[joeblau]

It's really good in two cases.

1. You're leaving from 4th & King / 22nd Street - This is is because the train PACKS in and the further down the line you're trying to get on, the worse chance you'll have of actually getting a seat and being comfortable.

2. Your company is right off the Caltrain stop - This is because if you have to take a shuttle or some other mode of transportation, you're throwing more randomness in your trip about when you'll make the Caltrain to head back home.

I used to live at the Avalon at 4th and King and work in East Palo Alto and the commute was great for the most part. Rent near any Caltrain stop is not cheap, but you're paying for the convenience of being near transportation. The main issues I had where when I had to get back; If my shuttle was delayed or late for the train I needed to catch, I usually had to end up running or would miss my train. The itself was reliable, but my shuttle driver was not.