United States
San Francisco
A city of fog and hills. The cable cars are still working public transit, while BART and Muni do the daily grind.
Golden Gate Ferry / San Francisco Bay Ferry
Updated on August 2, 2026
How to ride
- 1Pick the operator by destinationThe operator changes with your destination - Golden Gate Ferry for Marin, San Francisco Bay Ferry for the East Bay.
- 2Check the timetable firstMany routes run only a handful of times a day, with gaps of an hour or two - check the last boat back before you go.
- 3Ride with the card you already haveSkip the paper ticket and tap the contactless card you already carry on the reader - one card per passenger.
- 4Where you tap depends on the routeOn SF Bay Ferry you tap both boarding and leaving; on Golden Gate Ferry the point of payment changes by route.
- 5One card cannot cover your groupTravelling as a family or group, buy app tickets or paper tickets for everyone - one card pays for one rider only.
- 6Get to the dock earlySF Bay Ferry asks you to be at the terminal at least five minutes before departure. Bikes are allowed, rack space first come.
Fares
Single fares7
Estimates use exchange rates as of November 3, 2026
Payment
Tap to ride 
IC card 
App tickets 
Paper tickets 
Cash Quick facts
Fares
Tourist passNo ferry day pass exists; Muni's Visitor Passport is not valid on other systems.
Daily fare capNo daily fare cap - each boarding costs a fresh one-way fare.
Transfer discountsUp to $2.85 off between agencies within two hours, same card throughout.
Facilities
Lifts (step-free)Every vessel of both operators is wheelchair accessible and has an accessible restroom. On Golden Gate Ferry's San Francisco runs to Larkspur, Sausalito, Tiburon and Angel Island there is no deck change, so no lift is needed. Ask terminal staff 20 minutes ahead if you want to pre-board.
Free Wi-Fi（Limited）San Francisco Bay Ferry provides free Wi-Fi on every vessel, though bandwidth is limited. Golden Gate Ferry publishes nothing about Wi-Fi, so it is unconfirmed.
ToiletsAll vessels have restrooms, including a wheelchair accessible one.
Rules
Eating & drinking on boardSF Bay Ferry runs an open snack bar, drinks included, on every trip.
Smoking（Banned）No smoking or vaping on board or within 25 feet of a terminal.
Pets（Limited）On SF Bay Ferry pets need a closed carrier on your lap; service animals exempt.
Apps & info
Journey planner app (Google Maps)For routing - but sailings are sparse, so cross-check the official timetable before you leave
English signageSignage and announcements are in English.
Operating hoursOn Golden Gate Ferry weekdays the Larkspur line runs 5:45-19:15 from Larkspur and 6:30-20:00 from San Francisco; the Sausalito line runs about seven round trips, 7:05-18:30 from Sausalito and 7:40-19:15 from San Francisco; Tiburon is similar and Angel Island gets only three or four sailings a day. At weekends Sausalito runs 11:30-18:55 from Sausalito and 10:15-17:50 from San Francisco, Angel Island sails three times a day, and Larkspur and Tiburon have their own weekend timetables. San Francisco Bay Ferry's Oakland/Alameda line runs 6:25-21:20 from San Francisco and 5:55-21:50 from Oakland on weekdays, and 9:20-22:15 / 8:50-21:10 at weekends. Vallejo (daily) has the system's first sailing, 5:15 from Mare Island and 5:30 from Vallejo, and Richmond (daily) runs 6:30-20:40 from Richmond on weekdays. The Alameda Seaplane line - whose 22:30 departure from San Francisco is the system's last - plus Harbor Bay and South San Francisco run weekdays only. Golden Gate Ferry does not run on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas, and uses a holiday timetable on Presidents' Day and similar holidays.
Heads-up
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Alcatraz boats leave from Pier 33, not the Ferry Building
You cannot reach Alcatraz on the ferries from the Ferry Building. Alcatraz City Cruises, sailing from Pier 33, is the only concessioner allowed to land on the island.
Timetable
Editor Naotaka