How to get to Monterey
Monterey-Salinas Transit has recently added an express bus service (Route #78) that connects the Santa Cruz METRO center with the Presidio in Monterey. This service provides two round trips per day, with each trip taking a little over an hour between Santa Cruz and the Tyler & Franklin stop in downtown Monterey. The schedule and a route map for this bus is here. The one-way trip fare is $3.50 ($1.75 for 65+ or 18-).
On weekdays, buses leave the Santa Cruz METRO Center at 6:00 am and 7:00 pm, with one return trip leaving Tyler & Franklin in downtown Monterey at 5:02 pm and arriving at the METRO Center at 6:37 pm.
On weekends, buses leave the METRO Center at 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm, with two return trips, arriving in Santa Cruz at 12:25 pm and 5:58 pm. (For a weekend trip you might consider spending the night in Monterey.)
Try out a bicycle ride in Monterey County
All of the Monterey-Salinas Transit buses, like our METRO
buses, are equipped with bike racks on the
front of the bus, including the #78. So
consider taking your bike on the bus.
On weekdays, put your bike on the bus at 6:00 in the
morning, get off at Marina or in downtown Monterey, and
ride your bike.
On weekends, you'll have to wait until 1:00 pm to use the
bus. It doesn't stop in Castroville or Marina, but you can
get off in Sand City or downtown Monterey.
It's a nice ride along the coastal bike path
anywhere from Castroville southward. Lots of fun, and
car-free! Here is an excellent website that
describes tons of suggestions for bicycling in
Monterey County, and here is another that describes the
“top ten” bike rides.
Visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium
If you'd like to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium, get off at the Tyler & Franklin stop, and board the free MST Trolley for the short ride to the aquarium. The Tyler & Franklin stop is also within easy walking distance of the wharf. One may also walk to the Monterey State Historic Park, or the Custom House Plaza and the Dali exhibition at the Museum of Monterey. See this link about the Dali exhibition. (We had a delightful Bus-by-Choice trip here.)
What about getting to CSUMB?
Although the #78 does not stop at CSUMB (Cal State Monterey Bay), it is possible to get there by transferring to a different route—with an additional fare of $2.50 ($1.25 for 65+)—so the total fare will be $6.00 ($3.00 for 65+).
Since the online instructions are confusing and hard to decipher, we have created the tables below to provide an accurate guide. The most convenient destination at CSUMB is the “Alumni & Visitor Center”, denoted by “AVC” in our tables. Times in bold type are after noon. On weekdays, there are very short distances to walk at transfer points—only two or three minutes.
The best instructions may be found on the Quick Trip Planner on the official site of Monterey-Salinas Transit. Please let us know if you find any errors or have suggestions. Just click here to do so. The schedules below should be current as of July 5, 2018.
| Santa Cruz Metro Center |
Rte | Transfer at | Rte | CSUMB 4th Ave AVC |
Total time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Del Monte at Casa Verde | |||||
| 6:00 | #78 | 7:12 – 7:28 | #74 | 7:50 | 1:50 |
| Del Monte at Beach Rd | |||||
| 7:00 | #78 | 7:58 – 8:14 | #16 | 8:53 | 1:53 |
| CSUMB 4th Ave AVC |
Rte | Transfer at | Rte | Santa Cruz Metro Center |
Total time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beach at Walmart to Beach at Marina Dr |
|||||
| 4:42 | #16 | 5:14 – 5:24 | #78 | 7:50 | 1:55 |
| Santa Cruz Metro Center |
Rte | Transfer at Playa/Sand City |
Rte | CSUMB 4th Ave AVC |
Total time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1:00 | #78 | 1:56 – 2:13 | #18 | 2:26 | 1:26 |
| 6:30 Saturday only | #78 | 7:22 – 7:46 | #67 | 7:57 – 8:07 (Walk 10 min East on Divarty) |
1:37 |
| CSUMB 4th Ave AVC |
Rte | Transfer at Playa/Sand City |
Rte | Santa Cruz Metro Center |
Total time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:10 | #18 | 11:25 – 11:30 | #78 | 12:25 | 1:15 |
| 4:10 | #18 | 4:25 – 5:03 | #78 | 5:58 | 1:48 |