TheVTA light rail system servesSan Jose and nearby cities inSanta Clara County, California. It is operated by theSanta Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and has 42.2 miles (67.9 km) of network comprising three main lines onstandard gauge tracks. Originally opened on December 11, 1987, thelight rail system has expanded since then, and currently has 60 stations in operation.
The light rail system has been criticized for beingone of the least used in the United States (an average of 301 boardings per mile on weekdays, Q2 2025) and the most heavily subsidized ($9.30 per passenger trip). VTA leaders have admitted that building light rail was a poor match with adjoining land uses.[citation needed] The system's average weekday daily ridership as of the second quarter of 2025 is 12,700 passengers and saw a total of 4,914,100 trips in 2024.
VTA operates 42.2 miles (67.9 km) of light rail route on 3 lines. All the lines and the corridors they run through are designed to move passengers from the suburban areas of Santa Clara Valley into the major business areas inDowntown, the Santa Clara County Civic Center, and northernSilicon Valley, site of many high-tech company offices.
Light Rail also serves to connect travelers to other transportation systems at several key points:Diridon station offers connections toCaltrain,ACE, Amtrak'sCoast Starlight, theCapitol Corridor trains;Milpitas station offers a connection to theBART system; andMetro/Airport station offers a connection to theSan Jose International Airport viaVTA Bus route 60.
The system is mostly double-tracked with overhead catenary wires. It variously runs along the medians of former railroad rights of way, freeways and surface streets, and pedestrian malls.
| Line name | Length | Stations | Termini | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western/Northern | Eastern/Southern | |||
| 17 mi (27 km) | 26 | Baypointe | Santa Teresa | |
| 13.9 mi (22.4 km) | 26 | Old Ironsides | Winchester | |
| 15.8 mi (25.4 km) | 26 | Downtown Mountain View | Alum Rock | |
The Almaden shuttle was a 3-stop spur from theOhlone/Chynoweth station toAlmaden station at theAlmaden Expressway in theAlmaden Valley. The shuttle, which ran a single 1-car train, took about 4 minutes to travel between Ohlone/Chynoweth and Almaden. This line had one track, with sidings at Almaden and Ohlone/Chynoweth. The line was discontinued in December 2019 and replaced by bus service.[5]
The Commuter Express service operated along the same route as the current Blue Line betweenBaypointe andSanta Teresa stations, with nonstop service betweenConvention Center andOhlone/Chynoweth stations. This weekday, peak-period service offered three trips in the morning and three trips in the evening. The service was introduced in October 2010 and was eliminated in August 2018 because of low ridership.
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Sometimes, in the winter, VTA operates a seasonalvintage trolley service called theHolly Trolley.[10][11] This trolley, a joint project of the VTA and theCalifornia Trolley and Railroad Corporation, began operations in December 2012.[12] As of December 2018, it operated betweenCivic Center and theSan Jose Caltrain stations.[8] However, for the 2019 season, it only operated between Civic Center andConvention Center station (VTA) stations.[13]
Although Holly Trolley service was suspended during theCOVID-19 pandemic, in November 2024, it was announced that the Holly Trolley will return for the 2024 season. On December 21, 22, 28, and 29, the Holly Trolley operated on the Holly Trolley's route fromCivic Center toConvention Center stations. The exact schedule will depend on the weather, since the streetcar cannot operate in the rain.[14] The car that will be used, Car 2001, was originally built in 1928 for use on thetram network in Milan, Italy, where it was used until it was donated to San Jose by the Italian government in the 1980s.[15] This will be the first time since 2018 that Car 2001 has operated.[14]
Unusually for light rail systems in the United States, most VTA Light Rail stops aremade by request. Similar to VTA's bus network, passengers must be visible to the operator while waiting at stations and must notify the operator using the bell before the train arrives at their destination. Trains will typically skip stops (other than line termini) if no one is waiting on the platform and no one requests to disembark.[16]
Lines run for 20 hours per day on weekdays, withheadways of 15 minutes for most of the day. On weekends, the train runs at 20-minute headways throughout the day. After around 8 pm on weekdays and 7 pm on weekends, trains run at 30 to 60-minute headways. The light rail frequency does not meet VTA's definition of "frequent service."[17]
Santa Clara County began planning for a light rail system in the mid-1970s,[18] after the successful development of theSan Diego Trolley and amid a surge in light rail construction in mid-sized cities nationwide (Buffalo,Denver,Portland andSacramento also built systems at the same time).[19]
The county received $2 million from the federal government in 1982 to fund the preliminary engineering phase for the County’s first light rail line.[20] The operation of the line and some of the construction costs would be funded by a half-centsales tax for atransit district voters in Santa Clara county had approved in 1976. The light rail proposal was championed by County SupervisorRod Diridon Sr. and CongressmanNorman Mineta.[21]
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The first phase, then called the Guadalupe Line, broke ground in October 1986 and opened for revenue service on time[22] on December 11, 1987, running betweenOld Ironsides station (near theGreat America theme park and Silicon Valley office parks) and a temporary Civic Center station at First and Younger (near thejunction to VTA's Guadalupe Divisionrail yard on Younger).[23][24] The second phase opened about six months later on June 17, 1988 and extended the rails south from a permanentCivic Center station (replacing the temporary First and Younger station) through atransit mall inDowntown San Jose toConvention Center station. The third phase opened on August 17, 1990, extending rails into the median ofCalifornia State Route 87 (Guadalupe Freeway) toTamien station, adding the first connection toCaltrain. The fourth and final phase of the Guadalupe Line added rails in the median ofCalifornia State Route 85 (West Valley Freeway) to a terminus atSanta Teresa station just off the freeway inSouth San Jose. Originally projected to be completed in late 1988, it was delayed for a two-year review and opened on April 25, 1991, with a scaled-down interchange between State Routes 85 and 87 and more sound walls. At the same time, the now abandonedAlmaden spur line opened.[23][25][22]
The system's first major expansion,Tasman West, opened in 1999, extending the rails from the northern end of the Guadalupe line toMountain View.[26]
In May 2001, the first phase of theTasman East extension opened, connecting the Tasman West line toMilpitas.[27][28] NewKinki Sharyolow-floor light rail vehicles were introduced to this line the following year. Phase two of the Tasman East and the Capitol extension, completed in 2004, brought service east to theGreat Mall of the Bay Area and theAlum Rock Transit Center.[26]
On October 1, 2005, the first phase of theVasona extension was completed, extending the system from downtown San Jose throughSan Jose Diridon station to theWinchester Transit Center along a formerUnion Pacific Railroad right of way.[26]
The agency had ambitious plans to expand the light rail system, which have mostly been canceled. The Capitol Expressway extension would have extended the system 8 miles (13 km) south from Alum Rock station to Capitol station,[29] the second phase of the Vasona extension would have extended the system 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south from Winchester station to the line's namesake Vasona Junction, and the Santa Clara / Alum Rock extension would have added 4 miles (6.4 km) of track along the busy Santa Clara Street.[30] Of these, only the Capitol Expressway extension (currently known as the Eastridge to BART Regional Connector) has gone forward, with construction on the 2.5 mile (4.0 km) extension beginning in June 2024. Phase 2 of the Vasona Extension has been cancelled,[31] and the Santa Clara / Alum Rock extension became abus rapid transit line, Rapid 522.[32] No new lines have been added to the system since 2005.
The system received a major reconfiguration in 2019 and 2020, coinciding with the completion of theSilicon Valley BART extension. The Orange Line was established between Mountain View,Milpitas (the new BART station), and Alum Rock, the Blue Line was truncated at Baypointe, and the Almaden Shuttle line was discontinued entirely and replaced with a new bus route.[33]
On May 26, 2021,a mass shooting occurred at the VTA light rail yard (Guadalupe Division). Ten people, including the gunman, were killed during the shooting, the deadliest in the history of theSan Francisco Bay Area.[34] As a result of the shooting, the entire light rail system was shut down for months.[35][36] The system partially restarted on August 30, 2021,[37] and fully restarted on September 18, 2021.[38]
| Corridor | Map color | Opened | Terminus 1 | Terminus 2 | Length | Stations | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Guadalupe Phase 1 | December 11, 1987 | Old Ironsides | Civic Center[a] | 6.8 mi (10.9 km) | 12 | [41] | |
| Guadalupe Phase 2 | June 17, 1988 | Civic Center | Convention Center | 1.8 mi (2.9 km) | 5 | [42] | ||
| Guadalupe Phase 3 | August 17, 1990 | Convention Center | Tamien | 1.6 mi (2.6 km) | 3 | [43] | ||
| Guadalupe Phase 4 | April 25, 1991 | Tamien | Santa Teresa | 8.6 mi (13.8 km) | 8 | [44] | ||
| Almaden Spur | April 25, 1991[b] | Ohlone/Chynoweth | Almaden | 1.1 mi (1.8 km) | 2 | |||
| Tasman West | December 17, 1999 | Old Ironsides | Mountain View | 7.6 mi (12.2 km) | 16[c] | [45][46] | ||
| Tasman East Phase 1 | May 2001 | Baypointe | I-880/Milpitas | 1.9 mi (3.1 km) | 2 | |||
| Tasman East Phase 2 | June 24, 2004 | I-880/Milpitas | Hostetter | 2.9 mi (4.7 km) | 4 | [47] | ||
| Capitol | Hostetter | Alum Rock | 3.5 mi (5.6 km) | 4 | ||||
| Vasona | October 1, 2005 | Convention Center | Winchester | 5.3 mi (8.5 km) | 8 | [48] | ||
| Eastridge | (2029) | Alum Rock | Eastridge | 2.4 mi (3.9 km) | 2 | [49][50] |
VTA's light rail system has been criticized for being one of the least used in the United States, and consequently one of the most heavily subsidized.
A 2019 report by the Civil Grand Jury of Santa Clara County compared VTA and its light rail system to other transit operators with light rail systems that served comparably sized areas. They found that the VTA served 24.3 passenger trips per revenue hour, making it the second least effective transit system of the group. In terms of efficiency, VTA had the highest cost per passenger trip ($9.30) and the second-highest increase in costs (65%). Comparing the light rail systems alone, VTA had the lowestfarebox recovery (9.3%) in the peer group.
The Grand Jury also found that VTA had failed to “accurately estimate the ongoing operating and capital costs of maintaining the light-rail system,” concluding that that failure, “has led, in part, to (the agency's) recurring financial deficits.” The VTA has said that the operating costs could be cut in half and farebox recovery doubled if a bus-only system were deployed.[51]
Two of VTA's former board chairs, Teresa O’Neill andSam Liccardo said they agreed with many of the report’s criticisms, and placed the blame on poor planning by the agency in the 1980s and poor land-use decisions in the years since the system was built out. Along much of the light rail routes, trains do not serve densely populated areas but instead run past single-story office buildings, single-family homes and empty lots. Both Liccardo and O’Neill have advocated for replacing light rail with alternative technologies, like autonomous electric buses, that could be less expensive to operate.[52]
As part of its findings, the Grand Jury recommended the VTA board to abandon its plans for an extension of the Orange Line to the Eastridge Transit Center (see:Capitol Expressway extension section). TheUS$453 million project would attract approximately 611 new riders (after considering the reduction in ridership on the existing parallel bus lines). The board rejected that recommendation saying that the project had been approved by voters.[53]
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From 1987 when the system was launched until September 2003, the system was served by a fleet of high-floor light rail vehicles (LRVs) built byUrban Transportation Development Corporation and designated asALRV.[54] The first car arrived in March 1987.[55]Accessibility for disabled riders was provided bywheelchair lifts at each station.[55] The original high-floor fleet was leased to investors (for a 33-year term, starting in 1998), and then subleased back to VTA. In May 2003, VTA sub-subleased the UTDC LRVs to other light rail operators for an initial 13-year term, with a renewal term of 9 years; VTA retains responsibility for LRV operation, maintenance, and insurance.[56] 29 were sent to theUtah Transit Authority (UTA, $5.2 million rental payments),[57] and 21 were sent to theSacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT, $4.1 million rental payments). In September 2013, RT exercised its option to purchase the 21 sub-leased vehicles at $1,000 each.[58] UTA subsequently exercised its purchase option for the 29 sub-leased vehicles in 2017.[59] 28 of the UTA vehicles, renumbered 1042–1069, were sold at auction on December 26, 2017.[60] The UTA cars were withdrawn from service in 2018.
In 2002, VTA introduced a fleet of 100 newKinki Sharyolow-floor LRVs. The Kinki Sharyo LRVs are equipped with a low floor over 70% of the passenger area at 14 in (356 mm) above top-of-rail (ATOR), with the remaining high-floor area 35 in (889 mm) ATOR; up to three LRVs may be coupled into a single train.[61] The low-floor LRVs initially operated only on the Tasman West line (Downtown Mountain View toI-880/Milpitas), because their floor height only matched the 14-inch (356 mm)[62] platform height along that line. After VTA reconstructed platforms along North First Street from the Japantown/Ayer stop northward (with wooden ramps provided for the lead car's front door elsewhere), VTA replaced the entire fleet in 2003 with low-floor LRVs. Currently, all stations provide level boarding at all doors. Trains are usually coupled in two LRV consists, which was reduced to one during theCOVID-19 pandemic, but has since been restored to two cars.
| Model | UTDC high-floor/ALRV[54][63] | Kinki Sharyo low-floor[61] |
|---|---|---|
| Image |  | .jpg) |
| Status | Retired 2003 | In service |
| Car numbers | 801–850 | 900–999 |
| Years built | 1985–1987 | 2001–2005 |
| Length (over couplers) | 88 ft 6 in (26.97 m) | 90 ft (27 m) |
| Width | 8 ft 8 in (2.64 m) | 8.67 ft (2.64 m) |
| Height | 12 ft 5 in (3.78 m) | 11.08 ft (3.38 m) |
| Weight | 98,700 lb (44,800 kg) | 99,980 lb (45,350 kg) |
| Axles/ articulation | 6/1 | 6/2 |
| Motors | 4×190 hp (140 kW), 2 per powered truck | |
| Capacity | 67 seated 155 standing | 64 seated 170 standing |
| Max Speed | 55 mph (89 km/h) | 62 mph (100 km/h) |
| Acceleration | 4.4 ft/s2 (1.34 m/s2) | |
| Deceleration | 5.1 ft/s2 (1.56 m/s2) | |
On March 21, 2008, at approximately 7:10 p.m., a southbound 2-car light rail train derailed just north of theVirginia station. Four people, including the train operator, were injured, and the train was heavily damaged. At the time of the accident, trains were operating on a single track through the area because of construction at three nearby light rail stations. The train involved was attempting to switch between tracks when it derailed. VTA ruled out mechanical or equipment failure as a cause for the accident.[64] An investigation indicated human error ("the train traveling southbound stopped over the switch and reversed, which are violations of operating rules").[65]
On May 26, 2021, amass shooting occurred at a VTArail yard inSan Jose, California. Ten people, including the gunman, were killed during the shooting.[66][67][68][69] It is the deadliest mass shooting in the history of theSan Francisco Bay Area.[34] As a result of the shooting, service was suspended indefinitely across the light rail system[35] and returned in stages throughout August and September.[70]
The system was initially envisioned as a loop and spoke system, with commuters riding a circular outer route before transferring to radial lines to reach their destinations. With about 40% of the original plans realized as of 2023[update], future developments are expected to complete the outer loop. Service may be extended along theMayfield Cutoff and Vasona Industrial Lead to connect the western segments of the system.[18]
The Eastridge to Bart Regional Connector (formerly known as the Capitol Expressway extension) light rail extension will extend the Orange Line south of theAlum Rock Transit Center to theEastridge Transit Center alongCapitol Expressway.[50] Tracks will lay on an elevated median starting just south of Alum Rock station before becoming at-grade near the end of the extension. The project is a truncated segment of the original plan to run rails for the full length of Capitol Expressway to interchange with the original Guadalupe Line.[49][50]
The extension will include two new stations: an elevated station atStory Road and a street-level station at the Eastridge Transit Center. (A third station, Ocala, was proposed, but was dropped from the final plans.) Both stations will feature public art, and the Story station will include a pedestrian bridge.
TheUS$453 million project was criticized in a 2019 report by the Civil Grand Jury of Santa Clara County (see:Criticism section). The Grand Jury recommended the VTA board to abandon the extension because the project would attract approximately 611 new riders (after considering the reduction in ridership on the existing parallel bus lines). The board rejected that recommendation saying that the project had been approved by voters.[71]
VTA approved the finalenvironmental impact statement of this segment in June 2019.[72] With the project setbacks and limited funding, the line eventually started pre-construction activities in early 2021. It also got fully funded in early 2023 from a $46 million state grant.[73] A groundbreaking was held on June 8th, 2024, with passenger service planned for 2029.
The light rail segment from Ohlone/Chynoweth to Oakridge will be discontinued and will now be served by Route 64a.
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