⁴ᴷ⁶⁰ Milpitas Station Walk-Through: Milpitas VTA - Milpitas BART

We've returned to Milpitas Station! This time, we're back to film a walk-through between the VTA and BART sections that comprise the intermodal station, which was requested by our viewers. A brief history lesson below shows us how this unique station layout came to be.
For decades, the site of the present-day Milpitas BART station consisted of light industry, with little to no residences or commercial businesses. In 2000, BART's Silicon Valley Extension was approved, and foreshadowed eventual change in this long-forgotten southern section of Milpitas.
The first change came in 2004, when VTA extended its right rail tracks all the way to Alum Rock, with stops at the Great Mall and Montague. Eight years later, the industry surrounding Montague station was torn down, and construction started on Milpitas BART station.
Plans for the station included easy transfers between Montague station and Milpitas BART, which necessitated a pedestrian bridge over Capitol Ave that would seamlessly connect the two agencies together.
Nearly eight years later, as work had been completed and testing was underway on the BART extension, VTA renamed Montague station to Milpitas (this is not reflected on the platform signs, which tell you that the station is still named Montague) in preparation for the BART station's start of revenue service. That opening day came on June 13, 2020, when BART expanded its service into Santa Clara County for the first time.
The walk from VTA's platform to BART's platform should take you around four minutes (quicker than this video, since we took our time walking through the station). The direct transfer between VTA and BART should bolster each agency's ridership, and is an important connection for the future of rail transit in the South Bay.

[@trwent]

Beyond its obvious aesthetic appeal, this station is absolutely monumental for one basic reason: It provides the final hookup in the BART/VTA Light Rail/Caltrain triad, allowing one to circle San Francisco Bay by rail with only two in-station transfers. VTA Light Rail and Caltrain share several stations in Silicon Valley, and a couple of decades ago BART and Caltrain linked up at a station just south of San Francisco. But before this, BART and the VTA Light Rail had NO direct connection to each other. Now they do!!

[@calebchan9497]

I recently took a trip to Milpitas and San Jose last weekend. Took BART there and it was my first time at Milpitas station. The station was indeed a nice-looking one. It's great for BART to finally have some sort of connection to VTA.

[@marcelmoulin3335]

A Dutchman, I am used to such grand, spectacular stations in the Netherlands. This particular station hall takes my breath away. Stunning design!

[@qjtvaddict]

Very interesting actually

[@robertdona8076]

My dad actually designed this station, his job was to design stations and architecture. It took years to finally finish this station.

[@ohioweatherguy]

Looks pretty good. Thanks for filming the pathway connection between the two stations!

[@BayAreaTransitNews]

You're welcome!

[@chubacca6]

Yess thank you so so much

[@benedettobruno1669]

Those yellow and beige tiles make all the difference!

[@jtrail]

Can't wait to visit next month. Looks amazing!

[@munimathbypeterfelton6251]

Pretty pristine!

[@regularuser]

Thanks for filming this, I'll probably return to California in a couple of years

[@BayAreaTransitNews]

You're welcome!

[@iannarita9816]

Station kind of feels like an outdoor version of NYCTA's 42nd-34th street underground complex. Multiple layers all over the place transit lines. Stairways up and down(no escalators), corridors here and tbere.

[@SheriL1]

That will be a long walk when its raining and storming. Corridor is open on both sides to allow rain and wind to get through. Two steep escalators and a narrow stairway next to them. Bad news when the escalators and elevators are OOS. That is along haul from VTA. Do they consider seniors when building these stations? It looks nice and new but the design is awkward.

[@Georninja]

I thought they renamed the Light Rail stop to Milpitas station. Guess they haven't changed the sign yet?

[@BayAreaTransitNews]

Yeah, VTA be like "No need to change the sign if no one's riding this anyway."

[@marcusarline1720]

Great

[@MsJaiMae]

I have a suggestion, do you think you can film a full ride from one of the San Francisco BART stations to Berryessa?

[@BayAreaTransitNews]

Yes

[@MsJaiMae]

@@BayAreaTransitNews Yess!!!! I can't wait to watch it.

[@starthomas3762]

Did u get off the light rail?

[@BayAreaTransitNews]

Nah, just wanted to make it look like that.

[@WoodsToLiveBy]

BART station looks great. VTA station looks a little small to handle future demand, though.

[@anthonysnyder1152]

VTA has no demand lol. I wish but not with the land-use in the network and the location of stations. San Jose transit ridership is abysmal.

[@jamesparson]

Thank you! Can I buy one of you T shirts or something?

[@BayAreaTransitNews]

Yes! You can browse our merch here: transitoutfitters.com/ We'll warn you that production on our products is delayed due to the pandemic, but we are still currently shipping all the products we have available.

[@TheMilpitasguy]

Nice!! Is it open to the public now?

[@BayAreaTransitNews]

Yep