Palo Alto transit riders should check VTA, BART schedules before August 10 changes

Palo Alto transit riders should recheck their schedules before Monday, August 10, 2026, when VTA and BART will put coordinated service changes into effect.

VTA will adjust service on Route 22, Rapid 522 and Route 89. BART will shift some departure times, change train spacing in parts of the system and alter some connections with Caltrain at Millbrae. The agencies’ notices describe route-level and service-period changes, not a change to every trip, so riders should use the updated timetable or trip planner for exact departure and arrival times.

Changes at Palo Alto Transit Center

Route 22 will continue to run between Palo Alto Transit Center and Eastridge. VTA lists schedule adjustments for weekdays and Sundays, while Saturday service is listed as unchanged.

Rapid 522 also serves Palo Alto Transit Center and Eastridge. VTA lists schedule adjustments for weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The agency cites traffic conditions, traffic-signal delays and passenger volume as reasons for the changes. For Rapid 522, VTA also cites coordination with the new light-rail schedule.

That means riders should check the schedule for the specific day they plan to travel rather than assume a familiar departure remains unchanged. VTA’s Rapid 522 route page shows an upcoming schedule effective August 10 and warns that Rapid buses may depart up to five minutes earlier than the time shown when traffic allows.

Route 89 will change on weekdays

Route 89 connects California Avenue Caltrain with the Palo Alto VA Hospital. VTA lists a weekday schedule adjustment tied to traffic conditions, traffic-signal delays and passenger volume, along with coordination with the Caltrain schedule.

For riders transferring between Caltrain and destinations near the VA Hospital or along the Palo Alto corridor, the practical effect is a need to recheck both sides of the connection. VTA’s Route 89 page identifies an upcoming schedule effective August 10, but the exact departure and arrival times should be checked in the applicable timetable or trip-planning tool.

BART changes include Millbrae connections

BART’s August 10 schedule will shift some departure times and introduce targeted changes intended to produce more even train spacing, better transfers and less congestion in parts of the system. BART says the effects will vary by trip and urges riders to check the new schedule before traveling.

For Palo Alto riders who use BART through Millbrae, some trains that currently line up with Caltrain will change. BART says it coordinated those changes with Caltrain and directs connecting riders to review the new BART-Caltrain transfer timetable.

The Millbrae change concerns the BART-to-Caltrain connection; it is not a change to Caltrain service itself. BART also says late-evening construction delays between Daly City and Millbrae will continue Sunday through Thursday after 9 p.m.

What is confirmed and what riders still need to check

The confirmed changes are the effective date, the affected VTA routes and service periods, and BART’s shift in selected train times and Millbrae connections. The notices do not provide every trip-specific effect for an individual Palo Alto rider.

• Route 22: check weekday and Sunday schedules; Saturday service is listed as unchanged.
• Rapid 522: check the weekday, Saturday or Sunday schedule that applies to the trip.
• Route 89: recheck weekday departures and arrivals between California Avenue Caltrain and the Palo Alto VA Hospital.
• BART and Caltrain: review the updated transfer timing when connecting at Millbrae.
• Allow additional time for a changed transfer window during the first days of the new schedules.

Existing VTA alerts, including construction-related conditions affecting Rapid 522, may separately affect some trips. Riders should check those alerts along with the August 10 timetable changes.

The safest planning step is to verify the exact trip in VTA’s updated timetable or trip planner and BART’s updated schedule before leaving home on Monday, August 10.

Sources

• VTA August 10, 2026 service changes
• BART August 10 schedule update
• VTA Route 89 timetable page