A SMART Way to Get Around! Exploring Sonoma's Commuter Line

Hello and welcome to Larkspur Station. Today we’re taking a look at SMART, the Sonoma marin area rail transit commuter line, between here and Novato Downtown.

_Trip Information_
Train Number: SMART Trains 22 and 27
Consist: Nippon Sharyo DMUs
Departure Time (North): 3:27pm
Arrival Time (North): 3:51pm
Journey Time: 24 min
Price: $3.00 One Way ($6.00 Round Trip)

Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoyed!

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*Huge Thank You to My Patrons and Members!*
_First Class:_
Caleb
Eli Taubman
Devin Clancy
Kevin Lippes
Jason D
Arlington Public Transit
Wayno Guerrini
Zukesers
Alexander Aznavoorian
JC The Beard
Christopher Style
Matt Cain
Alexandre Veilleux
Grant Baron
James G
La Vern Cross
Joseph Crawford

_Business Class:_
James Schock
Lucas Ohlig
Jeff Banks
Joshuwa Watkin
Miles Jajich
Lois Johnson
Steve's Wanderlust
Brendan Smith-Wilks

_Coach Class:_
Marlo Fairhurst
Arthur Sievers
Stephen Keever
Sam Jennings
Michael Cronin
Claudio Bickle
MattySlav
Michelle Gruben
Damian Cooper
Elizabeth Chamberlain
Vinnie
Harry Balch

Music - Epidemic Sound:
On Cruise Control - Mindserver Unlimited
Borrowed Matches - Tape Machines
Summer Haze - Andre Aguado

_Chapters:_
0:00 Hello and Welcome to Larkspur Station!
0:33 Getting to the Station
1:04 Clipper Card Tickets
1:29 Our Nippon-Sharyo DMU
1:54 Departure and Route
2:54 Seating on SMART
4:14 Marin County Views
4:41 Phenomenal Weather
4:57 DMU Interiors, Bathrooms, and a Snack Bar?
6:16 SMART's Bike Paths
6:41 Waterways Approaching Novato
7:18 Arrival in Novato and Novato Station
8:47 Gauntlet Tracks: 1 Line, 2 Services
9:53 Our Train Back South
10:20 A Beautiful Return to Larkspur
10:43 Subscribe! And THANK YOU to my Patrons and Members!
11:05 Thanks for Watching!

#SMART #commuterline #Amtrak

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[orionstransit]

I really enjoy SMART! Its fast, comfortable, and the designs of the stations and trains are just very aesthetically nice! In the future I hope they double track the line and add passing tracks to add express trains!

[lalakerspro]

There are also plans to extend SMART along the NWP tracks to meet amtrak at suisun city, and thus have it connect with the national rail system.
I believe the tracks around 6:50 is where it will split

[baseballfan]

Great example of how commuter rail can use existing infrastructure and not cost huge amounts to, operate.

[samtrak]

Thanks for exellent video. I couldn't imagine a train not serving SF directly would be successful. As usual your picture quality is perfect.

[JJRol.]

What an interesting line! It's cool to see more investment into rail in the Bay Area. Nippon Sharyo DMU's are used on this and the UP Express iirc, great video!

[OfficialETandM]

Hey Mr. Noah! I have a whole YouTube channel with this company! They even gave me a tour of their yard!

[HenryWichman]

Hey, I had a family member that lived in San Rafael for over 60 years and throughout my time going there to visit, I have never heard somebody pronounce the town name like that.

[TohaBgood]

Great review! And your positivity is infectious! You're become my favorite rail reviewer in the US. Thank you for all your work! I hope to see more California systems reviewed in our neck of the woods!

[Thommygun-qvum]

I was actually kinda shocked at 3:18 to see that one van which was sitting underneat the crossing gate. In europe, if the gate has a malfunction the train has to stop in sight and the engineer has to remove the disturbence before continuing. On the mainlines, trains are stopped automatically by a computersystem assisting the engineer. In germany it is called PZB (roughly translates to selective train interference).

Anyways, that was a great video which I really enjoyed. Such local commuter trips appeal to me because they are much easier and cheaper to replicate than your (also really great) trips on Amtrank long distance. Keep that sweet content running my good man (as long as school schedules allow for it).

[PeterWarner-yztb]

I have been in this line from Sonoma Airport to San Rafael (the original segment) and the later Larkspur extension. Early next year a new stop at Windsor will open taking the lines up to 48 miles. I plan to revisit the line myself then as the long awaited North Petaluma station opens.

[patrickcatpop]

I live a few minutes walking distance from Rohnert Park station. Being a senior, I currently get to ride free (a 1 year pilot program), otherwise 50% discount. I enjoy walking and frequently ride SMART to go to other neighborhoods. I am looking forward to the expansions to Windsor and Healdsburg (and someday Cloverdale).

[arxligion]

Love SMART, took it to Petaluma a few months back. I'm looking forward to the Healdsburg extension, used to camp around there as a kid and loved the town (though I think the park got burnt a few years back).

[alexanderboulton]

That little detail about the gauntlet track was really helpful! I love when you include little engineering tidbits like that in your videos!

[patrickcatpop]

Haha! Thank you! I agree with you that the signage between the ferry and SMART is abysmal and wish they would improve it!

Aside from that, I was pleasantly surprised to see you reviewing our little system here. I'm used to you doing things like Amtrak.

[trainsdestinations]

Having tray tables and reclining seats on a commuter train is incredible.

[patrickcatpop]

Good news since this was posted. SMART now has shuttle service between the SMART station and ferry in Larkspur. As of my writing this, it the shuttle runs Thursdays to Sundays with expectations to expand service to 7 days as people use it more. This is the same shuttle service SMART uses to and from the airport in Santa Rosa, so the same app can be used to order an on-demand trip.

[williamcondon]

They really need to find a way to connect it to another system. I personally think they should tunnel Caltrain to the north bay after the DTX and connect it to SMART.

[randomtransitadventures]

Not exactly. The UP express has a more traditional cabcar end and the lack of a café thing

[justmyopinion]

SMART should reinstate the snack bar it would make the experience more fun.

[awesomemana]

hehehehe I get what you did with the title!