Location and Transportation


Called the “Heart of the Bay” in view of its central position in the San Francisco Bay Area, Hayward’s location is among its greatest assets. In addition to the city’s population of 161,040, more than 3.5 million Californians live within a 30-mile radius and have easy access to Hayward via freeway, rail, bus and aircraft – greatly increasing the customer and employment base. The power grid is secure through PG&E and Calpine’s Russell City Energy Center and the water quality is outstanding.

The city has the convenience of freeway and bridge access to all the major Bay Area markets with links to transportation hubs including international airports and the Port of Oakland. The Hayward Executive Airport is home to more than 450 aircraft. Hayward’s communications infrastructure continues to grow with plans for a fiber-optic network.

Union Pacific offers transcontinental service for business and Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor line runs through Hayward from Auburn to the Silicon Valley. Hayward has two BART light-rail stations and commuters have access to the AC Transit and SAMTrans bus networks to reach Bay Area destinations.

Hayward is in a strategic position for international business opportunities and the chamber provides services for companies needing certificates of origin for international trade. The chamber’s international trade luncheons have attracted speakers, consuls general, and ambassadors from Mexico, Japan, India, Hong Kong and China.

Hayward has a variety of opportunity sites for businesses ranging from large-scale manufacturing, R&D, warehouses, office and retail. In addition to existing vacant space there also is room to build.