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Mountain View station is the main rail transfer point near Palo Alto. Caltrain and VTA light rail share it, buses fan out from it and downtown Mountain View begins right outside. It sits at 600 West Evelyn Avenue, at the north end of Castro Street. The site is also known as the Mountain View Transit Center.
From Palo Alto it is a short ride. Every train type serves both stations, so you can take the first train that comes. This page covers the trains, the light rail line, buses, parking, bikes, accessibility and what you can reach on foot. Station details come from Caltrain's Mountain View station page and from vta.org as of late October 2026.
Caltrain service
Mountain View is one of Caltrain's 11 express stations. In the timetable published in October 2026, every weekday express, limited and local stopped here. On weekends all trains are locals and all of them stop. The weekday schedule repeats at the same minutes each hour.
- Toward San Francisco, the next express stop north is Palo Alto. Limited trains also stop at San Antonio and California Avenue.
- Toward San Jose, the next express stop south is Sunnyvale, then San Jose Diridon.
- One stop north on locals and limiteds is San Antonio station, which serves the San Antonio Shopping Center area.
Mountain View is in Zone 3, the same as Palo Alto, so a ride between the two costs the one zone fare. That was $4.00 for adults in October 2026, with higher fares due January 1, 2027. We do not print departure times. Look them up on Caltrain's official schedules. Check the last train home before a late dinner on Castro Street.
VTA light rail: the Orange Line
Mountain View is the western end of VTA's light rail network. The Orange Line starts here and runs east toward Alum Rock in San Jose. VTA lists its stations in order. After Mountain View come Whisman, Middlefield, Bayshore NASA and Moffett Park, then a run through Sunnyvale's office districts to Old Ironsides and Great America in Santa Clara. The line continues across north San Jose to Baypointe, Milpitas and Berryessa before ending at Alum Rock.
A few stops are useful for visitors from Palo Alto:
| Orange Line stop | Good for |
|---|---|
| Bayshore NASA | The NASA Ames area at Moffett Field |
| Great America | The Santa Clara stadium and amusement park district |
| Milpitas | The Milpitas Transit Center, where BART also stops |
| Alum Rock | East San Jose, end of the line |
VTA publishes separate weekday, Saturday and Sunday schedules for the Orange Line on its Orange Line page, which also shows real-time arrivals. Light rail uses VTA's standard fares, the same as its local buses. Tap your Clipper card on the platform validator before you board. VTA's fares page lists the other ways to pay. Light rail is slower than Caltrain for trips to downtown San Jose, so use it for places Caltrain does not reach.
The light rail platform sits beside the Caltrain platform at the station. The transfer takes a couple of minutes on foot.
Buses and shuttles
Caltrain lists four VTA bus routes and four MVgo shuttle routes at Mountain View. VTA route pages give this picture:
- Route 21 runs between Stanford Shopping Center and Santa Clara Transit Center by way of the Palo Alto Transit Center, Middlefield Road, the San Antonio area and this station. It runs every day.
- Route 40 runs to Foothill College by way of North Bayshore, Charleston Road, Rengstorff Avenue and San Antonio Road. It runs every day.
- Route 51 runs between Moffett Field and West Valley College on weekdays.
- Route 52 runs to Foothill College by way of Castro Street and El Monte Avenue on weekdays.
Caltrain also lists MVgo shuttle routes A to D, a commuter shuttle network serving Mountain View employment areas. Check MVgo's own information for who may ride and when. For VTA fares and the wider bus network, see our page on VTA buses and shuttles.
Car parking
Caltrain lists 340 spaces at Mountain View. A permit is required at all hours. Pay at one of the three ticket machines with your stall number or use ParkMobile with zone 99617. A daily permit was $5.50 in October 2026, good for 24 hours. Monthly permits, $82.50, are sold only to riders with a Caltrain monthly pass or GoPass. Cars showing a California disabled person plate or placard park free. Full rules are on Caltrain's parking page.
Sunday mornings are different. The Mountain View farmers market sets up in the station lot every Sunday, with a few dates moved to Hope Street lots late in 2026. Our Mountain View farmers market guide lists those dates. If you are driving to catch a Sunday train, allow extra time.
Bike parking
Caltrain lists 23 bike racks at the station plus on-demand BikeLink eLockers. Its bike parking page also notes a shared bike parking station at Mountain View run by the City of Mountain View, not by Caltrain. Contact the city for access and prices. Caltrain's own eLockers charged 5 cents an hour, or 2 cents an hour on nights and weekends, in October 2026.
The Stevens Creek Trail passes close to the station. A long pedestrian bridge carries it over Evelyn Avenue, Central Expressway, the Caltrain tracks and the light rail line. From Palo Alto, many riders take the train down with a bike and ride the trail to Shoreline. See our Stevens Creek Trail guide.
Accessibility
Caltrain lists Mountain View as wheelchair accessible. Wait at the blue boarding assistance area at the north end of the Caltrain platform and the conductor will set out a ramp or lift. VTA light rail and buses are accessible too. Caltrain does not list an elevator here. For discount fares and paratransit, see our accessible travel guide.
The link to downtown
Step off the train and Castro Street is in front of you. Downtown Mountain View runs about seven blocks south from the station to El Camino Real. The 100, 200 and 300 blocks, from Evelyn Avenue to California Street, are closed to cars, so you can walk down the middle of the street. Our Castro Street guide covers the street and its history.
The crossing at the station is changing. Castro Street has been closed to southbound cars at the tracks since 2020. In February 2026 the Mountain View City Council approved a design that will dead-end Castro Street at West Evelyn Avenue and move the crossing for people on foot and on bikes. Walkers and riders keep their access. Expect detours once construction starts.
Other places worth the trip from the station:
- Dozens of restaurants on and near Castro Street. See where to eat in Mountain View.
- Shoreline Park and Shoreline Lake to the north, by bike or bus. See Shoreline at Mountain View.
- The Computer History Museum on North Shoreline Boulevard, about two miles north of the station. See our museum guide.
Good to know
- Caltrain and VTA are separate systems with separate fares. Tap your card on each system's validators.
- Weekend track work can change Caltrain service. Check Caltrain's service status page.
- VTA posts light rail elevator outages and detours as service alerts on vta.org.
Frequently asked questions
Do express trains stop at Mountain View?
Yes. Mountain View is one of Caltrain's 11 express stops, so local, limited and express trains all call here on weekdays. On weekends every train is a local and all of them stop.
Where does VTA light rail go from Mountain View?
The VTA Orange Line starts at Mountain View station and runs east through Sunnyvale, north San Jose and Milpitas to Alum Rock in San Jose. VTA publishes weekday, Saturday and Sunday schedules for it.
How much is Caltrain from Palo Alto to Mountain View?
Both stations are in Zone 3, so it is a one zone trip. Caltrain listed the adult one-way fare at $4.00 in October 2026. Express, limited and local trains all serve both stations.
Can I park at Mountain View station on a Sunday?
Caltrain lists 340 spaces, but the Mountain View farmers market uses the station lot on Sunday mornings. Expect fewer spaces then, or arrive by train or bike. Permits are required at all hours.
How far is Castro Street from Mountain View station?
The station sits at the north end of Castro Street. Restaurants start within a block or two and downtown runs about seven blocks south to El Camino Real.