VTA Bus Schedule: Routes, Times & Stops
Looking for the VTA bus schedule in San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Campbell, Morgan Hill, or Gilroy?
This practical guide explains VTA local, frequent, Rapid, and Express routes, including departure times, major transit centers, ticket prices, service frequency, real-time arrivals, airport connections, route maps, and accessibility.
How to Find Your VTA Bus Schedule
VTA operates multiple bus routes throughout Santa Clara County. There is no single departure timetable for all buses. First choose the route number, direction, date, and boarding stop. Then use VTA’s official trip planner or schedule page for the specific departure.
Information checked: October 9, 2026. Frequency figures below are from VTA’s published April 27, 2026 frequency chart; confirm later timetable revisions and live alerts before travel.
Major VTA Bus Routes, Destinations & Stops
VTA divides its service into Rapid, Frequent, Local, Express, and Shuttle categories. The routes below are useful starting points for common travel around Silicon Valley. Each official route link opens the timetable and map controlled by VTA.
Palo Alto Transit Center – Eastridge
Major El Camino Real and Santa Clara corridor connecting Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, downtown San Jose, and Eastridge.
Best for: El Camino corridor, Caltrain connections, and cross-county trips.
Route 22 TimesDe Anza College – Alum Rock
Frequent bus route using the Stevens Creek and San Carlos corridor, with important destinations around Cupertino and central San Jose.
Best for: De Anza College, Stevens Creek Boulevard, and downtown connections.
Route 23 ScheduleDe Anza College – Alum Rock via Valley Medical
Serves the Story–Willow corridor and Valley Medical Center area. Some operating segments have different service frequency.
Best for: Valley Medical Center and east-west connections.
Route 25 ScheduleWest Valley College – Eastridge
Travels through Campbell, Curtner, and Tully corridor destinations. Check the exact terminal because some service patterns may cover different portions.
Best for: West Valley College, Curtner Station, and Eastridge.
Route 26 TimesOld Ironsides Station – West Valley College
Links northern Santa Clara with West Valley College through the Bowers/Saratoga corridor.
Best for: Old Ironsides and West Valley College connections.
Route 57 TimetableMilpitas BART – Winchester via SJC Airport
Connects Winchester Station, Santa Clara Transit Center, San José Mineta International Airport, Metro Station, and Milpitas BART.
Best for: Airport terminals A/B, BART, Caltrain, and light rail transfers.
Route 60 Airport BusMcKee Corridor Branches
Route 64A serves Ohlone-Chynoweth Station and McKee/White. Route 64B links Almaden/Camden with McKee/White. These are distinct branches.
Important: Check A versus B before boarding.
Find 64A / 64BNorth Milpitas – Santa Teresa Station
Frequent north-south service via important Milpitas and San Jose corridors, including access to the Santa Teresa area.
Best for: North-south local connections.
Route 66 ScheduleSan Jose Diridon – Gilroy Transit Center
Connects San Jose with South County destinations, including Morgan Hill and Gilroy, using the Monterey corridor.
Best for: San Jose to Morgan Hill/Gilroy local bus trips.
Route 68 TimesMilpitas BART – Capitol Station
Frequent service via Jackson with connections at Berryessa BART and Eastridge Transit Center. Some trips start or finish partway along the route.
Best for: Berryessa BART, Eastridge, and Capitol Station.
Route 70 ScheduleSan Jose Diridon – Berryessa BART
Rapid connection between Diridon rail services and Berryessa/North San Jose BART, with fewer stops than many local corridors.
Best for: BART/Caltrain transfers in San Jose.
Rapid 500 TimesPalo Alto – Eastridge Rapid
Limited-stop Rapid service along the El Camino and Alum Rock corridor. It complements local Route 22 but does not serve every Route 22 stop.
Best for: Longer corridor trips with fewer stops.
Rapid 522 ScheduleSan Jose State – Lockheed Martin
Rapid service via De Anza and Stevens Creek/San Carlos, with important connections in central and western Silicon Valley.
Best for: Longer Stevens Creek corridor journeys.
Rapid 523 TimesGilroy Transit Center – San Jose Diridon
Rapid South County connection, with scheduled weekday northbound and southbound trips. It should not be assumed to operate on weekends.
Best for: Faster scheduled Gilroy–San Jose connections.
Rapid 568 TimesNeighborhood & Community Service
Additional local routes serve Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Campbell, Evergreen, Milpitas, and South County communities.
Examples: Routes 20, 21, 27, 40, 47, 53, 55, 56, 59, 84, and 85.
All VTA RoutesRoute 22 vs Rapid 522: Which One Should You Take?
Route 22 and Rapid 522 share important parts of the El Camino/Alum Rock corridor, but they do not have identical stopping patterns. The correct choice depends on whether your exact boarding and exit stops are served.
For a closer breakdown of the Palo Alto–Eastridge corridor, major timepoints, direction-specific stops, and local bus departures, see our Route 22 bus timetable and stop-by-stop guide.
Official Route 22 Official Rapid 522VTA Bus Times: How Often Do Buses Run?
VTA publishes a frequency chart summarizing how many minutes usually separate services at different times of day. The following figures come from VTA’s April 27, 2026 frequency chart and describe typical scheduled daytime service, not a live departure board.
| Route | Weekday Daytime | Saturday Daytime | Sunday/Holiday Daytime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid 500 | Every 10 min | Every 20 min | Every 20 min |
| Rapid 522 | Every 15 min | Every 15 min | Every 15 min |
| Rapid 523 | Every 20 min | Every 20 min | Every 20 min |
| Rapid 568 | Every 30 min | Not listed | Not listed |
| 22 | Every 15 min | Every 15 min | Every 15 min |
| 23 | Every 15 min | Every 15 min | Every 15 min |
| 26 | Every 15 min | Every 20 min | Every 20 min |
| 60 | Every 15 min | Every 20 min | Every 20 min |
| 68 | Every 15 min | Every 20 min | Every 20 min |
| 70 | Every 15 min | Every 20 min | Every 20 min |
Important: Frequency varies at night and on route segments with different operating patterns. The listed figures should not be read as an exact departure every 15 or 20 minutes from your particular stop.
Visual Comparison: Weekday Daytime Frequency
The shorter the scheduled interval, the more often buses generally run. This visual uses minutes between trips, not a service quality rating.
How to Read Actual VTA Departure Times
VTA’s route pages publish major timepoints rather than listing every intermediate bus stop in one table. The following examples illustrate complete trips visible in the published schedules; they are not live predictions, universal first buses, or guarantees for a future travel date.
| Route & Scheduled Example | Departure | Intermediate Stop | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 – Palo Alto to Eastridge | Palo Alto TC, 4:34 AM | Santa Clara TC, 5:15 AM | Eastridge TC, 5:51 AM |
| 60 – Winchester to Milpitas | Winchester Station, 6:20 AM | SJC Terminal A, 6:54 AM; Terminal B, 6:56 AM | Milpitas BART, 7:18 AM |
| 70 – Capitol to Milpitas | Capitol Station, 5:46 AM | Berryessa BART, 6:30 AM | Milpitas BART, 6:48 AM |
First and Last Bus Times
There is no single first or last VTA bus. Each route operates on its own service span, which can change by direction and service day. Some routes operate late into the night; others operate only on weekdays or have shorter service periods.
VTA Rapid vs Local vs Express Buses
Rapid 568 has a different weekday-oriented schedule from Rapid 500 or 522. If you are traveling to Gilroy on a Saturday or Sunday, compare available regular Route 68 service rather than assuming a Rapid 568 departure will appear.
VTA Bus Fare, Day Pass & Monthly Pass Prices
VTA fare prices depend on rider category and whether the trip uses standard or Express bus service. These are the amounts listed on the official VTA fares page when checked on October 9, 2026.
Day pass: $7.50
Monthly pass: $90
Day pass: $3.75
Monthly pass: $35
Day pass: $3
Monthly pass: $30
Day pass: $15
Monthly pass: $180
How Do You Pay Your VTA Bus Fare?
Important Fare Exceptions
- Children younger than five ride free under VTA’s published fare policy.
- Adult Express trips require the Express fare. A local-to-Express transfer can involve an additional surcharge.
- Eligible youth and senior/disabled riders may use Express service without the standard adult Express upgrade.
- Monthly passes are calendar-month products rather than passes valid for any rolling 31-day period.
- Regional connections to BART, Caltrain, ACE, and other operators have their own payment and transfer arrangements.
VTA Route 60: SJC Airport Bus Schedule & Stops
Route 60 is particularly useful for travelers arriving at or departing from San José Mineta International Airport (SJC). It connects the airport terminals with transit at Santa Clara Transit Center, Metro Station, Milpitas BART, and Winchester Station along its operating pattern.
Route 60 Boarding Sequence – Illustrative Northbound Trip
The diagram shows an explanatory stop sequence, not an exact street map. Some scheduled buses begin or finish partway along the route, so read the complete timetable row rather than assuming every trip visits every endpoint.
For airport-specific departure examples, transit-center bay guidance, official PDF details, and the Terminal A relocation warning, read our Route 60 airport bus schedule and terminal connection guide.
Official VTA Route 60Important VTA Bus Stops and Transit Centers
Major transit centers are useful when switching between VTA buses, light rail, BART, Caltrain, or other services. However, a transit center may have multiple boarding bays and several bus routes traveling in different directions.
VTA Route 70: Milpitas, Berryessa & Eastridge Transfers
Route 70 is useful for trips between Milpitas BART, Berryessa BART, Eastridge, and Capitol Station. VTA’s schedule contains trips that terminate before the far end of the route, so not every scheduled departure continues through all stations.
Our Route 70 bus timetable and Milpitas–Capitol stop guide provides additional direction-specific explanations useful when planning the connection.
Official VTA Route 70VTA Bus Map: How to Locate Routes & Stops
The official VTA maps page provides a system map, a downtown San Jose map, a South County map, and a light rail to bus connection map. These are more appropriate for checking bus corridors than relying on a single generic Google Maps pin.
San Jose Diridon Station – Location Example
The following map shows the area around San Jose Diridon Station, a major VTA and regional rail connection point. For actual bus bays, check VTA’s latest station information.
This Google Maps embed provides location context, not a live VTA vehicle tracking map or a complete bus route diagram.
How to Check VTA Live Bus Arrivals
VTA provides real-time arrival and vehicle information through its website and the agency-endorsed Transit app. Live predictions may change when traffic, detours, cancellations, or vehicle reporting conditions change.
Go to the official Trip Planner or real-time tool.
Select the specific bus number, such as 22, 60, or 70.
Confirm the terminal or destination shown on the bus.
Enter the stop ID, street name, or boarding stop.
Look at live predictions and alerts before walking to the stop.
VTA’s route schedule pages can display scheduled and real-time predictions with the Show/Hide Real Time control. The agency-endorsed Transit app also supports nearby departures, trip planning, favorite routes, and live updates.
VTA Live Trip Planner Official Transit App GuideWhy Your VTA Bus May Not Arrive at the Printed Time
VTA timetable columns show major timepoints. Stops between those timepoints are still served according to the route, but may not appear individually in the published main table. Use a stop-specific prediction for a more precise estimate.
VTA Transfers to BART, Caltrain & Light Rail
VTA provides two hours of free local bus/light rail transfers for qualifying Clipper single-ride payments. This should not be confused with a promise of free transfers to another transit operator.
VTA Transfer Fare RulesVTA Route 26: West Valley College, Curtner & Eastridge
Route 26 connects West Valley College with the Eastridge corridor, including Campbell and Curtner Station. It is helpful for college travel and journeys requiring bus or light rail transfers.
For a separate look at direction-specific times, transfer points, and other systems using the same route number, see the Route 26 bus schedule, stops, and map guide.
Official Route 26VTA Bus Service Alerts & Temporary Stop Closures
VTA publishes route-specific service alerts for construction, stop closures, reroutes, and other disruptions. Some notices visible during the October 9, 2026 review included:
VTA Bus Accessibility, Bicycles & Reduced Fares
Stop accessibility and vehicle accessibility are not identical. Construction, sidewalk conditions, temporary closures, or elevator outages can affect an otherwise accessible journey.
VTA Rider AssistanceDoes VTA Run on Sundays and Holidays?
Many VTA routes run on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, but not every service operates seven days a week. Express commuter trips and certain Rapid services may be limited to weekdays.
VTA generally operates Sunday/Holiday schedules for New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day, as indicated by its official holiday guidance.
How to Find the Correct VTA Bus Departure
Visit VTA’s official route directory and locate your bus number.
Choose weekday, Saturday, or Sunday/Holiday as appropriate.
Check the correct terminal, branch, and destination sign.
Identify the exact intersection, stop ID, or transit-center bay.
Review live predictions, service alerts, and fare before departing.
VTA Bus Boarding Checklist
- Confirm the exact VTA route number.
- Check the destination displayed on the bus.
- Choose the correct date and weekday/weekend timetable.
- Identify your precise boarding stop or bay.
- Verify the first or last bus if traveling early or late.
- Allow at least five minutes before the scheduled departure.
- Check any published stop relocation or service alert.
- Use Clipper or prepare the correct accepted payment method.
- Recheck live arrival predictions where available.
- Confirm the return connection before traveling.
VTA Customer Service & Trip Planning Help
For unclear route directions, bus stops, fare eligibility, or service questions, riders can contact VTA directly.
Phone: 408-321-2300
Ask about routes, lost property, trip planning, or boarding guidance.
2 North Market Street, San Jose, CA 95113.
Check current office hours before visiting in person.
Official VTA Schedule, Fare, Map & Alert Resources
These first-party resources are recommended for checking time-sensitive information. Schedule, frequency, fare, and alert details can change after publication.
Routes, service categories, timetables, PDF schedules, and route-specific alerts.
Official VTA RoutesFind departures by route, direction, stop, date, and time.
VTA Planner and Real TimeAdult, Express, youth, reduced, daily, monthly, and transfer fare rules.
Official VTA FaresMain system map, downtown San Jose, South County, and rail connections.
VTA MapsPublished April 27, 2026 schedule-frequency reference for many routes.
Frequency Chart PDFCheck current stop closures, detours, reroutes, and service changes.
Current Service AlertsVTA-endorsed app for live arrivals, planning, and service updates.
VTA Transit AppOfficial information for the VTA Rapid network and selected limited-stop services.
Rapid 522 TimetableVTA Bus Schedule FAQs
Where can I check the VTA bus schedule?
Open VTA’s official Routes page or Trip Planner, choose your bus number, direction, stop, and service date, then review the timetable.
What time do VTA buses start and stop running?
Service hours vary by route, direction, weekday, weekend, and holiday. Check the first and last listed trip for your actual stop and date.
How much is the VTA bus fare?
VTA lists a regular adult single-ride fare of $2.50 and a standard adult Express single ride at $5. Reduced fares apply to eligible riders.
Does VTA accept Clipper and contactless payment?
Yes. VTA accepts Clipper and supported contactless bank-card/mobile payments for eligible adult fares. Payment-specific transfer rules apply.
How often does VTA Route 22 run?
VTA’s April 27, 2026 frequency chart lists Route 22 at approximately every 15 minutes during weekday and weekend daytime periods. Later-evening service may be less frequent.
Which VTA bus goes to San Jose Airport?
VTA Route 60 serves San José Mineta International Airport terminals A and B and connects with Santa Clara Transit Center, Metro Station, and Milpitas BART. Confirm any terminal stop relocation before travel.
Can I see VTA buses live on a map?
VTA provides real-time trip and vehicle information through its official tools, and recommends the Transit app for live arrival and trip-planning features.
What is the difference between VTA Rapid and Express?
Rapid buses serve selected stops on major corridors and typically use regular local fare rules. Express buses are a separate category with higher standard adult fares.
Does VTA operate on Sunday and holidays?
Many routes provide Sunday/Holiday service, but schedules differ and some services operate only on weekdays. Check the official route’s calendar.
How early should I arrive for a VTA bus?
VTA recommends being at the stop at least five minutes before the scheduled arrival. Rapid buses can leave some stops up to five minutes early when conditions permit.
Where can I find a VTA bus stop ID?
Use the official VTA Trip Planner or Real Time tool to search a stop, street, or stop number. Confirm the correct direction and physical boarding location.
Can I transfer from VTA to BART or Caltrain?
Yes, selected stations and transit centers provide connections. Check schedules and regional fare rules because another operator’s fare is not automatically included in every VTA ticket.