The following is a list of Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority bus routes. Route numbers are classified as follows: Lines 1-99 are standard local bus routes, which feature many, closely spaced stops. These lines serve a smaller area, such as connecting transit centers to the surrounding community or Downtown San Jose to nearby neighborhoods. Lines 100-199 are express services and primarily operate during peak periods only. These lines operate express mainly on freeways and provide fewer stops than local services, mainly at train stations and major transfer points in Santa Clara County. These also charge higher fares than standard bus routes. Lines 200-203 are late-night routes that substitute portions of light rail lines. Lines 246-299 are school services that operate limited service to several area high schools in conjunction with their bell schedules. Lines 500-599 are limited stop "Rapid" branded routes. Lines 800-899 are commuter rail shuttles that operate mainly during peak periods. These lines operate from the Great America ACE/Amtrak station and serve nearby high-tech businesses and industrial parks. Lines 900-999 are intercity routes operated in conjunction with other agencies.
VTA embarked on a large network redesign that was implemented on December 28, 2019. This eliminated the DASH shuttle, Almaden Light Rail shuttle, limited-branded bus service, community bus service, and many express routes but established a core frequent network and increased service on numerous local bus routes.
In , VTA's bus system had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of .
Regular bus service Santa Clara VTA operates numerous bus lines that operate on most major thoroughfares throughout Santa Clara County. Several of these lines converge at key transfer points, including Downtown San Jose, several Caltrain stations between Palo Alto and Gilroy, the Milpitas and Berryessa BART stations, and most light rail stations. Some lines also provide connecting services to other transit agencies, including AC Transit, Dumbarton Express, Monterey-Salinas Transit, and SamTrans.
Included in this listing are VTA's limited-stop Rapid services, as those levy the same cash fares as regular local buses.
Line Number DirectionTerminals Days of Operation Schedule Information Major Destinations Notes20 East-West SunnyvaleSunnyvale station MilpitasMilpitas station Weekdays Line 20 Downtown Sunnyvale, North Santa Clara, Mission College, Orchard station21 East-West Palo AltoStanford Shopping Center Santa ClaraSanta Clara Transit Center Daily Line 21 Palo Alto Transit Center, San Antonio station, San Antonio Center, Downtown Mountain View, Middlefield station, Downtown Sunnyvale, Santa Clara University22 East-West Palo AltoPalo Alto station San JoseEastridge Transit Center Daily Line 22 Stanford University, San Antonio Center, Santa Clara Transit Center, Santa Clara University, SAP Center, Downtown San Jose, San Jose State University, Eastridge Mall Part of the Frequent Network For a limited-stop version of this service, see Rapid 522.23 East-West CupertinoDe Anza College San JoseAlum Rock Transit Center Daily Line 23 Westfield Valley Fair, Santana Row, Downtown San Jose, San Jose State University Part of the Frequent Network For a limited-stop version of this service, see Rapid 523.25 East-West San JoseValley Medical Center (short turn) San JoseAlum Rock Transit Center Daily Line 25 San Jose City College, Fruitdale station, Tamien station Part of the Frequent Network Service west of Valley Medical Center operates at half frequency CupertinoDe Anza College26 East-West San JoseWestgate Center San JoseEastridge Transit Center Daily Line 26 Downtown Campbell, Pruneyard Shopping Center, Curtner station Part of the Frequent Network Weekday service between Westgate and West Valley College operates at half frequency SaratogaWest Valley College 27 East-West CampbellWinchester Transit Center San JoseSanta Teresa station Daily Line 27 Downtown Los Gatos, Good Samaritan Hospital, Princeton Plaza, Westfield Oakridge, Blossom Hill station (light rail), Cottle station, Kaiser San Jose Weekend and holiday service bypasses Los Gatos Civic Center via Los Gatos-Saratoga Rd31 San JoseEastridge Transit Center San JoseEvergreen Valley College Weekdays, Saturdays Line 31 Eastridge Mall37 East-West SaratogaWest Valley College San JoseCapitol station (light rail) Weekdays Line 37 Winchester Transit Center39 North-South San JoseEastridge Transit Center San JoseThe Villages Daily Line 39 Eastridge Mall, Evergreen Village Square, Evergreen Valley College40 North-South Mountain ViewMountain View station Los Altos HillsFoothill College Daily Line 40 San Antonio Center, Googleplex, Shoreline Amphitheatre, Downtown Mountain ViewLos AltosSan Antonio Rd & Lyell St 42 North-South San JoseEvergreen Valley College San JoseSanta Teresa station Weekdays Line 4247 East-West MilpitasMcCarthy Ranch MilpitasMilpitas station DailyLine 47Kaiser Milpitas, Downtown Milpitas, Milpitas Square Shopping Center Weekday service to Alder Station operates in a one-way clockwise loop south of SR-237 via Bellew Dr, Barber Ln, Alder Dr, and McCarthy Blvd MilpitasAlder station 51North-SouthMountain ViewMoffett FieldCupertinoDe Anza College (short turn)WeekdaysLine 51Downtown Mountain View, El Camino Hospital Service between De Anza College and West Valley College operates at half frequency SaratogaWest Valley College52 North-South Mountain ViewMountain View station Los Altos HillsFoothill College Weekdays Line 52 Downtown Mountain View53 East-West SunnyvaleSunnyvale station Santa ClaraSanta Clara Transit Center Weekdays Line 53 Downtown Sunnyvale, Kaiser Santa Clara, Santa Clara University55 North-South Santa ClaraOld Ironsides station CupertinoDe Anza College Daily Line 55 Downtown Sunnyvale, Reamwood station Select weekday northbound trips deviate from Sunnyvale-Saratoga Rd to serve Fremont High School via Fremont Ave, Hollenbeck Ave, and Remington Dr For a limited-stop version of this service, see Rapid 523.56 North-South SunnyvaleLockheed Martin Transit Center San JoseMonterey Rd & Old Tully Rd Daily Line 56 Borregas station (weekdays only), Crossman station (weekdays only), Fair Oaks station, Apple Park, Westgate Center, Hamilton station, Tamien station SunnyvaleFair Oaks Ave & Tasman Dr 57 North-South Santa ClaraOld Ironsides station SaratogaWest Valley College Daily Line 57 California's Great America, Levi's Stadium, Mission College (weekdays only), Westgate Center Part of the Frequent Network59 North-South San JoseBaypointe station San JoseValley Medical Center Daily Line 59 Alviso, Old Ironsides station, California's Great America, Levi's Stadium, Mission College (weekdays only), Santa Clara Transit Center, Santa Clara University, Westfield Valley Fair, Santana Row60 North-South MilpitasMilpitas station CampbellWinchester Transit Center Daily Line 60 Metro/Airport station, San Jose International Airport, PayPal Park, Santa Clara Transit Center, Santa Clara University, Westfield Valley Fair, Santana Row, Downtown Campbell Part of the Frequent Network Serves San Jose International Airport, boardings free at airport terminals61 North-South San JoseSierra Rd & Piedmont Rd San JoseGood Samaritan Hospital Daily Line 61 Berryessa station (light rail), Berryessa/North San José station, San Jose Civic Center, Valley Medical Center, San Jose City College, Bascom station, Pruneyard Shopping Center Part of the Frequent Network Bidirectional loop around Bascom Ave & Union Ave to Good Samaritan Hospital, alternating between clockwise and counterclockwise at half frequency 64A North-South San JoseMcKee Rd & White Rd San JoseOhlone/Chynoweth station Daily Line 64A McKee station, San Jose State University, Downtown San Jose, SAP Center, San Jose Diridon station, Willow Glen, Almaden Valley, Westfield Oakridge Combines with 64B to provide Frequent service north and east of San Jose Diridon Replaces discontinued Almaden Shuttle light rail line 64B San JoseAlmaden Expwy & Camden Ave Line 64B McKee station, San Jose State University, Downtown San Jose, SAP Center, San Jose Diridon station, Princeton Plaza, South San Jose, Almaden Valley Combines with 64A to provide Frequent service north and east of San Jose Diridon Evening and weekend/holiday trips operate between Almaden & Camden and San Jose State66 North-South MilpitasDixon Rd & Milpitas Blvd San JoseSanta Teresa station Daily Line 66 Milpitas station, Great Mall, San Jose State University, Downtown San Jose, Capitol station (Caltrain), Snell station, Kaiser San Jose Part of the Frequent Network68 North-South San JoseDiridon station GilroyGilroy station Daily Line 68 Downtown San Jose, San Jose State University, Capitol station (Caltrain), Cottle station, Kaiser San Jose, Santa Teresa station, Morgan Hill station, San Martin station Part of the Frequent Network For a limited-stop version of this service, see Rapid 568.70 North-South San JoseBerryessa/North San José station (short turn) San JoseCapitol station (light rail) Daily Line 70 Hostetter station, Eastridge Mall Part of the Frequent Network Service north of Berryessa/North San José station operates at half frequency MilpitasMilpitas station71 North-South MilpitasMilpitas station San JoseEastridge Transit Center Daily Line 71 Eastridge Mall Part of the Frequent Network72 North-South San Jose2nd St & Bassett St San JoseMonterey Rd & Senter Rd Daily Line 72 Downtown San Jose, San Jose State University, South San Jose Part of the Frequent Network Route 72 operates via McLaughlin Ave Route 73 operates via Senter Rd73 Line 7377 North-South MilpitasMilpitas station San JoseEastridge Transit Center Daily Line 77 Berryessa/North San José station, Eastridge Mall Part of the Frequent Network83 North-South San JoseOhlone/Chynoweth station San JoseAlmaden Expwy & Via Valiente Weekdays Line 83 Westfield Oakridge, Almaden Valley Operates in a one-way clockwise loop south of Almaden & Via Valiente to McKean Rd.84 North-South GilroySt. Louise Hospital GilroyGilroy station Daily Line 84 Gilroy Outlets, Valley Health Center Gilroy, Gilroy Crossing Lines form a two way loop around Gilroy station.85 North-South Daily Line 85 West Gilroy86 North-South GilroyGilroy station GilroyGavilan College Weekdays Line 8687 North-South Morgan HillBurnett Ave at Sobrato High School Morgan HillCivic Center Weekday Peak Periods Line 87 Morgan Hill station89 North-South Palo AltoCalifornia Avenue station Palo AltoV.A. Hospital Weekdays Line 89 Stanford Research Park
Rapid bus service The VTA operates four rapid bus routes, most notably the Rapid 522, which serves as a limited-stop service along El Camino Real between Palo Alto and east San Jose. The route serves 30 stops, substantially fewer than local Route 22, which operates along the same corridor. Rapid 522 provides connections to numerous bus and light rail services throughout Santa Clara County.
Rapid 522 incorporates features commonly associated with bus rapid transit systems, including queue-jump lanes, transit signal priority, and enhanced bus stops. On January 6, 2014, VTA expanded weekday and Saturday service hours and introduced Sunday service.
In March 2014, VTA began construction of the Santa Clara–Alum Rock Bus Rapid Transit project. The project upgraded part of the Rapid 522 corridor between Eastridge Transit Center and the SAP Center at San Jose to full BRT operation, including enhanced stations, transit signal priority, all-door boarding, off-board fare payment, and increased service frequencies. VTA has also studied extending BRT improvements to the remainder of the El Camino Real corridor through the El Camino Real Bus Rapid Transit Project.