Palo Alto Tourism Guide | 

Guide to Bay Area Airports

Welcome! This is an unofficial guide by Ardan Michael Blum, a Palo Alto resident since 2015. 

Note: This guide is a planning framework, not a live schedule. Before booking and again before traveling, check the current details with your airline, the airport, Caltrain, BART, VTA, Dumbarton Express, TSA, and live traffic or map services. A route that works on paper may be inconvenient, unavailable, or delayed on the day you travel.

Revised August 13, 2026

Palo Alto has no commercial passenger airport. Most visitors choose among San Francisco International Airport (SFO), San José Mineta International Airport (SJC), and Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK). The practical choice depends on the flight, the final address, the arrival time, and whether the ground journey will be made by transit or car.

SJC is generally the closest and simplest for a car trip. SFO has the broadest selection of flights, especially international service, and a useful rail connection. OAK can make sense when its fare or schedule is substantially better, but reaching the Peninsula usually takes more planning.

The flight still matters more than the last few miles. A nonstop arrival at SFO may be easier than adding a connection merely to land at SJC, and a low OAK fare can lose its value after a long rideshare or rental-car trip. Compare the full journey rather than the airport distance alone.

Schedules, fares, construction notices, and pickup locations change. Use the official trip planners linked below for the date and time of travel.

The transit times in this guide begin after a traveler reaches the relevant station or bus stop. They do not include deplaning, baggage claim, immigration, waiting for a vehicle, or the final trip from Palo Alto station to a hotel or campus building.

Quick Comparison

San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

SFO is often the strongest choice when international service or flight selection matters most. The usual public-transit route is BART to Millbrae followed by Caltrain to Palo Alto. The transfer and current construction can add delay.

San José Mineta International Airport (SJC)

SJC is often the simplest choice for driving, pickup, rental cars, or a relatively easy transit trip. Take VTA Route 60 toward Winchester to Santa Clara Transit Center, then Caltrain. Its principal drawback is a smaller selection of flights than SFO.

Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)

OAK is worth considering when its fare or flight time is substantially better. Weekday transit can use BART to Union City followed by the Dumbarton Express, but the route has several transfers and limited evening, weekend, and holiday service.

Palo Alto Airport (PAO)

PAO serves private and general aviation. It has no scheduled passenger airline service.

Best Airport by Destination

San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

SFO offers the widest range of flights. In fiscal year 2025, the airport reported nonstop service to 144 destinations: 86 domestic and 58 international.

Public Transit

Take BART from SFO to Millbrae, then transfer to southbound Caltrain for Palo Alto. BART and Caltrain coordinate many connections at Millbrae, but the transfer is not guaranteed. Check the combined BART–Caltrain transfer timetable for the travel date.

From Millbrae, the scheduled Caltrain trip to Palo Alto is roughly 21–32 minutes, depending on the train and day. Weekday rush-period service is commonly 15–20 minutes apart, with 30-minute service at many other times. Current and temporary schedules are posted on the Caltrain schedules page.

By Car

SFO is roughly 20 driving miles from downtown Palo Alto, depending on the route and exact address. US-101 is the usual connection. Traffic can make SFO slower than SJC even when the mileage is similar.

International Arrivals

Most passengers arriving from abroad must complete U.S. Customs and Border Protection procedures and collect checked baggage before leaving the federal inspection area. Flights precleared before departure are the main exception. Leave time for immigration, baggage, customs, and the trip across the airport before planning a rail connection or appointment.

San José Mineta International Airport (SJC)

SJC is generally the closest commercial airport to Palo Alto and Stanford. Stanford places it at about 20 miles from campus; the road distance to downtown Palo Alto varies by route. SJC currently lists nine airline brands and more than 40 nonstop destinations.

Public Transit

VTA Route 60 serves both SJC terminals. For Palo Alto, board the bus toward Winchester Station and leave at Santa Clara Transit Center. From there, take northbound Caltrain to Palo Alto; the train portion is usually about 19–22 minutes.

Route 60 is free when boarding at SJC. Do not assume that the return trip to the airport is also free; travelers boarding at another stop should expect the normal VTA fare unless current VTA information says otherwise. Official pages do not guarantee luggage racks on every Route 60 bus.

Route 60 also runs in the other direction to Milpitas BART. That is useful for San Francisco and the East Bay, but it is not the direction for the Santa Clara Caltrain connection.

By Car

The usual drive begins on Highway 87 and joins US-101 north. SJC often has the simplest car journey to Palo Alto, Stanford Research Park, and Page Mill Road, although live traffic and the exact destination can remove its advantage over SFO.

The Rental Car Center is opposite Terminal B. Travelers arriving late should confirm the rental company’s counter hours; access to the facility does not mean every counter remains staffed overnight.

Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)

OAK is across the bay from Palo Alto. It can be a sensible choice when the flight is much cheaper or better timed, but its public-transit trip to the Peninsula is the most complicated of the three.

The name has changed twice in recent years. The airport adopted “San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport” in 2024 and its current name in July 2025. An April 2026 settlement ended the naming lawsuit and allows the current name subject to limits on its presentation and marketing. The airport code remains OAK.

Weekday Public Transit

The OAK airport connector reaches Coliseum BART in about 8–9 minutes. It is part of the paid BART trip, not a free airport shuttle. At Coliseum, transfer to a southbound Orange Line train toward Berryessa/North San José and leave at Union City.

From Union City BART, Dumbarton Express Line DB crosses the bay to Palo Alto Transit Center and Stanford Oval. Line DB1 serves Stanford Research Park instead. Both operate Monday through Friday except holidays and have long gaps between some trips.

The final Stanford-bound DB leaves Union City at 6:40 p.m. The final Research Park-bound DB1 leaves earlier, at 6:13 p.m. These are commuter services, not all-day airport connections. Allow a margin at Union City because BART and the buses do not form a protected connection.

Outside Dumbarton Express Hours

A seven-day fallback is the airport connector to Coliseum, BART to Millbrae, and Caltrain south to Palo Alto. Expect at least one additional BART transfer and a total trip of two hours or more. Check the BART Trip Planner and the final Caltrain departure as one complete itinerary. The fact that both systems operate late does not guarantee a usable connection at Millbrae.

By Car and Bridge Tolls

Drivers can use the Dumbarton Bridge (State Route 84), the San Mateo–Hayward Bridge (State Route 92), or avoid the bridge toll by staying in the general-purpose lanes on Interstate 880 and State Route 237 around the southern bay. Express lanes on I-880 and SR-237 may charge a separate toll. The two bridges collect tolls only westbound toward the Peninsula. In 2026, the regular two-axle toll is $8.50, and no cash is collected. Beginning in 2027, rates differ by payment method; FasTrak publishes the current and scheduled charges.

Palo Alto Airport (PAO)

Palo Alto Airport is a City-operated general aviation field used by private aircraft and flight training. It has no scheduled airline service and does not sell ordinary passenger tickets.

The 102-acre airport has occupied its Baylands location since the 1930s. Its single paved runway is 2,443 feet long, and the FAA operates the control tower. Airport businesses provide fuel, flight lessons, aircraft rentals, maintenance, and other services for pilots. A visitor arriving aboard a private aircraft may use PAO, but a traveler searching an airline booking site should choose SFO, SJC, or OAK.

From Caltrain to Stanford

Stanford’s Marguerite shuttle is free and open to the public. The main routes connect Palo Alto Transit Center with the campus, medical center, and Stanford Research Park. All Marguerite buses are wheelchair accessible and equipped with bicycle racks, although rack space is not guaranteed.

For the main campus, check the X and Y routes. From Caltrain, use the Medical Center line for Hoover Pavilion and the medical center during weekday commute periods. The Hospital Direct line circulates only within the medical area; it does not begin at Palo Alto Transit Center. The Research Park line serves Page Mill Road and nearby employment areas on weekdays.

Service varies by line. Most campus routes run Monday through Friday and pause on university holidays, while a few have different holiday or weekend schedules. Check the route list and live Marguerite map before leaving the station.

Travel Alerts for 2026

Before You Travel

Late Arrivals and Early Departures

The useful cutoff is the last complete connection, not the closing time of each system. From SFO, the last southbound Caltrain currently leaves Millbrae shortly after 12:25 a.m. and reaches Palo Alto shortly before 1 a.m., but a traveler must first reach Millbrae on BART. Check the full route for the specific night.

After the useful rail connections have ended, SamTrans Route 397 OWL provides several overnight trips between SFO and Palo Alto. It serves the airport terminals, and the scheduled southbound journey from SFO to Palo Alto is about two hours. The timetable is sparse.

At SJC, a late trip depends on both Route 60 and Caltrain, not the bus alone. At OAK, the Dumbarton Express ends in the early evening and does not operate on weekends or holidays. Early Sunday departures also require care because BART starts later than it does on weekdays. Check the first complete itinerary before booking an early flight.

The most convenient airport for arrival may not be the best one for departure. This matters especially for an early Sunday flight or a return trip outside weekday shuttle hours.

Paying for Transit

Adult riders can use either Clipper or a contactless bank card or mobile wallet on every paid transit service named in this guide. Each passenger needs a separate card or device. Use the same payment method throughout the trip so that transfers and fares are calculated correctly.

Riders paying with Clipper stored value or a contactless bank card must tap at the beginning and end of BART and Caltrain trips. A pay-as-you-go Caltrain rider who fails to tap off within four hours is charged the maximum one-way fare. Paper tickets and some pass products follow different rules. Youth, senior, Clipper Access, and Clipper START discounts require the appropriate Clipper card. See Clipper’s contactless-payment guidance.

For current prices, use the BART fare calculator and Caltrain fare information. Airport transit costs are easier to compare accurately this way than through figures that may be outdated when the trip takes place.

Rental Cars, Tolls, and Parking

Ask the rental company exactly how its toll program works before driving. Rental-company programs often add service fees, and a plan that covers bridge tolls may not cover Bay Area express lanes. A short-term FasTrak license-plate account can pay bridge tolls but cannot be used in express lanes. See the FasTrak rental-vehicle guide.

A rental car also creates a parking problem at the destination. Stanford visitors generally need paid visitor parking or an appropriate permit during enforcement hours. Downtown Palo Alto uses time limits, color zones, and residential permit areas; moving the car within the same color zone may not restart the time limit. Check Stanford visitor parking and Palo Alto visitor parking before arrival.

Rideshare pickup zones can move during construction and are not always at the terminal curb. Check the current pickup instructions for SFO, SJC, or OAK before requesting a car.

Families, Luggage, and Accessibility

Families traveling with a child who needs a car seat should arrange one before requesting a ride. California child-restraint rules apply, and an ordinary rideshare vehicle should not be expected to provide a seat. Bring an appropriate restraint, confirm one with the rental company, or reserve transportation that explicitly supplies one.

Transfers at Millbrae, Coliseum, Union City, and Santa Clara add walking and luggage handling. Travelers who depend on elevators should check BART’s live elevator status, especially at Millbrae and Coliseum. An outage can make a planned accessible route unusable rather than merely slower. A standard rideshare vehicle may not accommodate somebody who must remain in a wheelchair, so confirm the vehicle type before booking.

Passengers with disabilities can request wheelchair or guided assistance from their airline. Federal rules generally do not require advance notice for ordinary wheelchair assistance, although an early request and identification to airline staff can make the handoff smoother. TSA Cares is separate: it provides information and support during security screening and is not a curb-to-gate wheelchair service. TSA recommends contacting the program at least 72 hours before departure. The Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights explains the airline’s obligations.

Travelers carrying medication, powered mobility equipment, oxygen equipment, or other medical devices should check both TSA and airline rules before departure. Keep essential medication and assistive devices in carry-on baggage whenever permitted.

Sources

Airports

Transit and Roads

Accessibility

Again: Always confirm current airline, airport, transit, and road information before traveling.