Commute from North San Jose to Palo Alto (San Mateo, Milpitas: lease, living in)

[pismo_pismo]

Hi,

I'm currently living in North San Jose (close to Milpitas).
I recently got a new job in Palo Alto (around page mill /el camino real).
I wanted to get to my office by 10:00am. I left my place at 9:30 and used 101 to get there, but it was too slow and it took 40 minutes to get there.
Today, it took almost 50 minutes!

I wanted to know if there's better commute option other than using 101. I thought about taking 237 or something if it's any better.
Also my work schedule is pretty flexible so I can leave a little earlier or later if it makes better, but I'm such a night owl and it's hard for me to get up earlier than 8...

Thanks!

[humboldtrat]

How bad do you want to keep this job? Learn to show up to work on time. And there is no faster route to work. Traffic in the south bay is bad everywhere. Get use to it.

[pismo_pismo]

Thanks for your reply. Luckily, my work hour is flexible and I can choose my work time, so I wasn't "late for work" due to the morning commute.
Yeah, I guess I'll try to be used to it and wait until my lease ends so that I can move closer to work.

[sonarrat]

The commute on 237 runs late out of Milpitas.. it's actually worse after 9 am than before, if you can believe it. VTA runs the 104 express bus which does what you need, but it leaves the Berryessa/Milpitas area quite early. The last one is gone by 7 am.

[jaypee]

Central Expressway?

[kdog]

Get a motorcycle. I used to commute from south San Jose (Almaden) to San Mateo every day, 47 miles each way in 45 minutes, rain or shine.

[pismo_pismo]

Sonarrat and Jaypee,
Thanks for the useful info. I talked to my colleagues and have been recommended 280 or Central Expressway instead of 101. I tried Central Expressway and it was relatively stressless! I liked it better although 101 might be faster when it's empty (and it was empty a little after 10am yesterday).

Kdog,
Wow, that's nice! I wanted to try motorcycle commuting but my hubby didn't like the idea at all. =(

[silverkris]

Originally Posted by pismo_pismo

Sonarrat and Jaypee,
Thanks for the useful info. I talked to my colleagues and have been recommended 280 or Central Expressway instead of 101. I tried Central Expressway and it was relatively stressless! I liked it better although 101 might be faster when it's empty (and it was empty a little after 10am yesterday).

Kdog,
Wow, that's nice! I wanted to try motorcycle commuting but my hubby didn't like the idea at all. =(

280 seems a bit far out of the way for you if you live in Milpitas or Berryessa...

[pismo_pismo]

Originally Posted by silverkris

280 seems a bit far out of the way for you if you live in Milpitas or Berryessa...

Thanks for your reply.
Yes it is, I actually didn't try 280 for commute. I need to go south on 880 then get on 280, so it feels like a bit of waste of time. And it looks like (on google map) it's always congested around Cupertino.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by pismo_pismo

Thanks for your reply.
Yes it is, I actually didn't try 280 for commute. I need to go south on 880 then get on 280, so it feels like a bit of waste of time. And it looks like (on google map) it's always congested around Cupertino.

Yes, 280 can be nasty going through the Los Altos Hills and Cupertino, and 880 has its own problems as well. (It wasn't long ago, though, it was only 2 lanes each direction!!)