From San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) to Palo Alto

San Jose Mineta International Airport sits about 15 miles southeast of downtown Palo Alto, on the north side of downtown San Jose. It is smaller than SFO, mostly domestic and quick to get through. For many trips to Palo Alto and Stanford it is the smart choice. Ground time is shorter and the terminal curbs are less hectic.

No train runs into the airport, so the transit route uses a free bus and Caltrain. Rideshare, Waymo, taxis and rental cars all work well from SJC. This page covers each one, picking up where our overview of getting to Palo Alto leaves off. If you are still choosing an airport, compare with the guide to getting here from SFO.

The options at a glance

Times are rough guides. US 101 northbound out of San Jose slows badly on weekday afternoons, so a 25 minute midday trip can stretch well past 45 minutes after 3 p.m.

VTA Route 60 and Caltrain

VTA, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, runs Route 60 between Milpitas BART and Winchester Station in Campbell. On the way it loops through the airport. SJC says the route is free to ride in either direction from the airport, which makes this the cheapest way to Palo Alto by a wide margin.

Step by step

1. Find the stop. Route 60 boards at Terminal A Stop 7 and Terminal B Stop 5, according to SJC's public transit page. Look for the numbered stop signs on the curb.
2. Ride to Santa Clara Transit Center. Take a bus heading toward Winchester. Santa Clara Transit Center is a short ride from the terminals and doubles as the Santa Clara Caltrain station.
3. Board a northbound Caltrain. Ride to Palo Alto for downtown and Stanford or to California Avenue for Midtown and Stanford Research Park. Tap your Clipper card, contactless bank card or phone on the platform validator before boarding and again when you get off.

Santa Clara is in Caltrain Zone 4 and the Palo Alto stations are in Zone 3, so it is a two zone trip. The adult fare was $6.25 in October 2026 on the Caltrain fares page, with a rise to $6.50 listed from January 1, 2027.

Frequency and hours

VTA's Route 60 timetable showed weekday buses from a little after 5 a.m. until after 11 p.m. in October 2026, about every 15 minutes in the middle of the day. Weekend schedules are lighter. Caltrain runs every 15 to 20 minutes at weekday peak times at its busiest stations and about every 30 minutes on weekends, when all trains are locals. Check both timetables if you land late in the evening.

Other transit links from SJC

• Light rail and Diridon. Route 60 also stops at Metro/Airport station, where VTA's Blue and Green light rail lines connect. SJC suggests the Green Line south to San Jose Diridon for Amtrak and Greyhound. Diridon is also a Caltrain station, but the Santa Clara route is simpler for Palo Alto.
• BART. Route 60 ends at Milpitas BART, useful if you are heading to the East Bay rather than the Peninsula.

Uber, Lyft, Tesla, Wingz and Waymo

SJC lets app-based ride services drop off at the departures curbs of both terminals. Pickups happen at numbered stops:

The list comes from SJC's app-based rideshare page in October 2026. Stops do shift, so follow the airport signs.

Waymo is worth a special mention. Waymo added curbside pickups at SJC in November 2025. Waymo describes its Bay Area service area as running the length of the Peninsula from San Francisco to San Jose, so Palo Alto is within reach. Waymo has also opened freeway driving to a growing share of riders, which shortens the run up US 101. More on how it works in our page on robotaxis and rideshare.

Taxis

Taxis wait for on-demand trips at Terminal A Stop 2 and Terminal B Stop 1. Prearranged taxis pick up at Terminal A Stop 3 and Terminal B Stop 11. In October 2026 SJC listed a metered rate of $15.00 for the first mile, $4.00 for each additional mile and $1.00 per minute of waiting. At those rates a 15 mile trip to Palo Alto comes to roughly $70 before waiting time and tip.

Taxis carry folding wheelchairs at no extra charge. Wheelchair accessible vans are also available at no extra charge, with advance notice recommended. SJC lists Checker Cab of Silicon Valley and Yellow Cab as providers with accessible vehicles. Current rates and phone numbers are on the SJC taxi page.

Rental cars at SJC

All on-site rental companies work out of the Rental Car Center at 1639 Airport Boulevard, across from Terminal B. From Terminal B you can walk across Airport Boulevard at the crosswalks. From Terminal A, board any airport shuttle at the curb. The shuttles run every 7 to 10 minutes, 24 hours a day. All of them are wheelchair accessible.

SJC lists Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Fox, Hertz, National, Payless, Sixt and Thrifty at the center. Most counters open around 6 a.m. and close between 11 p.m. and midnight. Returns are possible around the clock, but attendants are only on site during business hours. Before you book, compare SJC rental car prices or check more rental offers across brands.

Driving from SJC to Palo Alto

• US 101 north is the direct route along the bay side. Exit at Oregon Expressway for Midtown and California Avenue, Embarcadero Road for the east side of downtown or University Avenue for downtown.
• Interstate 280 north runs along the foothills on the west side and is often less congested. Reach it from the airport by State Route 87 south. Exit at Page Mill Road for Stanford Research Park or Sand Hill Road for Stanford.
• Central Expressway and El Camino Real are surface street alternatives through Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and Mountain View. They are slower but can help when 101 backs up.

Palo Alto sits just past Mountain View, so you pass through the heart of Silicon Valley on the way. Read our guide to parking in Palo Alto before you arrive, because downtown garages have free time limits rather than meters.

Prebooked transfers

If you are traveling with children, a group or a lot of luggage, a prebooked car takes the stress out of arrival. The driver tracks your flight and meets you at baggage claim. Prices are fixed when you book. You can compare SJC transfer quotes ahead of time. For a solo traveler with a carry-on, the free bus and the train usually make more sense.

Where to stay near the airport route

Coming from SJC by car, hotels on El Camino Real are easy to reach and usually have parking. See hotels along El Camino Real. Arriving by train, consider California Avenue, one stop south of the main Palo Alto station, with restaurants and a Sunday farmers market. Our California Avenue guide has the details. For the trains themselves, read riding Caltrain.

Frequently asked questions