Bayshore Caltrain station/Visitacion Valley -dangerous to commute? (San Jose, San Mateo: transfer to, safest neighborhood)

[celle507]

I live in Santa Cruz now and am thinking about taking a job in Visitacion Valley. Based on these forums, it seems like this area is not the safest neighborhood to be in. If I take the job, I will prob move to San Jose or Palo Alto (my husband works in SC) and commute via Caltrain.

I am just wondering what people's opinions are about the Bayshore Caltrain station. It seems to be in a pretty isolated area and I'm not sure how many people actually use it to commute. Would it be safe to use it or would I be better off going to the 22nd street station and taking the MUNI (at least with the MUNI stop, I don't have to cross Bayshore Blvd to the other side).

Any opinions? I really want to take the job but my impression of the area (through internet searches, etc.) is that it is not particularly safe. I would feel better driving there but driving isn't really an option d/t the traffic and gas prices. Am I being overly cautious about this area?

Thanks for any advice

[sonarrat]

You could take Caltrain to either Hillsdale or San Mateo and transfer to the 292 bus, that goes to SF via Bayshore/Potrero. It's a longish bus ride, but you can take a Baby Bullet train which offsets it somewhat. Caltrain to the Bayshore station is a very long ride and it's a sparsely used station, which is never a good thing.

[rah]

It's true that Visitacion Valley isn't the safest neighborhood, but most of the trouble is closer to the sunnydale housing projects in the southwest part of the neighborhood. Bayshore station shouldn't be too bad. To be honest, I'd expect just as much of a chance of trouble going to 22nd and then taking the bus back. But that's not to say that you are going to be messed with, because you probably won't. Getting off at 22nd makes your trip longer than it needs to be. Just get off at Bayshore I say.

[gizmo980]

It's not that isolated - right off Bayshore Ave, which is a pretty busy road. I used to work nearby on Leland Ave, and walked around by myself every day... never felt unsafe or threatened, and I'm a young-ish woman. Like rah said, the bad part of Vis Valley is the projects, which you'll be nowhere near.