Getting to Palo Alto from the North Bay

The North Bay sits on the far side of the Golden Gate from the Peninsula. Marin County, Sonoma County and Napa County are close to Palo Alto in miles but every route has a choke point. Drivers cross the Golden Gate Bridge and then work through San Francisco, or loop through the East Bay over two more bridges. Transit riders combine a train, a ferry and Caltrain.

This page covers the trip from Marin, Sonoma and Napa. Heading north instead? See our day trips to Sausalito and Marin and Napa and Sonoma.

The options at a glance

Times are estimates for light to moderate traffic. Rush hours around San Francisco and on the bridges can double them.

Driving over the Golden Gate Bridge

From Marin, the most direct drive is US 101 south over the Golden Gate Bridge. In San Francisco you have two ways to reach the Peninsula:

• Park Presidio, 19th Avenue and Interstate 280. Follow State Route 1 through Golden Gate Park and down 19th Avenue to Interstate 280. It has traffic lights but usually flows. Leave 280 at Sand Hill Road for Stanford or at Page Mill Road for California Avenue.
• Through the city on US 101. Follow Lombard Street and Van Ness Avenue to the Central Freeway and US 101 south. It is direct on the map but slow at busy hours.

From San Rafael the trip is about 50 miles. From Petaluma it is about 70 and from Santa Rosa about 95. Our driving guide lists the Palo Alto exits from both freeways.

Golden Gate Bridge tolls by plate or FasTrak

The bridge has no toll booths and takes no cash at the plaza. The Golden Gate Bridge District collects the toll in one direction only, southbound into San Francisco. These rates took effect July 1, 2026, per the district's tolls page:

Paying by plate

If your car has no FasTrak tag, cameras photograph the front and rear plates. You then have three choices:

1. One-Time Payment. Pay online or by phone up to 30 days before you cross or within 48 hours after. The district recommends this for visitors with out-of-state or foreign plates.
2. License Plate Account. Register up to five plates and the toll is charged to your card each time you cross, with no prepaid balance when you use a credit card.
3. Toll Invoice. Do nothing and an invoice goes to the registered owner. The invoice carries the toll only, but an unpaid invoice turns into a violation with a $25 penalty per crossing.

Rental cars are different. The district says renters must check the rental company's toll program, which often adds a fee. Ask at the counter before you head south.

The East Bay loop

From central or eastern Marin, or from Sonoma and Napa, the East Bay can be the better route. Cross the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on Interstate 580, follow Interstate 80 and Interstate 880 south and cross back over the San Mateo Bridge (State Route 92) or the Dumbarton Bridge (State Route 84). From Napa or Sonoma, State Route 37 and Interstate 80 lead to the same freeways.

Bay Area bridges toll in one direction. On this loop you pay once, on the westbound San Mateo or Dumbarton crossing toward the Peninsula: $8.50 for a car in 2026. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission reports a FasTrak rate of $9.00 from January 1, 2027. Interstate 880 is one of the region's slowest freeways at rush hour, so check live traffic before choosing. Our guide to getting here from the East Bay covers the bridges in more detail.

SMART, ferry and Caltrain

Without a car, the published way to make the trip is a three-part journey: the SMART train to Larkspur, the Golden Gate Ferry to San Francisco and Caltrain to Palo Alto.

1. SMART to Larkspur

The SMART train runs between Windsor and Larkspur, with stops including the Sonoma County Airport, Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Novato and San Rafael. Extensions to Healdsburg and Cloverdale are planned. Fares are $1.50 per zone for adults, while youth 18 and under and seniors 65 and over ride free. Riders with disabilities or Medicare pay half. A $10 Weekend Day Pass is sold in the SMART e-Tickets app. SMART's schedule marks which trains connect with ferries at Larkspur. It flags connections under 10 minutes as not recommended if you are walking between the station and the ferry terminal.

2. Golden Gate Ferry to San Francisco

Ferries from Larkspur reach the San Francisco Ferry Building in about 35 minutes on the times SMART publishes for its connections. An adult fare was $9.50 with Clipper or a contactless bank card and $14.00 with a paper ticket on the Golden Gate Ferry fares page. Tap once when you board at Larkspur. Weekend schedules differ from weekdays, so check the ferry timetable too.

SMART's $10 Sail and Rail combo ticket, which covered one SMART ride and one ferry trip, is ending. SMART says the last day to buy it was October 31, 2026 and tickets can be used through November 30, 2026.

3. Across San Francisco to Caltrain

Caltrain's San Francisco terminal is at Fourth and King streets, beside Oracle Park. SMART describes the Ferry Building to Oracle Park walk as 1.2 miles, about 25 minutes, or a 15 minute Muni ride. From Fourth and King, express trains reach Palo Alto in about 40 minutes. It is a three zone ride, $8.50 for an adult in October 2026 and $9.00 from January 1, 2027. Our guide to getting here from San Francisco covers the Caltrain leg in detail.

Put together, a trip from Santa Rosa takes four hours or more. From San Rafael or Larkspur it is closer to three. Golden Gate Transit also runs buses from Marin and Sonoma into San Francisco, which can replace the train and ferry legs. Check its schedules on the same district site.

When to travel

• Weekday mornings: southbound traffic into San Francisco is heavy from Marin. The ferry and train avoid it.
• Friday and Sunday afternoons: wine country and coast traffic fills US 101 and State Route 37.
• Fog: the Golden Gate is often socked in during summer mornings. It slows traffic more than it closes anything.
• Late evenings: ferries and SMART thin out. Plan the return before you go.

Arriving in Palo Alto

Caltrain stops at Palo Alto station, at the foot of University Avenue. Drivers on Interstate 280 reach Stanford and downtown in a few minutes from the Sand Hill Road exit. Our Caltrain guide covers the return trip. If you plan to stay, compare hotels near Palo Alto station.

Frequently asked questions