[The Gates Building] The Gates Building


The Gates Building is on Stanford's Campus, between the Main Quad and the Medical School. Enter Stanford through Palm Drive, the main road into campus. Right before the Oval (a grassy area in front of the Main Quad), turn right onto Roth Way. A parking structure, containing both metered and permit parking, is near the end of the road on your right. Gates Computer Science Building is a block away on your left. The rooms are numbered by floor level, so Theory Lounge (Gates 463A) as well as room 498 are on the fourth floor of Gates.

An ascii map of the area is also available.

From 101

Take the University Avenue exit, and follow University Avenue West from the highway. Drive through Palo Alto. University Avenue enters Stanford's Campus, where it becomes Palm Drive.

From 280

Take the Page Mill exit North toward Stanford. At El Camino, turn left. University Avenue is after the 5th light. The exit off El Camino is from the right-hand lane; turn left at the end of the exit and you'll be on Palm Drive.

From El Camino (North)

University Avenue is an exit (rather than a light) with a sign that says "Stanford University." The exit is immediately after the Stanford Shopping Center. Turn right at the end of the exit road and you will be on Palm Drive.

From Berkeley

Allow 1.5 hours of driving if you do not plan to get lost. Walking to seminar room will take 5-10 minutes.

Drive south/west on I-580/I-80, crossing the Bay Bridge (toll $3). I-80 empties into U.S. 101, also called the Bayshore Freeway. Drive south over thirty miles. Exit south/west on University Avenue, toward Palo Alto; University eventually changes into Palm Drive.

Another (probably faster) route is to take I-880 south 30 miles to the Dumbarton Bridge (84). Cross the bridge (toll $3). Immediately after the bridge, turn left onto University Avenue. This takes you through East Palo Alto, which is not safe at night. University eventually changes into Palm Drive.

Via Public Transportation

See http://www.511.org for maps, schedules, and fares. Below are some (possibly outdated) instructions for public transportation to Stanford.

From Berkeley

Ride BART from Berkeley to Union City. The cost is $2.00 one way and trains run every fifteen minutes. The ticket machines do not give change, but one can use the same ticket for future BART journeys.

Ride the Dumbarton Express bus from the Union City BART station to the Palo Alto Transit Center (train station). The cost is $1.75 each way, exact change required. This bus runs infrequently.

Ride the Stanford Marguerite shuttle from the Palo Alto Transit Center to the Stanford Main Quadrangle. The shuttle (shaped like an airport rental car shuttle) is free. OR, walk the mile and a half down University Avenue, which changes its name to Palm Drive on the Stanford campus. OR, one can ride the 300 or 35 bus. Call the Santa Clara County Transit (800) 894-9908 for times and costs.

From San Francisco

Board the Caltrain at 4th Street and Townsend and disembark at the Palo Alto station. The trip costs $3.50 one-way and requires an hour. Between 8am and 3pm, trains leave San Francisco on the hour.

Walk the two kilometers down University Avenue which changes its name to Palm Drive on the Stanford campus. OR, ride the 300 or 35 bus, which run about every thirty minutes and cost about $1.10. Call the Santa Clara County Transit (800) 894-9908 for times and costs.

Alternatively, you can take a bus. Board SamTrans 7F bus on Mission Street between 1st and 9th Streets. Disembark at the Stanford Shopping Center. Buses depart about every thirty minutes, require about 85 minutes travel time, and cost $2.00 one-way. Call toll-free 1-800-660-4BUS for information. Ride the free Marguerite shuttle from the Shopping Center to the Main Quadrangle (beware! The Marguerite stops at the side of the Shopping Center, not in front), OR walk the three kilometers to the Main Quadrange.