Getting around San Mateo County just got better.

SamTrans will implement the third set of service changes from its Reimagine SamTrans plan on February 11, 2024.

Some exciting highlights:  
  • Experience EPX, the brand-new electric express bus route that will make stops in East Palo Alto, Redwood City, SFO Airport, San Bruno, and San Francisco.  

  • Enhancing weekend frequency on Route ECR, ensuring service every 15 minutes seven days a week!  

  • Consolidating and relocating bus stops on El Camino Real to provide a faster, more reliable bus trip.   

  • Increasing service on Route 110 to every 30 minutes on weekdays.   

  • Reducing the fare on Route FCX to a local fare cost!  

  • Adjusting schedules on multiple routes to improve on time performance.   

  • Deleting Route 398, though riders can use alternate routes like EPX, ECR, Caltrain and BART. 

Introducing new limited-stop Route EPX 

Experience EPX, the brand-new electric express bus route that will make stops in East Palo Alto, Redwood City, San Bruno, and San Francisco (route 398 will be replaced in part by this service).  

New Route EPX will operate every 45 minutes all day on weekdays between East Palo Alto and San Bruno. Two trips in the morning and two trips in the afternoon will extend to downtown San Francisco. Route EPX will use new battery electric buses and operate in the express lanes on US-101 to move more quickly and reliably up and down the Peninsula. Riders will pay a local fare only. 

Learn More about EPX

Route EPX Map 02-11-2024_rev

 

Enhancing Weekend Service and Consolidating Bus Stops on Route ECR 

Route ECR is SamTrans’ highest ridership route, carrying almost one-third of all daily SamTrans riders. We’re investing in Route ECR to make your ride better.

  • We've added more service on weekends; a bus every 15 minutes instead of every 20 minutes.  

  • Route ECR will now operate every 15 minutes between 6:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. seven days a week.  

  • We have rebalanced bus stops to increase reliability along El Camino and make your trip faster.  This means consolidating and relocating bus stops that are under-used or close to other stops. Some riders need to walk or roll to a different stop than they are used to. Read more about bus stop balancing here.

Find your ECR stop for your city here

  • The stops being removed are only being removed for ECR and ECRO routes. If there are other routes serving these stops, they will continue to do so (unless it’s the 398, of course!).
  • There are signs at the existing stops being closed or relocated that indicate the next closest ECR stop/the new location
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Increasing Service on Route 110

SamTrans will add service in the midday periods on weekdays on Route 110 between Linda Mar/Pacifica and Daly City BART. This will bring the service to 30-minutes frequency. Check new schedules for trip times. 

Eliminating Route 398 

As part of Reimagine SamTrans, Route 398 will be deleted and replaced by new and existing service. The resources used to operate 398 will allow SamTrans to improve or add new service including Route EPX. Riders may use the following alternate routes based on the start and end points of their trip: 

  • Use Route ECR between Redwood City and Hillsdale on El Camino Real. 
  • Use Route EPX between Redwood City and SFO/downtown San Francisco. 
  • Use Route 292 or Caltrain between Hillsdale and SFO/downtown San Francisco. 
  • Use Route FCX between 101/3rd St and downtown San Francisco.
  • Use Route 292 or BART at Millbrae Transit Center between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and downtown San Francisco. 

Learn more on Schedule Updates

Eliminating Express Fare

Starting January 1, 2024, riders who take our express routes will benefit from lower fares that match those of local fares. A fare upgrade will no longer be required when transferring to an Express Route. Come back or give FCX a try to see how it works for your commute.  

The San Mateo County Transit District Board of Directors approved new SamTrans fare policies at its December 2023 meeting. The changes will simplify the fare structure, add new options and benefits for riders, and reduce the amount paid by passengers. 

 

Adjusting Schedules

Explore our adjusted schedules to get you where you need to be. Use the Rider’s digest for a quick overview or choose your route below.  

What is bus stop balancing? 

Bus stop balancing is the strategic consolidation and relocation of bus stops to make the route faster and more efficient. Some bus stops that are near to others or far underused will be closed. Some bus stops will be relocated to balance the stop spacing and help our Transit Signal Priority system function.  

How does this affect riders? 

Most riders are not affected at all, but some riders will need to move to an alternate stop. 95% of ECR riders will be unaffected by these changes or need to walk 5 minutes or less to a new stop.  

How was this decision made? 

The idea of doing “bus stop balancing” was studied in Reimagine SamTrans and the El Camino Real Bus Speed & Reliability Study. In a Reimagine SamTrans customer survey, 70% of riders told us they would be willing to walk a little further for a faster trip. The service design scenario that included bus stop balancing and increased service on Route ECR was the most supported alternative in the Reimagine SamTrans outreach process. The SamTrans Board of Directors reviewed and approved a bus stop balancing program for ECR in both Reimagine SamTrans (March 2022) and the El Camino Real Bus Speed & Reliability Study (December 2022). 

Route Approved Changes Implemented in Phase 1 (August and November 2022) Approved Changes Implemented in Phase 2 (June 2023) Approved Changes
Implemented in Phase 3 (February 2023)
Approved Future Changes Phase and Timing To Be Determined
ECR Routing changes

No changes

 

Increase frequency on weekends

Bus stop balancing/consolidation

No additional changes planned 
ECR OWL New route name for overnight trips (route ECR Owl) No changes No changes  No additional changes planned 
EPX Route not operating Route not operating Launch new route Potential for route optimization 
FCX No changes No changes Increased frequency on weekdays  
FLX Pacifica Eliminate route -- --  
SFO Eliminate route -- --  
110 Routing changes (removal of Longview deviation, incorporate Linda Mar loop) 
School trips operated as new route 10 
No changes Increased frequency on weekdays and weekends Increased frequency on weekends 
112 Routing changes (truncate route at Sharp Park) 
School trips operated as new route 12 
No changes No changes No additional changes planned 
117 New route number (route 117) 
Routing changes 
Increased frequency on weekends 
No changes No Changes No additional changes planned 
118 Route not operating Route not operating

 
Route not operating

Reinstate route 
Route alignment changes (removal of Colma BART) 

 
Increased frequency on weekdays 

120 No changes No changes No changes Increased frequency on weekend evenings 
121 Routing changes 

Extend service hours on weekdays

Increased frequency on weekdays and weekends

Extend service hours on weekend evenings

No additional changes planned No additional changes planned 
122 No changes No changes No changes planned No changes planned
130 Routing changes (removal of Sickles loop; extend route to Oyster Point Marina 
Increased frequency on weekends 
No changes No changes Extend service hours on weekend evenings 
138

New route number (route 138) 

Routing changes 

No changes No changes No additional changes planned 
140 Eliminate Route -- --  
141

Routing changes

Extended service hours on weekdays

School trips operating as new routes 40 and 41
No changes No changes Extend service hours on weekdays and weekends in evenings 
142 Implement new route No changes No changes No additional changes planned
249 Route not operating Route not operating Launch new route Launch new route 
250 Routing changes (new routing on Franklin Parkway and W Hillsdale) 
Operate school trips as new route 50 
No changes
No changes Increase frequency on weekdays and weekends 
251 Routing changes 
Operate school trips as new route 51 
No changes No changes Add new Sunday service 
256 Eliminate route -- --  
260 Routing changes  No changes

 

No changes


 

Increased frequency on weekdays 

Add new Sunday service 

270 No changes No changes No changes  No changes planned 
274 Eliminate route -- --  
275 Eliminate route (consolidate with route 278) -- --  
276 Route not operating Reinstate route


No changes

Increased weekday frequencies 

Add new weekend service 

278 Increased weekday frequencies
Add new Sunday service
Extended service hours on weekdays and weekends

No changes 

Increased weekday frequencies 
280 No changes  

Route alignment changes 

 

Reduce frequency

No changes No additional changes planned 
281 No changes  

Route alignment changes (extend to Stanford University)

 

Increased weekday and weekend frequencies

 

Extend service hours on Sundays

 

No changes No additional changes planned 
286

Routing changes

Renamed to route 86

No changes No changes No additional changes planned
292 Routing changes No changes

Bus stop balancing/consolidation

Schedule adjustments

Bus stop balancing/consolidation 

Schedule adjustments 

294 Routing changes
Increased frequency on weekdays
No changes No changes No additional changes planned
295 Routing changes
Increased weekday frequency
Extend service hours on weekdays No changes Add new weekend service 
296 Routing changes No changes No changes Increased frequency on weekdays and weekends
296 OWL New route name for overnight trips on 296 (route 296 Owl) No changes No changes No additional changes planned 
397 No changes No changes No changes No additional changes planned
398 Reduced frequency No changes Eliminate route  
Route Approved Changes Implemented in Phase 1 (August 2022 Approved Changes Implemented in Phase 2 (June 2023) Approved Future Changes – Phase and Timing To Be Determined
Half Moon Bay On-Demand Service Service not operating Launch new service No changes planned, evaluation ongoing
East Palo Alto On-Demand Service Service not operating Launch new service No changes planned, evaluation ongoing
Please check schedules for all routes you use. The following routes will have updated schedules as of February 11, 2024.  

110 - Weekday buses will run every 30 minutes instead of every 30 minutes in the peak and 60 minutes in the midday. Weekday and weekend trips will be adjusted to improve on-time performance. 

120 - Weekday and weekend trips will be adjusted to improve on-time performance. 

121 - Weekday trips in the morning and evening commuting times will be adjusted to improve on-time performance. 

130 - Weekday and weekend trips will be adjusted to improve on-time performance. 

142 - Weekday and weekend trips will be adjusted to improve on-time performance. 

250 - Weekday and weekend trips will be adjusted to improve on-time performance. 

251 - Weekday and weekend trips will be adjusted to improve on-time performance.  

270 - Weekday trips will be adjusted to improve on-time performance. 

278 - Weekday trips will be adjusted to improve on-time performance. 

281 - Weekday and weekend trips will be adjusted to improve on-time performance. 

295 - Weekday trips will be adjusted to improve on-time performance. 

296 - Weekday and weekend trips will be adjusted to improve on-time performance. 

296 OWL - Weekday and weekend trips will be adjusted to improve on-time performance. 

398 - This route will be discontinued and replaced by existing/new service. The resources used to operate Route 398 will allow SamTrans to improve or add new service. ECR - Weekday and weekend trips will be adjusted to improve on-time performance and weekend service will increase to every 15 minutes instead of every 20 minutes. 

Some bus stops that are underused or close to other stops will no longer be served or relocated. Consolidating the bus stops will increase reliability along the El Camino corridor and make your trip faster. With this change, some riders may need to use a different stop than their regular one. See signs at stops. 

In March 2022, the SamTrans Board of Directors approved a set of changes to the SamTrans bus network through a project known as Reimagine SamTrans. This new network was crafted after careful consideration of what we heard from the public, from over 200 outreach meetings and thousands of comments and survey responses over the course of two and a half years.

We are now using this valuable input to implement a new, streamlined bus network with:

  • Brand new routes and connections
  • Faster and more direct routes
  • Simpler, easier to understand routes
  • Continually improving frequency

Phases 1 and 2 of Reimagine SamTrans implementation included new routes, consolidated routes and a small number of eliminated routes. 

  • Route 130, now more frequent 7 days per week, provides new connections into Oyster Point and the East of 101 area in South San Francisco. 
  • Routes 251 and 256 were consolidated into Route 251 in Foster City and San Mateo.
  • Local routes 274, 275, and 278 were consolidated into Route 278 with new Sunday service. 
  • Route 280 is streamlined with connections provided by SamTrans’ new microtransit service called Ride Plus.
  • Route 281 now operates with more frequency and connects directly into the Stanford University campus.
  • Route 276 is back with a new route near Marsh Road and Stanford’s Redwood City campus.
  • SamTrans Ride Plus is operating in East Palo Alto/Belle Haven and in the mid-Coastside (Half Moon Bay and El Granada.)

But it doesn't stop there.

Future phases of implementation will include:

  • Improved frequency on 15 routes systemwide
  • More service on weekends and during midday or evening times on 10 routes
  • New routes to San Mateo County community colleges
  • Bus stop balancing and consolidation to improve speed and reliability on bus routes like Route ECR 

SamTrans is recruiting additional bus operators so we can implement the full Reimagine SamTrans service vision! Come join us to help deliver these exciting new services. Interested in becoming a bus operator? Click here.


What to Expect Next After Phase 1 and 2

You may be asking, what changes are still to come for my route?

Reimagine SamTrans calls for more bus service in San Mateo County. Phase 1 of implementing Reimagine SamTrans occurred in August 2022 and Phase 2 in June 2023, and included only some of the changes approved in the full plan. Additional approved changes, including new routes, frequency enhancements, and expanded hours and days of service, will occur in future phases.

An overview of the Phases 1 and 2 and Future Phase changes for each route is available below. More detail on the changes for each route can be found in appendix E of the final Reimagine SamTrans plan, available for download from this webpage: https://www.samtrans.com/planning/reimagine-samtrans/resources

When will these additional changes be made?

SamTrans strives to deliver these improvements as soon as possible. However, the timing of these phases is dependent on SamTrans’ available number of bus operators and will require us to hire and train additional staff to deliver the service improvements. 

Note that SamTrans adjusts service up to four times per year (February, June, August and November). More detail on the timing of future service changes will be made available as we approach these planned dates. Please check back!