River Shuttle

SMART Connect Russian River Shuttle

In partnership with Sonoma County Regional Parks, the SMART Connect Airport shuttle is providing weekend and holiday service this summer from the Sonoma County Airport SMART station to the Russian River Steelhead and Sunset beaches, offering a seamless train to river connection for our riders to access the river.  Riders can take the SMART train to the SMART Airport station, hop on the SMART Connect Airport shuttle to Steelhead Beach, float down the river, and then catch the shuttle back from Sunset Beach.

There will be one SMART Connect shuttle trip from the Sonoma County Airport station to Steelhead Beach in the morning, meeting the 10:47 AM northbound arrival (train trip 2). The Connect shuttle will drop riders off at Steelhead Beach at approximately 11:15 AM.

For the return trip, the Connect shuttle will pick up passengers at Sunset Beach River Park at 5:15 PM to meet the 6:10 PM southbound SMART train.

Bookings are available on-demand or ahead of time using the Ride Pingo app or by calling C3 Transportation at 1-800-727-0279 (Ext. 5 for SMART Connect). Due to capacity constraints, advance bookings are highly recommended.

How it Works

1. Book your trip in the Ride Pingo app or by calling 1-800-727-0279. When booking via the app, please select exactly 10:50 AM for the outbound trip from the Sonoma County Airport Station to Steelhead Beach, and please select exactly 5:15 PM for the return trip from Sunset Beach back to the station. No other departure and return times are available.
2. Ride the SMART’s Trip 2 northbound to the Sonoma County Airport stop and transfer to the shuttle for the trip to the Russian River. Deflated water floatation gear is allowed on the train; inflatable tubes and floating cooler rentals are available at Steelhead Beach, and Sonoma County Regional Parks provides a free inflation station for self-brought inflatables.
3. Be sure to arrive at the Sunset Beach pickup point by 5:15 PM. The SMART Connect shuttle will pick up passengers at the same location as the Sonoma County River Shuttle. The SMART Connect shuttle will drop passengers at SMART for the 6:10 PM southbound SMART train.
    

Frequently Asked Questions

• What do I need to know about planning a floating trip on the Russian River?
  For information on how to plan a float trip, please visit Sonoma County Regional Parks page, here.
   
• What days is the SMART Connect Russian River Service available?
  The SMART Connect Russian River service is available weekends and holidays through Labor Day weekend. This includes the Fourth of July (Friday) and Labor Day (Monday).
   
• I’d like to use the service different times during the day. Is that possible?
  Due to availability restrictions and coordination with the train schedule, SMART can only offer the 10:50 AM outbound and 5:15 PM return trip.
   
• Can I bring my inflatable tubes/kayaks/other gear on the train and shuttle?
  Deflated rafts/tubes, fishing poles, and other water gear are allowed on the train and shuttle provided they fit in the overhead storage space. An inflation station is provided by Sonoma County Regional Parks free of charge at Steelhead Beach. Alcohol may not be consumed onboard the train or shuttle.
   
• Are rentals available?
  Tube rentals are available at Steelhead Beach. Please visit russianrivertubes.com for more information.
   
• How much does the fare for this service cost?
  The Connect Shuttle fare is $1.50 for adults, $0.75 for people with disabilities, and free for youth and seniors. Please visit sonomamarintrain.org/fares for more information on SMART fares.