Commuting from San Francisco to Menlo Park?

Question

I'll be working in Menlo Park (0.25 miles from the Menlo Park Caltrain) but I really want to live in the city. I'll be relying on transportation for my commute and was hoping one of you could help me out.

I am fine with the commute as long as it is less than 45 minutes. I've looked at the Caltrain station schedule from central San Fran to Menlo Park and it seems to say it only takes 38 minutes. That leaves about 7 minutes to get to the Caltrain station in San Fran.

Is this possible? Where should I look in San Fran to achieve this commute goal? I am looking for an apartment so if you can name apartment complexes that would be a huge help. Thanks!

Answer 1

Well, for apartments, I'd suggest you look at Craigslist.org.

I would suggest that if possible, try to avoid taking MUNI. I've had co-workers who said that MUNI is pretty terrible and pretty unreliable.

How about South San Francisco? Or Daly City? You can take BART from DC into SF.

For travel routes from potential apartment places, I'd suggest you use 511.org to plan your trips. Good luck!

Answer 2

Of course it is possible.

But it won't be exactly 45 minutes. That's not a realistic expectation. By the time you factor in things like buying tickets, newspapers / coffee, and other pedestrians slowing you down... a one hour commute is the minimum. Unless you want to rush down the track like a crazy person, you should arrive at the station 5-10 minutes before the train departs as well.

The San Francisco Caltrain Depot (4th and King) is in South Beach / Mission Bay. It used to be full of abandoned warehouses. But that's certainly not the case anymore. Thanks to gentrification, this is a brand new upscale neighborhood.

The paint on the Safeway and Borders stores have barely dried. There are highrise condominium (re)developments everywhere. AT&T Park (built in 2000) is the main landmark in the area. Light rail service was introduced in 2003 and extended last year. UCSF is building a research facility in the neighborhood.

There are several condominium complexes right next to the train station. But I'd live a few blocks away due to the noise. Search for "Mission Bay" and "South Beach" on Craigslist.