SamTrans is one of two public transportation providers operated by the San Mateo County Transit District, the other being Caltrain. It provides local and intercounty services between San Mateo, San Francisco, and northern Santa Clara Counties, as well as connections to BART and Caltrain stations, San Francisco International Airport, shopping centers, hospitals, and coastal communities in San Mateo County.
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Route Descriptions
SamTrans operates nearly 80 bus routes in San Mateo County, with a few services (Routes KX, 120, 121, 122, 292, and 397) continuing on to San Francisco. Six routes operate via San Francisco International Airport (Routes ECR Owl, KX, 140, 292, 397, and 398), and almost all routes operate through the county's BART and Caltrain stations. It also operates several shuttle services in collaboration with Commute.org, San Mateo County Transportation Authority, and multiple governmental and non-profit agencies that provide additional passenger services on top of the regular bus services.
Base Location |
Operator |
Bus Types |
Routes |
San Francisco |
MV Transportation |
NABI 436 (141 to 154) Gillig BRT 40-footer (450 to 490) |
ECR, KX, 122, 292, 397, 399 |
North (San Bruno) |
SamTrans |
NABI 436 (124 to 140) Gillig BRT 40-footer (400 to 431) Gillig BRT 35-footer (520 to 528) Gillig BRT Hybrid 40' (700 to 712) Gillig BRT 40-footer (900 to 910) Gillig LF30 (2950 to 2955) |
ECR, ECR Rapid, 110, 112, 118, 120, 121, 130, 140, 141, select school routes |
South (San Carlos) |
SamTrans |
NABI 436 (100 to 123) Gillig BRT 40-footer (432 to 449) Gillig BRT 35-footer (500 to 519) Gillig BRT Hybrid 40' (713 to 724) Gillig BRT 40-footer (911 to 920) Gillig LF30 (2956 to 2961) |
ECR, ECR Rapid, 250, 251, 256, 260, 270, 274, 275, 276, 278, 280, 281, 294, 295, select school routes |
Half Moon Bay (Coastside) |
MV Transportation |
Gillig LF30 (2900 to 2903, 2910 to 2913) |
17 |
Redwood City |
MV Transportation |
Gillig BRT 40-footer (450 to 490) Gillig BRT 35-footer (529 to 539) |
ECR, KX, 296, 397 |
Vehicle Fleet
A variety of buses and shuttle vans operate with SamTrans, from cutaway vans that provide shuttle services to articulated buses to serve the busiest routes in San Mateo County.
Old Livery and Interiors
Gillig BRT series
Operating multiple types from the same family, SamTrans operates more of this type than any other, making it the workhorse of the agency. These buses are used on nearly all local and intercounty (mainline) routes, as well as school runs, and these buses are low-floored, making passenger boarding and disembarking easy.
Operating multiple types from the same family, SamTrans operates more of this type than any other, making it the workhorse of the agency. These buses are used on nearly all local and intercounty (mainline) routes, as well as school runs, and these buses are low-floored, making passenger boarding and disembarking easy.
Gillig BRT 35-foot standard bus (5xx series)
Gillig BRT 40-foot standard bus, 2012-13 (4xx series)
Gillig BRT 40-foot standard bus, 2014-15 (9xx series)
Gillig BRT 40-foot standard bus, 2017 (6xx series)
Gillig BRT Standard Buses Operated by MV Transportation
These buses may have the same SamTrans livery, but these are operated under contract to MV Transportation, out of its yards in Redwood City and San Francisco.
These buses may have the same SamTrans livery, but these are operated under contract to MV Transportation, out of its yards in Redwood City and San Francisco.
Gillig BRT Hybrid Standard (40-footer) bus (7xx series)
Gillig Advantage Low Floor Buses
The other workhorse of SamTrans, one type of Gillig Low Floor bus is in service, used in most local, intercounty, and school lines.
The other workhorse of SamTrans, one type of Gillig Low Floor bus is in service, used in most local, intercounty, and school lines.
Gillig Low Floor Baby (30-foot) bus
Two different batches are currently in operation by SamTrans:
Low 29xx Series (2901-2915): these are operated under contract by MV Transportation for its Coastside services (most especially Route 17, which runs between Linda Mar Park-and-Ride in Pacifica and Miramontes south of Half Moon Bay, with select weekday peak extensions to and from Pescadero).
Two different batches are currently in operation by SamTrans:
Low 29xx Series (2901-2915): these are operated under contract by MV Transportation for its Coastside services (most especially Route 17, which runs between Linda Mar Park-and-Ride in Pacifica and Miramontes south of Half Moon Bay, with select weekday peak extensions to and from Pescadero).
High 29xx Series (2950-2969): these units are operated by SamTrans, in which these are used for local routes in the eastern part of San Mateo County.
NABI 436 (60-foot) articulated bus
SamTrans operates this high-floored articulated bus on its intercounty (Route 292 and KX) and mainline routes along El Camino Real (Route ECR). These are also used sometimes on high-density local routes, but these are not used on routes operating via Serramonte Shopping Center in Daly City.
SamTrans operates this high-floored articulated bus on its intercounty (Route 292 and KX) and mainline routes along El Camino Real (Route ECR). These are also used sometimes on high-density local routes, but these are not used on routes operating via Serramonte Shopping Center in Daly City.
NABI 436 articulated buses operated by MV Transportation
A total of 13 buses, numbered 141 to 154, are operated under contract to MV Transportation, with its garage in San Francisco. These are used on the following routes:
A total of 13 buses, numbered 141 to 154, are operated under contract to MV Transportation, with its garage in San Francisco. These are used on the following routes:
- KX (San Francisco - Redwood City Transit Center via SFO Airport, express)
- 292 (San Francisco - Hillsdale Mall via Bayshore Blvd, SFO Airport, and Burlingame Caltrain)
- 397 (San Francisco - Palo Alto via Bayshore Blvd, SFO Airport, and El Camino Real) - All-Nighter service
- 398 (San Bruno BART - Redwood City Transit Center via SFO Airport and El Camino Real)
SamTrans Shuttles
These include the FLX Pacifica, FLX San Carlos, Daly City-Bayshore Shuttle, and South City Shuttle.
These include the FLX Pacifica, FLX San Carlos, Daly City-Bayshore Shuttle, and South City Shuttle.