A traveler flying into the San Francisco or Oakland airports can catch a BART train at the terminal. Here’s what to know:
Related Articles
How can I pay for my BART ride?
State Legislature passes 7 bills by Milpitas Assemblymember
St. Francis High School opens new Welcome Center with a blessing
BART looks to public for input on how to make station roads safer
East Bay BART rider stabbed, suspect arrested
How to get a fare card:
As of 2024, the only way to pay for BART is with a Clipper card — either a plastic version or a digital one on your phone or smartwatch.
• Buying a card at the BART station. Machines at each station sell the cards. You’ll be charged $3 for the card, in addition to the fare amount you load on it.
• Buying a card in advance. Through ClipperCard.com, you can order a prepaid fare card to be sent to you in the mail. Allow about 10 days for it to get to you.
• Setting up a digital account. Find Clipper in Apple Wallet’s transit section or Google Pay’s Discover > Ride Transit. The Clipper website has more information on the phone/watch option.
How to use it:
At the fare gate to the boarding area, tap the card or hold your phone or watch near the scanner circle marked “Tag Here.” At the other end, do the same before leaving the station.
BART from SFO:
There is a BART station on the departures/ticketing level of the San Francisco airport’s International Terminal. Walk or take the free AirTrain to the Garage G/BART Station stop.
If you’re heading to San Francisco, take either northbound line — yellow (destination Antioch or Bay Point) or red (destination Richmond). The trip to San Francisco takes about 30 minutes and costs about $10.50 for an adult.
If your destination is on the east side of the bay — i.e., past the last San Francisco stop — you’ll need to check the map to see if you want to stay on the yellow or red line or transfer to blue or green at a station further up the line.
The only station south of the airport is Millbrae, also served by the red line (until 9 p.m.) and the yellow line. There you can switch to Caltrain, which runs between San Francisco and San Jose (plus a few daily trains to Gilroy). Caltrain also accepts Clipper payment. Note that Caltrain’s San Francisco terminus is in the China Basin area, about a mile from the major tourist hotels.
BART from Oakland airport:
The airport station is between Terminals 1 and 2. A free shuttle train runs every few minutes to the Coliseum station, where passengers can buy a Clipper card at Platform 3 and transfer to another line. From the airport to the first San Francisco station takes about 30 minutes of riding time on two or three trains and costs about $12.
More about Bay Area public transit
Can I use my Clipper card for other buses and trains?
Clipper is used by several other Bay Area transit agencies, including Caltrain, Muni, SamTrans, AC Transit and VTA.
What about cable cars? And ferries?
Yes for the cable cars, which are part of the Muni system; the conductor has a handheld scanner to read the cards. Yes for Golden Gate Ferry, which runs to Marin County destinations and Angel Island, and for the San Francisco Bay Ferry, to the East Bay. No for the boat to Alcatraz, which is a National Park Service concession.
Can my whole party use one card?
Each person over age 4 needs a card. But multiple digital accounts can be set up on one phone.
Can I get discount Clipper cards for the children and seniors in my traveling group?
To get a Clipper card that honors fares for youth (ages 5-18) or senior (65+), you need to submit proof of age eligibility by uploading documents when you order a card online. Youth fare is half off, senior fare is 62.5% off. In the Bay Area, you can present the document at a designated transit office or staffed kiosk and buy a discounted card there.
Can I get a refund of the value left on my card at the end of my trip?
If you’ve registered your card at ClipperCard.com, you can request a refund, minus a $5 fee.
I have a paper BART ticket from a previous visit. Can I use it?
No. BART discontinued use of the paper tickets in 2023.
Does BART run 24 hours a day?
On weekdays, trains run from 5 a.m. to midnight, with the red and green lines shutting down at 9 p.m. Service starts at 6 a.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. Sunday.
Is BART underground or above-ground?
It’s about half-and-half. The San Francisco stations from Glen Park to Embarcadero are underground, as are those in downtown Oakland. Between San Francisco and Oakland, the trains run in 3½-mile-long underwater tunnels.
