Light rail and bus. The Valley Transportation Authority VTA offers light rail in Santa Clara on the Alum Rock-Santa Teresa and Mountain View-Winchester lines. VTA also offers bus service within and around Santa Clara. Consult the VTA website for schedules, fares, and trip planning. (http://www.vta.org/).
Rental car. Numerous national car rental chains serve Santa Clara and surrounding cities. Most people living in the area prefer automobiles as their primary means of transportation, and it is likely to be the fastest, although area freeways do get congested during commute hours. Rental cars are available both at the San Jose Airport and at various locations in the city. Throughout most of Santa Clara, public parking is ample and free.
Bicycle. Many city streets are wide and bicycle-friendly with painted bicycle lanes; expressways permit bicycles but have high-speed, heavy traffic that may be uncomfortable, especially for inexperienced riders. Stop by City Hall for a copy of the Santa Clara bicycle map showing recommended bicycle routes. Bicycles should ride on the right side of the road, going the same direction as traffic. Take care when crossing expressway exits and right turn lanes in traffic. Caltrain (http://www.caltrain.com/i...), Amtrak (http://www.capitolcorrido...), VTA light rail, and VTA buses (http://www.vta.org/servic...) are all equipped with bicycle racks. If you plan to take a bicycle on area public transit, consult the website of the systems you will use for information on locating and using the bicycle racks.
