San Rafael Transit Center

San Rafael Transit Center
Intermodal station
The San Rafael Transit Center, waiting and loading area
Location	3rd Street and Hetherton Street San Rafael, California
Coordinates	37°58′15″N 122°31′21″W / 37.97083°N 122.52250°W / 37.97083; -122.52250Coordinates: 37°58′15″N 122°31′21″W / 37.97083°N 122.52250°W / 37.97083; -122.52250
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Train operators	Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit (2017)
Bus operators	Golden Gate Transit Marin Transit Marin Airporter Sonoma County Transit Greyhound Bus Lines
Construction
Structure type	at grade
Parking	Yes
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Fare zone	1 (SMART)
History
Opened	1991 (1991)[1] July 8, 2017 (2017-07-08) (SMART preview)[2]
Traffic
Passengers	approx. 9000 daily (2016)[1]
Services
Future services   Preceding station   Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit   Following station Marin Civic Center toward Sonoma County Airport SMART Terminus Marin Civic Center toward Cloverdale Depot Future Larkspur Landing Terminus   Former services   Preceding station   Northwestern Pacific Railroad   Following station Terminus   Interurban   Cal Park toward Tiburon Ferry Terminal     Cal Park toward Sausalito Ferry Terminal B St. toward Sausalito Ferry Terminal     Terminus B St. toward Manor     Ignacio toward Eureka Flag stop at Hamilton Field   Redwood[3]   Hamilton Field toward Eureka   San Francisco to Eureka[4]   Green Brae toward Sausalito Ferry Terminal

The San Rafael Transportation Center in San Rafael, California, also called the C. Paul Bettini Transportation Center,^[1] is the main passenger transit terminal for Marin County. From here, passengers can make transfers throughout Marin County, to San Francisco, Contra Costa, and Sonoma Counties. It is also an important station for buses serving San Francisco International Airport, Oakland International Airport, and the rest of the country. The Transit Center is planned to be moved in the coming years as Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit begins operations and occupies several platforms.^[5]

The San Rafael Transit Center, as seen from Tamalpais Avenue

History

The original San Rafael railway depot that served the Northwestern Pacific Railroad was located at what is now a cafe north of the station. As rail use fell into decline and was discontinued in the mid 20th century, busses came to prominence with the expansion of the road and highway system. The current transportation center was constructed in 1991.^[1]

SMART service began with preview rides at the station on July 8, 2017;^[2] it will serve as the southern terminus of the line until service is continued to Larkspur Landing.

Description

The San Rafael Transit Center hosts to a number of bus agencies, including:

• Golden Gate Transit (the main bus agency) - serving Marin, Contra Costa, Sonoma, and San Francisco Counties.
• Marin Transit - serving Marin County (including Marin Transit Shuttle Route 233 and West Marin Stagecoach Route 68)
• Marin Airporter^[6] - serving the San Francisco International Airport from Marin County.
• Airport Express^[7] - serving the Oakland International Airport; serves as stopover for Marin County to Sonoma County.
• Sonoma County Transit^[8] - serving the Sonoma Valley (Kenwood, Glen Ellen, Agua Caliente, Sonoma, and Schellville) from San Rafael. One morning southbound and one afternoon northbound only, with timed connections to Golden Gate Transit buses to San Francisco.
• Greyhound Bus Lines^[9] - the main stop of Greyhound in Marin County, serving points in Northern California and the rest of the United States.

In addition to bus services, there is a double-track railway and two side platform in service as part of the Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit system. Commuter trains arrived in Santa Rosa for testing in March 2016 after a fifty seven-year absence of such services.^[10] Rail operations have significantly disrupted service to bus stop locations.^[1][5]

Location

The San Rafael Transit Center^[11] is located at the corner of 3rd and Hetherton Streets, bounded by Tamalpais Avenue to the west and 2nd Street to the south. Its proximity to Downtown San Rafael and U.S. Highway 101 makes the SRTC an important transfer point for services within Marin County and beyond, aside from being the main hub for Golden Gate Transit services.

Transfers and Features

A Van Hool A330 bus modified as a Zero-Emissions Bus at the SRTC (taken in 2007)

A Golden Gate Transit bus operating as a Route 22 at the SRTC

A Marin Transit shuttle operating as a Route 233 at the SRTC

A Greyhound bus stopping at the SRTC for a local trip

With most of Marin Transit's and many of Golden Gate Transit's routes meeting at the San Rafael Transit Center, it provides a transfer point for passengers from San Rafael going towards the rest of Marin County and throughout the Bay Area. As the main stop for Greyhound for the county, SRTC provides connections for its passengers from within Marin County to intra- and inter-regional bus service. It is also one of the main stops of two Airport Bus companies (Marin Airporter and Sonoma County Airport Express), allowing passengers to travel to either San Francisco International Airport or Oakland International Airport without the need of driving.

Routes Starting and Ending at SRTC

Routes listed below current as of May 2017

Routes Stopping at San Rafael Transit Center

Notes:

• Golden Gate and Marin Transit buses may board at a different side of the same platform.
• For service to Highway 101 bus pads north of San Rafael, board either Routes 35, 49, 70, or 71X.
• For service to Highway 101 bus pads south of San Rafael, board either Routes 17, 30, 36, 70, or 71X.
• For service to Northgate Mall, board either Routes 35, 49, 245, or 257.
• For service to Marin County Civic Center, board either Routes 35, 49, or 233.
• Routes 23X and 29 interline in the Canal District, with eastbound Route 23X trips continuing as southbound Route 29, and northbound Route 29 trips continuing as westbound Route 23X.
• Route 35 trips after 10:30pm operate between San Rafael Transit Center and Canal District only.
• Route 23X operates as a limited-stop service, with no stops between San Rafael Transit Center and San Anselmo Hub.
• Route 71X operates as a limited-stop service, with the next northbound stop at Ignacio Blvd. bus pad and the next southbound stop at Tiburon Wye bus pad.

Golden Gate's Route 80 used to operate through San Rafael Transit en route to San Francisco and Santa Rosa via Highway 101 bus pads and West Petaluma. It was subsequently discontinued in 2012 in favor of Route 101, a limited-stop version of the old Route 80.^[12]

Features

San Rafael Transit Center, facing east

The San Rafael Transit Center has the following amenities for its passengers:

• Saluté Cafe, a coffee shop which also carries Golden Gate Transit and Marin Transit value tickets.
• A shop that hosts ticketing offices for Greyhound Bus Lines and Sonoma County Airport Express (for Oakland Airport)
• Clipper ticketing machines on all platforms
• Disabled () access throughout the Transit Center
• Taxi stand

Near the Transit Center are full-service restaurants, especially along Fourth Street (Downtown San Rafael) and Second Street, grocery stores, and other businesses. Also nearby are three park-and-ride lots within walking distance of the SRTC, all located under the Highway 101 overpass, that allow commuter parking.

See also

• Golden Gate Transit
• Marin Transit
• San Rafael
• Sonoma County Transit

References

External links

• SMART Stations