San Jose's Light Rail Network Evolution

From its beginning in 1987, San Jose's light rail network has grown to 59 stations, spanning 68 kilometres (42 miles). This animated video takes you through the timeline of when new stations were opened, forming the VTA network that we know today.

If you would like to donate to the funds set up to support VTA family members whose families are suffering, feel free to use one of the links below:

☑️ Video Criteria:
- Population given is the sum of all counties and independent cities with stations in them.
- Future extensions are shown only if a construction tender has been awarded for their completion, at the time of video publication. If a construction tender has been issued for a project not included in the video, feel free to leave a comment, and we'll add it to our list to update.
- If you find an error, feel free to let us know in the comments. Please include links to any sources that will help us correct the error. Note: comments with links might take up to 24 hours to appear due to YouTube anti-spam policies.

📸 Image Credits:


🚋 #VTA
San Jose Orange Line light rail
San Jose Green Line light rail
San Jose Blue Line light rail
San Jose Alum Rock bus rapid transit
San Jose BART subway
San Jose Almaden shuttle light rail

[banksrail]

It’s so frustrating to see that they didn’t extend the purple line to the San Jos Diridon Station and just abandoned it. Would have definitely gained more ridership.

[JediTev]

Thank you so much for honoring our fallen Brothers. We should be back up and running soon. I hope. The mechanics are being called back now and they're getting temporary replacements for the substation and overhead maintainers. Once that's done, the inspection of the trains and lines are complete, us operators will return. The homeless have damaged a few portions of the tracks by stealing the copper wires. Hope to see you all real soon.

[urbanpreppie]

the extra video to donate was a wonderful and fitting addition. great job as always, and thanks for all that you do.

[peteralbert]

Thank for for the gracious tribute to the VTA employees.

[Tomorrow]

Oh you brought back good memories.
I went to SJSU and worked in the Silicon Valley for 10 years without owning a car.
The was the best time for me to save money.

[brtv]

One thing I wanted to add was that when the light rail to Almaden was opened in 1991 there was direct service between Almaden and great America. Those trips were discontinued in 1993 due to operational issues

[edwardmiessner]

That Almaden line should have been kept and expanded. A transit authority isn't guaranteed good ridership on a shuttle unless it's the New York City Transit Authority!

[vincentperez]

Thanks, you lit up the VTA's strange transportation developmental movements. Can't wait to see how the Bart single tunnel into San Jose is going to make Mercury front page history.

[roberthuron]

Alum Rock was an interurban line stop, back in the early 1900's! Interurban's, (Ira Swett), had a book about San Jose, and environs, well worth looking up! Thank you for the information and educational video!

[todgod]

Hey all! I just released a video essay discussing this very light rail system on my channel! Be sure to check it out if you want more context on VTA's light rail system! 😆

[Georninja]

Great video! Kinda wished it talked about the Baypointe-Santa Teresa express service they had for a bit though.

[QuarioQuario]

Is it BART or Muni next? The next city that can be cleanly divided if I were to guess is Philadelphia. Seattle should wait until October 2. No idea when the Tempe streetcar will open, but it will be before the end of the year.

[Interstate]

2:59 Alum Rock Santa Teresa Line June 2004
3:25 MT View Winchester Line October 2005

[ErelH]

They should extend the Blue Line to Milpitas, that should allow riders a one seat ride from the BART station to downtown San Jose

[Interstate]

When i was 7 and 8 years old the trains were mixed Alum Rock to MT View and Santa Teresa to Winchester😊

[roberthansen]

Love this channel! When are we going to see the San Francisco light rail and system. I'm looking forward to the BART video. Thank you very much.

[y.k.]

I think Cupertino could use a VTA light rail line. Cupertino has Apple Park and De Anza College. VTA should build a line that travels west of Downtown San Jose via San Carlos Street and Stevens Creek Blvd from Downtown to Cupertino, with the west end at De Anza college, new stations at Wolfe Road, Lawrence Expressway, Kiely Blvd, Valley Fair/Santana Row, Bascom Ave(named San Carlos), Meridian Ave, and Barack Obama Blvd, and the east end at the existing Convention Center station. Maybe that line can also travel south from Convention Center via First street and Monterey Road, and then east on Tully Road and end at Eastridge.

[harveyschwartz]

Would be nice to see more pictures of the areas you talk about. It is interesting to see where these trains going.

[MarceloPlus]

U should’ve added the future BART extension into San Jose lol

Edit: I meant to say the under construction extensions that’ll open in like 2028

[y.k.]

There will be a few changes on the Orange Line in the next 10 years. VTA plans to build an extension of the orange line two stations south from Alum Rock to the Eastridge Transit Center and plans to open it by 2027, and following the closure of California's Great America by 2033, the Great America station will most likely be renamed, my guess being that it will be renamed to Levi's Stadium.