Where can I park over the weekend in Mountain View, CA?

September 6, 2007 11:20 PM

Hello everyone. I'm going to be taking the caltrain from SF to Mountain View every weekday for work, and I was wondering if anyone knew where I can park my car in Mountain View over the weekends? Preferably near the Caltrain station. I'm OK with paying for a spot. Thanks!
posted by I like to eat meat to travel & transportation around Mountain View, CA (6 answers total)

I don't know of any pay lots in the area, but there's a ton of street parking nearby the caltrain station (southeast of Castro) that you should be able to use - especially on Villa between Bush and Calderon. If you googlemap "caltrain station, mountain view ca" and switch to street view, you'll see what I mean.
posted by hedgehog at 6:26 AM on September 7, 2007

There's a business park at the NE-ish corner of Shoreline and Villa that has a large and underused parking lot. You can walk to the Caltrain station (under Shoreline and then along Evelyn) in under 10 minutes. Have no idea if it's advisable to park there, but...

There's a number of right-angle parking spaces along Evelyn north of Castro and also the Caltrain overflow lot at Evelyn and Franklin, though you'd want to see if there are any time restrictions for those areas.

Finally, there's a long-term (seven days max) parking lot at the Evelyn light rail station (just one light rail stop south of the Caltrain station). It's intended for airport parking, but I won't tell...
posted by not.so.hip at 8:44 AM on September 7, 2007

I park frequently in the right-angle spots not.so.hip mentions. The signs say 6-hr parking on weekdays, but as far as I can tell, they've never ticketed anybody there. The majority of the cars I've seen parked there are there all the time, so I think parking over the weekend would not be a huge deal.

The lot at Franklin and Evelyn might be safer since it's directly across from the police station. I have seen people parking there long term, I believe, but I haven't looked over the weekends. Also, I believe they are set to build a housing complex there at some point in the future, so it might go away.
posted by sarahnade at 10:23 AM on September 7, 2007

There is a pay-parking lot right at the Caltrain station in downtown Mountain View. If you buy 2 10-ride tickets, you can buy a monthly parking pass for $20. Otherwise, it is $2 for 24 hours.
You can buy the tickets and such at the vending machine, or at staffed booths.
posted by idiotfactory at 2:34 PM on September 7, 2007

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Idiotfactory, can you park over the weekend there? I remember hearing that caltrain parking lots were for a max of 24 consecutive hours or something like that, but I'm not sure.
posted by I like to eat meat at 3:24 PM on September 7, 2007

What idiotfactory said: $20 monthly for the pay-lot at the MV caltrain station.

The following might also be helpful, if your employer participates:

TIPS FOR CALTRAIN RIDERS
Caltrain riders using station parking lots can now take an additional $15 on a pre-tax basis to pay for station parking. The IRS has a separate maximum monthly amount for parking at transit facilities, and it can be given in addition to the current monthly transit benefit of $110.

For example, Caltrain riders who receive the maximum $110 monthly transit benefit should ask their employers to deduct an additional $15 as a parking benefit. In return, the rider should receive two $60 Commuter Checks, (total $120) to be used to purchase their Caltrain ticket.

[via]
posted by cactus at 5:29 PM on September 7, 2007