Millbrae Station
Encyclopedia
Millbrae Station is an at-grade
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)
and Caltrain
station located in suburban Millbrae, California
, in northern San Mateo County.
terminal in the United States west of the Mississippi
. It consists of three ground-level main tracks for BART
and two for Caltrain
. An island platform
provides a cross-platform connection
between the two systems (for traveling north to San Francisco
). An elevated concourse mezzanine is above the platforms. Currently two BART tracks and one island platform
usually are kept out of regular service, used instead to hold train sets that are also out of service. However, because one of the two Caltrain tracks has only a side platform
, to remove Caltrain sets from service, passengers occasionally must disembark using this island platform.
The station is also a regional bus
transit hub with multiple bus bays served by several SamTrans
lines.
Millbrae Station has about 2,900 parking spaces, including a five-story parking garage and surrounding surface parking. Except for the marked Reserved Parking areas, most parking is currently $2/day from 4am-3pm on weekdays for up to 24 hours at a time, and all parking (including the weekday reserved) is free without time restrictions on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays that fall on Friday or Monday. Additionally, the Reserved Parking areas cost $2/day from 10am-3pm on weekdays. Like at other BART stations with paid parking, BART patrons can do parking validations and parking payments inside the BART paid area of the station. However, since Caltrain patrons may use the same parking spaces, there are also parking payment machines outside of the BART paid area of the station.
A free Library-a-Go-Go Peninsula Library System
library book vending machine was added in May 2011.
for BART on the San Francisco Peninsula
with service by the BART Richmond – Millbrae Line on weekdays and the BART Pittsburg/Bay Point – SFO/Millbrae line during weeknights and on weekends. There is currently direct connection provided to the airport, during the evenings and weekends of BART service each day. A timed transfer to an airport-bound BART train, however, is provided at the San Bruno Station
north of Millbrae during the day.
and San Francisco. Midday trains are hourly each way; service is more frequent during commute hours and for special events (such as San Francisco Giants
home games) and is less frequent at night. Service south of San Jose to Gilroy
is limited to three weekday commute-hour round trips.
. (The trip is now only available on from the station via taxicab or BART, costing $4.00 via the latter as of July 2009.)
In 1985 Caltrain service began at the original Millbrae depot, replacing Southern Pacific trains that had operated along the San Francisco Peninsula
since the early 20th century (see Peninsula Commute
). Caltrain moved to the new facility in spring 2003 and BART joined Caltrain at the new station on June 22, 2003, as part of the BART San Mateo County Extension project that extended BART service southward from Colma to Millbrae and San Francisco International Airport.
bus lines stop at the station, including:
The station is also served by the Burlingame Shuttle
, a local shuttle service serving nearby Burlingame
.
Grade separation
Grade separation is the method of aligning a junction of two or more transport axes at different heights so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other transit routes when they cross each other. The composition of such transport axes does not have to be uniform; it can consist of a...
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)
Bay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
and Caltrain
Caltrain
Caltrain is a California commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. The northern terminus of the rail line is in San Francisco, at 4th and King streets; its southern terminus is in Gilroy...
station located in suburban Millbrae, California
Millbrae, California
Millbrae is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, just west of San Francisco Bay, with San Bruno on the north and Burlingame on the south. The population was 21,532 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, in northern San Mateo County.
Description
Millbrae Station is the largest intermodalIntermodal passenger transport
Intermodal passenger transport involves more than one mode of transport of passengers. Some modes of transportation have always been intermodal; for example, most major airports have extensive facilities for automobile parking and have good rail or bus connections to the cities nearby. Urban bus...
terminal in the United States west of the Mississippi
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. It consists of three ground-level main tracks for BART
Bay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
and two for Caltrain
Caltrain
Caltrain is a California commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. The northern terminus of the rail line is in San Francisco, at 4th and King streets; its southern terminus is in Gilroy...
. An island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
provides a cross-platform connection
Cross-platform interchange
A cross-platform interchange is a type of interchange between different lines in a metro system. The term originates with the London Underground; such layouts exist in other networks but are not commonly so named...
between the two systems (for traveling north to San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
). An elevated concourse mezzanine is above the platforms. Currently two BART tracks and one island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
usually are kept out of regular service, used instead to hold train sets that are also out of service. However, because one of the two Caltrain tracks has only a side platform
Side platform
A Side platform is a platform positioned to the side of a pair of tracks at a railway station, a tram stop or a transitway. A pair of side platforms are often provided on a dual track line with a single side platform being sufficient for a single track line...
, to remove Caltrain sets from service, passengers occasionally must disembark using this island platform.
The station is also a regional bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
transit hub with multiple bus bays served by several SamTrans
SamTrans
SamTrans is a public transport agency in and around San Mateo, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It provides bus service throughout San Mateo County and into portions of San Francisco and Palo Alto...
lines.
Millbrae Station has about 2,900 parking spaces, including a five-story parking garage and surrounding surface parking. Except for the marked Reserved Parking areas, most parking is currently $2/day from 4am-3pm on weekdays for up to 24 hours at a time, and all parking (including the weekday reserved) is free without time restrictions on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays that fall on Friday or Monday. Additionally, the Reserved Parking areas cost $2/day from 10am-3pm on weekdays. Like at other BART stations with paid parking, BART patrons can do parking validations and parking payments inside the BART paid area of the station. However, since Caltrain patrons may use the same parking spaces, there are also parking payment machines outside of the BART paid area of the station.
A free Library-a-Go-Go Peninsula Library System
Peninsula Library System
The Peninsula Library System is the public library organization serving San Mateo County, California, United States, which forms the bulk of the region within the San Francisco Bay Area known as "The Peninsula"...
library book vending machine was added in May 2011.
BART service
The station is the terminal stationTerminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
for BART on the San Francisco Peninsula
San Francisco Peninsula
The San Francisco Peninsula is a peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area that separates the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. On its northern tip is the City and County of San Francisco. Its southern base is in Santa Clara County, including the cities of Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Mountain...
with service by the BART Richmond – Millbrae Line on weekdays and the BART Pittsburg/Bay Point – SFO/Millbrae line during weeknights and on weekends. There is currently direct connection provided to the airport, during the evenings and weekends of BART service each day. A timed transfer to an airport-bound BART train, however, is provided at the San Bruno Station
San Bruno (BART station)
San Bruno Station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit station located adjacent to the Tanforan shopping center in suburban San Bruno, California, in northern San Mateo County...
north of Millbrae during the day.
Caltrain service
The station has daily Caltrain commuter rail service along the north/south line between San JoseSan Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
and San Francisco. Midday trains are hourly each way; service is more frequent during commute hours and for special events (such as San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
home games) and is less frequent at night. Service south of San Jose to Gilroy
Gilroy, California
Gilroy is the southernmost city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 48,821 at the 2010 census. Gilroy is well-known for its garlic crop and for the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, featuring various garlicky foods, including garlic ice cream. Gilroy also produces...
is limited to three weekday commute-hour round trips.
CA High Speed Rail (proposed)
In recent years, California has started to plan a high-speed rail system. One of the stations would be Millbrae.History
The Southern Pacific Millbrae depot was on the southeast side of Millbrae Ave; the building now houses the Millbrae Train Museum that opened in 2004. Before the present Millbrae Intermodal Terminal was built for the BART San Mateo Extension terminus, Millbrae offered a free connection to a Caltrain shuttle bus between the station and nearby San Francisco International AirportSan Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
. (The trip is now only available on from the station via taxicab or BART, costing $4.00 via the latter as of July 2009.)
In 1985 Caltrain service began at the original Millbrae depot, replacing Southern Pacific trains that had operated along the San Francisco Peninsula
San Francisco Peninsula
The San Francisco Peninsula is a peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area that separates the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. On its northern tip is the City and County of San Francisco. Its southern base is in Santa Clara County, including the cities of Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Mountain...
since the early 20th century (see Peninsula Commute
Peninsula Commute
The Peninsula Commute, also known as the Southern Pacific Peninsula or just Peninsula, was the common name for historical commuter rail service between San Jose, California and San Francisco, California on the San Francisco Peninsula. This service ran as a private, for-profit enterprise beginning...
). Caltrain moved to the new facility in spring 2003 and BART joined Caltrain at the new station on June 22, 2003, as part of the BART San Mateo County Extension project that extended BART service southward from Colma to Millbrae and San Francisco International Airport.
Transit connections
Several SamTransSamTrans
SamTrans is a public transport agency in and around San Mateo, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It provides bus service throughout San Mateo County and into portions of San Francisco and Palo Alto...
bus lines stop at the station, including:
- 359 - weekday peak periods service to Foster CityFoster City, CaliforniaFoster City is an affluent planned city located in San Mateo County, California, 94404. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 30,567. Forbes ranked Foster City #10 on their 2009 list of America's Top 25 Towns to Live Well. Money has also recognized Foster City multiple times as...
via Hillsdale Blvd, Foster City Civic Center, Beachpark Shopping Center, Downtown Foster City, and Beach Park Blvd. - 390 - daily local service along the El Camino Real corridor to Daly City BARTDaly City (BART station)Daly City Station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit station located in extreme northern San Mateo County, California, in suburban Daly City, less than one block outside the San Francisco city and county limits. Interstate 280 and California Route 1 run along the immediate west side of the station...
(northbound) and Palo Alto CaltrainPalo Alto (Caltrain station)Palo Alto Station is the main train station in Palo Alto, California. It is a regional transit center serving Santa Clara County and San Mateo County Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority transit bus passengers as well as Caltrain commuters. Palo Alto is also one of the busiest stations in...
(southbound) - 391 - daily local service along the El Camino Real corridor to Mission & Evergreen/Acton (San Francisco, northbound) and Redwood City Caltrain (southbound), with weekday peak period services to and from Transbay TerminalSan Francisco Transbay TerminalSan Francisco Transbay Transit Terminal, or simply Transbay Terminal, was a transportation complex in San Francisco, California, USA, located roughly in the center of the rectangle bounded north–south by Mission Street and Howard Street, and east–west by Beale Street and 2nd Street...
(Main & Folsom in San Francisco) via Mission Street and South Van Ness Avenue. - 397 - daily owl service to Transbay Terminal (San Francisco, northbound) and Palo Alto Caltrain (southbound) via Mission Street, Potrero Blvd, Bayshore Blvd, San Francisco International AirportSan Francisco International AirportSan Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
, the El Camino Real Corridor (between Millbrae and Redwood City Caltrain), Middlefield Rd, and East Palo AltoEast Palo Alto, CaliforniaEast Palo Alto is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States.-Overview:As of the 2010 census, the population of East Palo Alto was 28,155. It is situated on the San Francisco Peninsula, roughly halfway between the cities of San Francisco and San Jose...
.
The station is also served by the Burlingame Shuttle
Burlingame Shuttle
The Burlingame Shuttle is a bus service provided by the city of Burlingame, California and links the city's major shopping and employment areas with the Millbrae Station. The service was initiated by the city to replace bus previously provided by SamTrans which largely abandoned the city due to...
, a local shuttle service serving nearby Burlingame
Burlingame, California
Burlingame is a city in San Mateo County, California. It is located on the San Francisco Peninsula and has a significant shoreline on San Francisco Bay. The city is named after diplomat Anson Burlingame. It is renowned for its many surviving examples of Victorian architecture, its affluence, and...
.