrain Sunnyvale station

But the main concern I've is the commute itself. Looking at the schedule it say 50m. Is it really 50m or it gets delayed on a regular basis ?

[mayorhaggar]

There are private schools in the East Bay, not to mention all over the Bay Area, and not just in Sunnyvale, y'know...seems silly to limit yourself to one inconvenient town, but it's up to you.

Caltrain generally does a really, really good job of being on time, which is very unusual for public transit around here. But the trains often hit and kill people (often suicides) which causes massive delays.

[rkwalton]

Originally Posted by Nyguy37

Thanks. The plan is to take an apartment 1mile from caltrain Sunnyvale station

But the main concern I've is the commute itself. Looking at the schedule it say 50m. Is it really 50m or it gets delayed on a regular basis ?

He's right about CalTrain. I've heard that folks have now gotten in the habit of flinging themselves onto the tracks. Life is hard. They want out, and they also don't care if you're late for work as a result.

If there are options for similar schools in the East Bay, I do think considering them would be a good idea. I'm not sure if you're coming from NYC or from somewhere else in NY state. I'd think if you're coming from NYC or its environs that you also might simply be bored in Sunnyvale.

I sometimes have those moments readjusting to how much slower it is in Berkeley and San Francisco. I've only been back for a few weeks though, and I fly back every few weeks.

[Chrysopylae]

Your plan is good. As others have pointed out, occasional violations of the Caltrain right-of-way will cause delays. The agency is working on it but it is virtually impossible to anticipate and deter these acts.

You are more likely to encounter delays on Muni in San Francisco, at least initially. In late January MUNI will re-route the southbound 30 and 45 lines towards the CalTrain station. These lines run down Stockton and cross Market to Fourth Street, on to the station at Fourth and King. To accommodate construction for the Central Subway, these lines will be routed to go west on Sutter, then down Mason to Fifth Street. This will wreak havoc with riders because of the break in the familiar routine and because the potential boarding areas for these heavily used lines are not nearly as large as the current locations.

There is also major construction underway as the new Transbay Terminal is being constructed two blocks to the east. Later in the year new construction will also take place on several blocks of Fifth and Mission. You'll feel the effects of this work for a long time, but it will all be in the name of better transit in the City.