|
The San Francisco Bay Area encompasses the nine counties that touch San Francisco Bay:
Alameda and Contra Costa in the East Bay; Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma in the North Bay;
San Francisco and San Mateo on the Peninsula; and Santa Clara County - the region's most
populous county - in the South Bay. Home to 101 municipalities, the Bay Area
(click to see map)
has a land mass of 7,179 square miles (bigger than several states) and is home to almost
7 million people, making it the fifth most-populous metropolitan area in the country. By 2030 the region is estimated to have 8.7 million people. Whether it's walking, bicycling, driving or riding public transit, the region's transportation network is key to getting the growing population around the Bay Area.
511 consolidates the Bay Area's diverse transportation network which includes:
9,000 miles of bus routes
470 miles of rail transit
5 commuter ferry lines
5 public ports
3 major commercial airports
1,420 miles of highways
340 miles of carpool lanes
8 toll bridges
19,600 miles of local streets and roads
750 miles of bikeways in the regional bicycle system including the nine-county Bay Trail (and an additional 1,300 miles of new bikeways are proposed).
The Bay Area is home to some two-dozen public transit operators that offer bus, rail, ferry and shuttle services in the
region. BART and
Caltrain offer rail service
along major corridors leading into San Francisco. Other major service includes
MUNI in San Francisco,
AC Transit and
County Connection
in the East Bay, Golden Gate Transit
in the North Bay, samTrans
on the Peninsula and Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)
in the South Bay. Rounding out the list are smaller operators sprinkled throughout the region.
Together, the Bay Area's transit services carry an average weekday ridership of more than 1.3 million.
Depending on your starting point and destination, some trips can be made using different transit operators or combination of operators. The 511 Transit Web site's popular TakeTransit Trip PlannerSM can help you find the best connections. Wherever you're going, 511 Transit is the place to start. The trip planner currently includes route and schedule information for
the major Bay Area transit providers.
The maps on the trip planner, schedules, and fares area only display information for the Bay Area's nine counties.
Interactive functions and map details are not provided for areas outside the nine-county region.
This complete list of transit providers in 511 Transit also includes links to information for numerous shuttle services and transit providers outside the region, many of which are not included in the trip planner.
The 511 TakeTransit Trip PlannerSM
makes it easier to plan a trip on public transportation to and from
San Francisco International Airport,
Oakland International Airport
and the
Mineta San Jose International Airport.
When using the trip planner, just enter SFO, OAK or SJC in the address entry box for these airports.
The 511 phone system now provides information on traffic conditions, parking rates and ground and public transportation
at all three major Bay Area airports, and at
Sacramento International Airport.
The 511 TakeTransit Trip PlannerSM
also includes route and schedule information for
Amtrak's Capitol Corridor
service within the Bay Area (for continuing service outside the nine county Bay Area, please see the
Capitol Corridor website.
Altamont Commuter Express Rail (ACE) is also included in the trip planner for its Bay Area stations.
Information about ACE service that extends beyond the nine county Bay Area is available at the
ACE website.
Visit http://www.greyhound.com for information about Greyhound inter-city bus service
(which is not included in the 511 TakeTransit Trip PlannerSM ).
Service hours vary greatly among the various Bay Area transit operators.
Choose a Bay Area
transit provider from the list
to learn more about its service hours.
The All Nighter provides regional bus service from approximately 1 to 5 a.m. throughout Alameda,
Contra Costa, San Francisco and San Mateo counties, and serves most BART and Caltrain stations.
View the
All Nighter
section for details on agencies that offer this service.
Be sure to check each
agency’s schedules
as some do not offer late night service or may shut down
after the evening commute period. Some agencies do not operate on Saturdays and/or Sundays and holidays.
Others offer service to recreational destinations (i.e. parks and beaches) on weekends and holidays only.
Frequency of service also varies greatly by transit operator.
The bigger, denser cities offer more frequent service, while the outlying areas tend to be less frequent.
The schedule summary pages by transit operator and by line will give you a sense of how often the service runs.
Transit agencies' telephone customer service hours also vary considerably,
with many customer information centers handling "live" calls only during normal Monday through
Friday business hours. The 511 phone service can connect you directly to transit agencies' telephone
customer service centers and will inform you of the centers' operating hours before completing the transfer.
Fare schedules and payment procedures vary widely among Bay Area transit operators, which range
from free local shuttle services like the
Emery-Go-Round in
Emeryville and the Menlo Park Midday Shuttle
in Menlo Park to multi-county operators like BART,
Caltrain and
Golden Gate Transit that base fares on
distance traveled. Complete fare information for every Bay Area transit operator is available on
the 511 Transit Fare Information page.
Currently, most Bay Area buses require exact change to board.
Tickets for BART trains must be purchased before proceeding through the fare gates.
Be sure to carry proof of payment that can be shown to roving fare inspectors, on systems
that require you to carry proof of payment. In addition to single-trip cash fares, many
Bay Area transit operators offer passes that allow unlimited travel within that system for a day, week or month.
Many Bay Area transit operators offer transfers to connecting services, most with discounted fares.
The 511 TakeTransit Trip PlannerSM
helps passengers determine where to transfer, if necessary,
and calculates the correct fare for each segment of a trip. Also, learn how
TransLink®
will make
paying for your fares and making transfers easier.
TransLink® -- the new, more convenient way to pay for transit rides in the Bay Area—is
now accepted for payment on AC Transit and Golden Gate Transit and Ferry.
BART, MUNI, and Caltrain are next in line to join TransLink®, followed by SamTrans and VTA.
Eventually, all Bay Area transit agencies will accept TransLink®.
The TransLink® card stores value in the form of electronic cash (e-cash) and transit passes.
Cards and value are available online, by phone or mail, at participating retail outlets and
transit agency ticket offices, and through employee transit benefit programs.
You can set up your card to reload automatically through TransLink®’s convenient Autoload feature.
Click here
for more details about TransLink®.
Most public transit services in the Bay Area are wheelchair accessible. Passengers are required to make seats near
the entrance to transit vehicles available to the elderly and disabled. The Transit 511 Disabled & Senior Services page
provides more information on accessibility.
Call 511 to connect with your transit agency.
For information about paratransit, either use the keypad or say
"paratransit" at the main menu voice prompt.
Or, select a transit provider from the 511 Transit
List of Transit Providers
to check for accessibility on a specific transit operator and its routes.
Approximately 36,000 Bay Area residents use a bicycle as their primary means
of getting to work every day. Nearly all buses in the Bay Area are equipped with bike racks,
and bicycles are allowed on all Bay Area ferries, as well as most rail systems.
There are a few exceptions, so it’s a good idea to confirm before you head out with your bike.
Check out the "Bikes on Transit" section of the
511 Bicycling website
for more information.
If your transit trip does not allow bicycles on board, many transit stations and terminals
also offer bike racks and lockers. A few rail systems even offer attended bicycle parking
at "bike stations".
Click here
for more information on parking your bike at transit stations.
All Bay Area transit providers allow persons with disabilities to ride with their guide, signal or service animal.
The service animal must be leashed or otherwise under the control of the owner at all time.
Under certain restrictions some transit providers, such as San Francisco MUNI,
allow persons to board with an animal that is not a working dog for the disabled. A fare for the animal may be
required and they may be allowed to ride only during certain hours. Dogs may need to be muzzled and kept on a
short leash or in a closed container. Other animals may be required to be in a closed container. Please check
with an individual transit operator
(List of Transit Providers)
before attempting to board with an animal that is not in the service of a
disabled person.
Using public transportation to travel around the Bay Area can be easier, faster and more fun
if you remember a few helpful hints:
-
Plan your trip ahead of time, using the 511 Transit Web page and the trip planner.
-
Parking may not always be available if you're planning to drive to the bus stop, train station or ferry terminal.
-
Schedules are at best estimates, and can be affected by traffic congestion and other delays.
-
Make sure to arrive a few minutes early.
-
Have the exact fare ready or give yourself time to buy a ticket.
-
Get a transfer from the bus driver, train operator or ferry attendant when you board.
-
Allow all passengers leaving the transit vehicle to exit before you board.
-
Allow all passengers leaving the transit vehicle to exit before you board.
-
Smoking is not allowed on any transit vehicle.
-
Eating and drinking generally are allowed only on trains and ferries with food and beverage service.
Smoking is not allowed on any transit vehicle.
-
Use headphones if listening to a radio, CD player or other noisemaker.
-
Try not to disturb other passengers when using a cellular phone.
-
Make sure there's enough room for your bicycle before bringing it onboard a bus, train or ferry.
January 17, 2008
|
