Any Advice on my first Cali trip?

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JayMadison

JayMadison

Service Attendant
Joined
Jul 29, 2014
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138
Location
Madison, WI
Hey guys I"m leaving in a couple weeks (Chicago -> CZ -> Emoryville -> CC -> San Jose -> CS -> Oxnaard -> PS -> LA -> SC -> Chicago) and i was wondering if you had any advice to make it awesome. I picked up a clipper card since i'll be in san jose a few days and might want to check out the cali trains in the bay area.

-Jay
 
Clipper doesn't really do that much for you in San Jose/Silicon Valley other than maybe a bit of convenience. You get a 25 cent one way discount on Caltrain. I think VTA will also automatically determine when you've hit the all day pass rate, but you could buy one with cash at any VTA light rail ticket machine. It is very helpful if you're late and there's someone already using the ticket machines.

The main advantages would be where there's a substantial discount (ferries) and/or a transfer discount. There's a 50 cent discount if you transfer to/from (San Francisco) MUNI via ferry.

Also, a lot of public transportation in the Bay Area is proof of payment. Caltrain, VTA light rail, and MUNI all allow passengers to board without paying or showing anything to the operator. They all have fare inspectors.

On Capitol Corridor, be sure to ask for a transfer. This will allow for a free ride on VTA - light rail or non-express bus.
 
Check out the evening rush hour(s) at San Jose Diridon: starting around 4:00 p.m., there's Caltrain limiteds and expresses leaving every ten minutes or so for SF; ACE trains at 3:35, 4:35, 5:35 and 6:38 for Stockton, a couple of Capitols for Sacramento...pretty busy, and all outdoors under the sky. With Caltrain and VTA light rail connecting now at Mountain View (and Santa Clara, via bus service to/through the airport) and the Capitols connecting with light rail at Great America and at Santa Clara (bus...airport...) and ACE making stops at Great America and Santa Clara, there are some good local loops to be had as well. Clipper keeps you from worrying about cash for buses and lines for machines, but be advised that adding value online takes a few days for the money/product to be posted to your card, and the Clipper Add Value machines don't accept cash -- pro tip: VTA light rail machines *do* take cash and work better and faster than the Clipper machines. Happy travels!
 
surfgeek said:
Check out the evening rush hour(s) at San Jose Diridon: starting around 4:00 p.m., there's Caltrain limiteds and expresses leaving every ten minutes or so for SF; ACE trains at 3:35, 4:35, 5:35 and 6:38 for Stockton, a couple of Capitols for Sacramento...pretty busy, and all outdoors under the sky. With Caltrain and VTA light rail connecting now at Mountain View (and Santa Clara, via bus service to/through the airport) and the Capitols connecting with light rail at Great America and at Santa Clara (bus...airport...) and ACE making stops at Great America and Santa Clara, there are some good local loops to be had as well. Clipper keeps you from worrying about cash for buses and lines for machines, but be advised that adding value online takes a few days for the money/product to be posted to your card, and the Clipper Add Value machines don't accept cash -- pro tip: VTA light rail machines *do* take cash and work better and faster than the Clipper machines. Happy travels!
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However, VTA light rail machines can only add in $5 increments. I think the same goes for the Caltrain Clipper machines at major stations. I personally don't like the Caltrain (or Golden Gate Ferry) machines since the card has to slide into a slot. I keep my card on a badge holder with my employee badge on the other side. The VTA machines will work by just placing them against the sensor.

BART ticket vendor machines can add any reasonable value to a Clipper card - even 5 cents. I haven't tried on MUNI.

I think once you have a Clipper card, any Walgreens store in the Bay Area can add a random value to a card. That's where I got my Clipper card. Back then there was no $3 charge for the card, although it was a $5 minimum initial cash value. I had to wait for the manager, who was the only one working who was authorized to use the equipment. Apparently also Whole Foods. Several transit agencies have customer service centers. I saw someone adding value to a Clipper card at the booth where they also sell cable car tickets. Also various check cashing places and independent grocery stores can add value.

Here's the list of all the places you can add value to a card:

https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/goSearch.do;jsessionid=MqtDathIpxwF11U81uWRtw__
 
The Clipper Add Value machines at Diridon do not accept cash. The cash-insertion slots have been welded over, which makes the VTA machines pretty useful, if you're in the south bay and riding, you know, VTA light rail or something. Beats hunting down a drug store, anyway, or riding up to Fremont to use a BART machine -- if you're in the south bay, I mean. Click the Clipper link above, enter a San Jose zip code and you'll see a list of lots of VTA machines, a few Walgreens, and a very few grocery/non-chain drug stores.

I've been told the contractor who supplied the Clipper Value Add machines went out of business just after delivering the machines; they also seem to run Windows 3.0 on a land-line modem and are as big as a $2500/monthly studio apartment in SF.
 
surfgeek said:
The Clipper Add Value machines at Diridon do not accept cash. The cash-insertion slots have been welded over, which makes the VTA machines pretty useful, if you're in the south bay and riding, you know, VTA light rail or something. Beats hunting down a drug store, anyway, or riding up to Fremont to use a BART machine -- if you're in the south bay, I mean. Click the Clipper link above, enter a San Jose zip code and you'll see a list of lots of VTA machines, a few Walgreens, and a very few grocery/non-chain drug stores.

I've been told the contractor who supplied the Clipper Value Add machines went out of business just after delivering the machines; they also seem to run Windows 3.0 on a land-line modem and are as big as a $2500/monthly studio apartment in SF.
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I think the Caltrain Clipper machines require at least $20. They look like this (this machine was from the time the system was still "TransLink").

220px-Translink_VAM.jpg


There's also photos of these machines after they've rebooted.

348s.jpg


BART machines are the most flexible in terms of adding a cash value to a Clipper card. Cash, credit, coins all work and any value from a nickel to the max value on a card can be added. However, they're not programmed for any other type of Clipper transaction. The VTA light rail machines are programmed to add a bunch of different agency passes, including MUNI, AC Transit, and Caltrain, in addition to VTA monthly passes.
 
"BART machines are the most flexible in terms of adding a cash value to a Clipper card." Which (as I've said...twice now) is great if you're near a BART station. But BART doesn't come down our way just yet, and so until it does (as I've said...) those VTA machines are pretty handy. If you're in the south bay. Where there are no BART machines which are apparently the bee's knees of transit-fare adding. Except "...they're not programmed for any other type of Clipper transaction." And only exist north of Millbrae/Fremont, at BART stations. Which we don't have in San Jose/the south bay.

So now getting back to "checking out the Cali trains" before we got into a side discussion: come on down and loop around on CalTrain, ACE, Capitol Corridor, Coast Starlight(s), and VTA light rail -- heck, Diridon even sees UP freights.

We also have both Clipper Value Add machines and the VTA kind. ;-) (But -- say it with me -- no BART machines.)
 
surfgeek said:
"BART machines are the most flexible in terms of adding a cash value to a Clipper card." Which (as I've said...twice now) is great if you're near a BART station. But BART doesn't come down our way just yet, and so until it does (as I've said...) those VTA machines are pretty handy. If you're in the south bay. Where there are no BART machines which are apparently the bee's knees of transit-fare adding. Except "...they're not programmed for any other type of Clipper transaction." And only exist north of Millbrae/Fremont, at BART stations. Which we don't have in San Jose/the south bay.

So now getting back to "checking out the Cali trains" before we got into a side discussion: come on down and loop around on CalTrain, ACE, Capitol Corridor, Coast Starlight(s), and VTA light rail -- heck, Diridon even sees UP freights.

We also have both Clipper Value Add machines and the VTA kind. ;-) (But -- say it with me -- no BART machines.)
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However, if one can manage to find one, it's possible to put exactly the value one wants. If you plan it out properly (noting the exact fare for each transaction), you can leave the Bay Area with a Clipper balance of zero. The OP also mentioned checking out trains around the Bay Area for a few days, and that sounds as if San Francisco is a possibility, where there's BART and MUNI. I mentioned the cable car ticket booth in San Francisco. As it stands, I'd recommend just finding a Walgreens and adding the exact value needed.
 
If you are a hockey fan --and why wouldn't you be, living in Wisconsin -- check out the SanJose Sharks schedule during your visit. The SAP center (aka the Shark Tank) is right across the parking lot from the train station.
 
Not trains but a bus will take you from San Jose to Santa Cruz and Monterey. Really beautiful over here!
 
When you are speaking of The City by the Bay, just don't call it "Frisco".
 
The Zephyr is a stunner; you'll be glued to the windows from Denver 'til EMY. Hopefully there'll be snow in the Rockies and Sierra...and don't begrudge us if it rains, we need every drop. I hope there's time for a Muni field trip in SF; the F line streetcars are beautifully restored, and the line takes you through some of the most interesting parts of the city (which, despite what people from far away will tell you, really is known as The City when you're in the Bay Area; no one will think you mean anything but San Francisco.) Say hi to the Station Hosts at EMY or SJC if they're there; volunteers help passengers navigate the intersecting transit systems and Amtrak experience at Amtrak stations throughout Northern California.

And I'll second the suggestions above: Sharks game (literally across the parking lot from San Jose Diridon station), Santa Cruz (made very easy by direct bus service), and not calling it Cali. :) Enjoy the trip!
 
I agree with some of the others --- please don't call the state 'cali'. Some of us don't really appreciate it. If you are in San Francisco and someone says 'the city', you can be very sure it isn't that rude place on the right coast they are referring to.

;-)
 
Hey Jay -- (you are the same who took first Amtrak LD trip on the Card earlier this year? yes?)

I've also been hoping to ride the CZ to San Francisco (not Frisco or "fresco" or even "San Narciso" like Tom Pynchon spelled it)

Everbody here always say the CZ is the mostest, no reason to doubt that.

All those early responses about the Clipper ard - where and how -- really valuable to me - and you too I hope.

Hoping there will be more advice about the CZ ride -- altho that's been reported and advised on on so many old discussions -- they all seem to say -- great scenery -- and then -- "connect here (or there -- or )

Bon voyage and hoping you post a trip report after :)
 
And while we are at it.... The name of your destination is California, not Cali or any other abbreviation...
 
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