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.
BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit)
Updated on August 2, 2026
How to ride
- 1Decide how you'll payIf your credit or debit card does contactless, use it at the gate. If not, buy a Clipper card from a machine in the station.
- 2Load a Clipper card at the machineMachines take cash, but only some take credit or debit cards. You need a minimum balance to get through the gate.
- 3Tap in at the fare gateTake the card out of your wallet and hold it flat on the round reader; walk through when the doors open.
- 4Tap out with the same cardYou must tap again at the exit gate, using the exact same card you tapped in with.
- 5If the gate says UNDERPAIDIf the gate reads "UNDERPAID: GO TO ADDFARE", top up at an Addfare machine inside the paid area, then exit.
Fares
Single fares3
Card itself1
Add-ons & fees1
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 day pass and no weekly or monthly pass - the fare is purely by distance
Daily fare capPurely mileage-based, so there is no daily cap on what you pay
Transfer discountsUp to $2.85 off when you transfer to another agency within two hours
Facilities
Lifts (step-free)Every station has lifts and escalators, and every gate array includes a wide wheelchair-accessible gate. All trains have level boarding and the next station is announced onboard.
Suitcases & luggageEvery station has lifts and escalators
Free Wi-Fi（Limited）Free "BART Wi-Fi" is live at nine stations only, including SFO, Embarcadero, Civic Center, Powell St, 24th St, Glen Park and Balboa Park. There is none on the trains. No password, but you must re-confirm the session every 20 minutes.
Toilets（Limited）Almost all stations have one; Civic Center, 16th St and 24th St do not
Rules
Pets（Limited）Pets other than service animals must ride in a secure enclosed carrier
Fare evasion fine（Banned）No valid proof of payment: $120 for adults, up to $250 from a third offence
Apps & info
Journey planner app (Google Maps)Enough for routing and departure times, including BART-to-Muni connections
English signageSigns and announcements are in English; the next station is announced onboard
Operating hoursDepartures from Embarcadero run 04:58-01:10 on weekdays, 05:58-01:10 on Saturdays and 07:58-01:10 on Sundays (August 10, 2026 timetable). Downtown you get 15 trains an hour per direction at midday (about every 4 minutes) and 6-8 an hour around 21:00 (every 7-10 minutes). By line, Yellow runs 6 an hour on weekdays (every 10 minutes) while Red, Green and Blue run 3 an hour (every 20 minutes). The last Green departs Embarcadero in the 19:00 hour and the last Red between 20:00 and 21:30, after which only Yellow and Blue remain.
Heads-up
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Exiting with a different card triggers a penalty fare
Tap in and out with the same card or phone - you cannot pay for a companion with your card, and exiting with a different one charges an automatic penalty fare.
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The Muni Visitor Passport is not valid on BART
The Muni 1-Day Visitor Passport sold to tourists is not valid on BART. BART has no unlimited-ride ticket at all - every trip is charged by distance.
Timetable
Route map
Editor Naotaka