This Alameda Training FAQ section contains the following information:
Our address is 1001 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501. Marina Village Parkway is the curving road in the center of this map.
See our website for general directions from the airports. As you get closer, to find our office building, assuming you come in at the south end of Marina Village Parkway (even coming from Oakland, you should enter at the south end), then you need to drive round past the shops until you can see some red brick buildings on your left. Park on the left and then walk to the small pool with fountains. There are 3 red brick buildings around the pool and we're the building on the left.
These are the nearest hotels. Note that none of these hotels has a courtesy bus to the airports so, even if you aren't hiring a car, you will need to get a taxi to and from the airport. The hotels should be able to arrange the taxi for you. If you're arriving at SFO during the day, you can get BART (the train) from SFO to Oakland 12th Street station and then get a taxi from there. This won't take much more time than taking a taxi, and will be cheaper.
- Extended StayAmerica Oakland, Alameda - closest to the Alameda Training Facility (MetaSwitch office). This hotel is intended for long stays, e.g. rooms have kitchens with cooking utensils etc., but the linen is not changed daily. This hotel has a high-speed internet connection.
1350 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501
tel. (510) 864-1333
$94 upwards + tax
- Hawthorne Suites - about a mile from the new Alameda Training Facility (MetaSwitch office). Complimentary hot breakfast every morning. (Lunch and dinner are not offered - there is no full service restaurant - but there are many restaurants within walking distance.) This hotel has a high-speed internet connection.
1628 Webster Street, Alameda, CA 94501
tel. (510) 522-1000
fax (510) 522-1011
$119.00 + tax (you will need to ask for the MetaSwitch rate when booking)
- Coral Reef Inn & Suites - close to Alameda town center. This hotel currently does not have a high-speed internet connection.
400 Park Street, Alameda, CA 94501
tel. (510) 521-2330 reservations: (800) 533-2330
fax (510) 521-4707
$82.00 + tax
You can get from the city to the Alameda Training Facility by BART and bus. It takes longer than driving, unless the traffic is bad, but it's reasonably fast and smooth. The rest of this answer contains information on how to get from the city to the Alameda Training Facility.
Helpful websites
Getting to the BART in the city
The BART is the Bay Area Regional Transport, which is a train that is below ground in the city and above ground in the suburbs (similar to the London Underground for those coming from the UK). The rest of the instructions assume you'll be travelling from the Embarcadero BART station so ask your hotel or use the 511 website to work out how to get to that station.
Getting the BART
The most obvious station is Embarcadero BART (near the Ferry Building and water front at the east of the city), but you may find a better station depending on where you are staying. There should be a train approximately every 8 minutes. Take a train to Pittsbury/Bay point or to Richmond. Exit at Oakland 12th Street. The train ride takes 11 minutes. Tickets cost a few dollars. If you haven't used the BART before, allow a few minutes to get to grips with the ticket machines. Basically you put your money in and then add and subtract dollars and 5 cents to decide what price ticket you want.
Getting the bus
When you get off the train, take the station exit at the rear of the train. When you get to the top of the stairs/elevator, take the right-hand set of stairs up to the street. This will bring you out at 11th Street. When you get up to the street, go to the bus stand just behind the stairs and catch bus 51 (a ticket costs $1.50). The headsign will be blue and should say "Oakland - Alameda". There should be a bus approximately every 8 minutes. The bus trip takes about 6 minutes.
Getting from the bus to the Alameda Training Facility
The bus goes through a tunnel to Alameda island (the Webster tunnel). Get off at the first main stop after the tunnel (about 0.25miles after it exits the tunnel; it's a cross-road with lights. Walk left at the cross road until you reach Constitution Way. Then walk left on Constitution Way to Marina Village Parkway. Walk along Marina Village Parkway until you can cut through a car park on your left to reach a small pond with fountains. Our building is the one on the left. This is a rather long-winded way to get from the bus to the Alameda Training Facility - it takes about 20 minutes. There is a more direct route that takes about 5 minutes. However the direct route is difficult to explain until you've been to the Alameda Training Facility at least once, so ask your MetaSwitch contact to show you the route once you've arrived at the Alameda Training Facility.
Oakland airport is closer (see the directions on our website) but they are both within an hour of the office. Generally we recommend that you go from whichever is more convenient for your flights.
We will provide computers for the training and all writing materials so you do not need to bring those. You may want to bring your own laptop if you wish to work in the evenings. Hot drinks, sodas and cookies will be provided during the training but you should bring money to buy lunch.
Our training computers have access to the internet for use during breaks, but we may not have internet access for your computers in the Alameda MetaSwitch Office. Therefore, if you need internet access, you should ensure that your hotel has a suitable internet connection.
The last tour is at 4:20pm (winter) or 6:20pm and 7:05pm (summer). These are officially the evening tours which are considered to be more atmospheric than the day tours. During the System Overview course we usually finish early on Thursday so if you want to visit Alcatraz this is the best day. If you want to go, you should book tickets several days in advance. See www.alcatrazcruises.com for more details or to book tickets.
The weather in Alameda is generally mild, although it can get chilly when the sea breezes pick up in the evening. It rarely rains in the summer but rain is reasonably likely during the winter months. See SF Gate for the latest weather.