Getting in

• San Francisco International Airport: For downtown Menlo Park, use BART from SFO to Millbrae, then transfer to southbound Caltrain for Menlo Park. Allow 75–120 minutes because the Caltrain connection—not the ride—is the weak point; budget roughly $10–15 total. A rideshare is faster only outside peak traffic (about 35–55 minutes) and commonly costs far more, so it is not the default choice.
• San José Mineta International Airport: Take the free airport connector bus to Santa Clara Caltrain, then a northbound Caltrain to Menlo Park. Allow 60–90 minutes door to station, including the transfer; Caltrain is roughly $5–7 one way. A rideshare can take 30–50 minutes in light traffic but is vulnerable to US-101 congestion and expensive.
• Menlo Park Caltrain Station: This is the arrival point that matters: the 1867 depot sits immediately behind Kepler’s Books and a short walk from Santa Cruz Avenue downtown. Caltrain links Menlo Park with San Francisco to the north and Palo Alto, Mountain View and San José to the south. Service is much better at commute times; do not assume every express train stops here, and check the specific train before committing to a flight connection.