Since the convention hotels all filled up, here's a map showing where some other ones are.
(https://forums.fanime.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi66.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh263%2Ffirstcultural%2FFanime2014%2Fvta-hotel-map-2014_zpsa36d090d.png&hash=4fbf436ea8789e5356d9a938bf6fbb2de7535730) (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/firstcultural/media/Fanime2014/vta-hotel-map-2014_zpsa36d090d.png.html)
Convention Center station is right in front of the Convention Center main entrance.
VTA light rail starts running around 6am, last trains leave Convention Center between 9:30pm and 11pm depending on where you are going. Details at http://www.vta.org/routes/rt901 and http://www.vta.org/routes/rt902 Rides are $2 each or $6 for a day pass.
Note there are plenty of other hotels in the area that are a bit harder to get to without a car.
Just keep in mind that you effectively lose the 24 hour feature of Fanime when relying on public transportation.
That is true. There are probably more people out and about late at night the weekend of Fanime than there are the rest of the year.
Unless you plan on getting to the convention in the afternoon and then stay through to the next morning (24-hour video rooms, gaming rooms, general hanging out) when the trains start again.
Quote from: BunofGovt on February 11, 2014, 09:15:58 PM
Unless you plan on getting to the convention in the afternoon and then stay through to the next morning (24-hour video rooms, gaming rooms, general hanging out) when the trains start again.
Not as fun as it sounds tried it my first year ('04) haven't done it since.
For anyone looking into this option http://rti.vta.org/mob/SearchBy.aspx (http://rti.vta.org/mob/SearchBy.aspx) is a great mobile-friendly site that shows real-time departures for all VTA lines.
Additionally, there are a few bus lines [23, 81, and 323] that stop right in front of the convention center. Line 22 isn't as immediate (it stops about 3 blocks away) but it runs 24 hours a day so it's a good resort if you're planning on staying late. (Line 22/522 runs along El Camino/The Alameda/Santa Clara Ave; Line 23/323 runs along Stevens Creek Blvd/San Carlos Ave; 522 and 323 are the express versions of their respective lines)
From my experience of commuting to Fanime, generally the lightrail is more cosplay-friendly but as long as you're not causing blockage on the bus it's not a big deal! People might ask if you're going to a party but that's about it.
Also note that BayCon, a science fiction convention, is taking place the same weekend in Santa Clara at the Hyatt near Great America.
Oh that's a good catch! They might have discount hotels there too and then you have the option of trying a different con if you felt like it.