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Transportation

SamTrans (San Mateo County Transit District)

EPX SamTrans bus stopping at Redwood City Stanford

SamTrans connects the Palo Alto train station (and the free Marguerite shuttle service) and Stanford Redwood City to San Mateo County, including the San Francisco International Airport service. Find SamTrans route information below for the Stanford and Stanford Redwood City lines. For SamTrans information, visit http://www.samtrans.com. 

Eligible employees at Stanford Redwood City (SRWC) can request a free SamTrans pass to receive unlimited travel in San Mateo County, including Stanford Redwood City station, and is valid for the entire calendar year, seven days a week. Stanford purchases these passes primarily for your commute to Stanford; however, their use is not restricted.

Request a SamTrans Pass

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SamTrans Route Information

Stanford campus

Five SamTrans bus routes serve Stanford at the Palo Alto Transit Center:

  • Route 280 provides service between the Stanford Shopping Center and East Palo Alto. Route 281 provides service between Onetta Harris Center in East Palo Alto and the Stanford University campus, serving the Stanford Medical Center and Stanford Oval.
  • Route ECR operates along El Camino between Palo Alto and Daly City, serving the San Bruno, Colma, and Daly City BART stations.
  • Route 397 provides local overnight service to Redwood City and San Francisco.

Stanford Redwood City campus

Eligible employees at Stanford Redwood City (SRWC) can request a free SamTrans pass to receive unlimited travel in San Mateo County, including Stanford Redwood City station. If you would like to request your SamTrans pass, please follow the steps at Request a SamTrans Pass. Only request the pass two weeks before you are expected to move. We will provide the SamTrans pass shortly before you move to SRWC. Visit our Transit Service to Stanford Redwood City map to learn about all the bus stop locations for SamTrans and Commute.org.

Two SamTrans bus routes stop near Stanford Redwood City:  

  • Route 276 stops at Bay Road and Warrington Avenue, Bay Road and 2nd Avenue, and Broadway and Douglas Avenue. It provides weekday service between Redwood City Transit Center and Florence and 17th Avenue in Atherton.
  • Route 270 stops at Bay Road and Second Avenue. It provides local service between Redwood City and Atherton, and also serves the Redwood City Transit Center.

On weekdays, several SamTrans bus routes stop at the Redwood City Transit Center:

  • Route ECR operates along El Camino between Palo Alto and Daly City, serving the San Bruno, Colma, and Daly City BART stations.
  • Route 270 provides local service between Redwood City and Atherton, and also serves the Redwood City Transit Center.
  • Route 276 provides weekday service between Redwood City Transit Center and Florence/17th in Atherton.
  • Route 278 provide local weekday service between Cañada College and Redwood City Transit Center.
  • Route 295 operates on Alameda and provides weekday service between Redwood City Transit Center and the San Mateo Caltrain Station.  
  • Route 296 provides weekday service from Redwood City Transit Center, Menlo Park Caltrain station, and Palo Alto Transit Center.
  • Route 397 provides local service between the Palo Alto Transit Center, Redwood City Transit Center, and San Francisco’s Salesforce Tower Transit Center.

Request a SamTrans Pass

Stanford is offering free monthly SamTrans passes to SRWC employees. To be eligible for the SamTrans pass, you must be a benefits-eligible university employee working at Stanford Redwood City (SRWC).

Confirm or update your worksite

Only commuters with SRWC worksite addresses are eligible for the SamTrans pass. Before requesting the SamTrans, please confirm and, if necessary, update your worksite address to your SRWC address in StanfordYou. Once on StanfordYou, you can select "Maintain your directory and AlertSU emergency contact information" and update “Work address” under “Stanford affiliation.”

Access the portal

Once you have an SRWC work address in StanfordYou, you can access the SRWC Edrenred portal, where you can request the SamTrans pass.

For step-by-step instructions on ordering your pass, please refer to our How to Order the SamTrans Pass for SRWC Commuters via the Edenred web page.

Please note: Passes are processed monthly. The deadline to order the SamTrans pass for each month is the 9th of the previous month. For example, if you want the pass by October, please order it by Sept. 9. 

About the SamTrans Pass

The SamTrans pass is non-transferable. Please request the pass only if and when you intend to use it. The university pays in full for each monthly pass requested. Passes are designed for trips to and from SRWC. While the passes can be used anytime, without restriction, the SamTrans pass is intended to facilitate trips you take to or from SRWC. Due to tax policy implications for the university, the pass should only be requested if you plan to use it for commuting.

While SamTrans is a new transit pass available only to SRWC commuters, eligible SRWC commuters can also request a free Caltrain Go Pass, free VTA SmartPass, and pre-tax payroll deduction to purchase other transit passes and transit parking.

If you have questions regarding SamTrans passes, please contact us at commuteclub@stanford.edu.

For more information about transit to San Francisco International Airport, please call the Bay Area Transit Information Hotline by dialing 511 from within the San Francisco Bay Area or (510) 817-1717 from outside the San Francisco Bay Area. Visit the 511.org website for information about San Jose or Oakland airports.