[ UrbanRail.Net ]     [ Europe ] [ America ] [ Asia ] [ Africa ] [ Oceania ]     [ News ] [ Books ] [ Links ]

BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) is a modern rapid rail system (30 km underground in downtown San Francisco Oakland and Berkeley) which crosses the Bay in a 5.8 km long tunnel and serves surrounding cities like Berkeley, Oakland and Richmond in the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and San Mateo. Its construction began in 1964 between Concord and Walnut Creek, and the lowering of the transbay tube and the excavation of the Market Street subway in downtown San Francisco followed in the late 1960's and beginning of the 1970's. BART cars were ordered from the California based Rohr Industries which had no experience in building such cars. The first stretch open for public service on 11 September 1972 between Oakland and Fremont. In 2000, the entire network is 152 km long, it has 39 stations and serves some 3 million people in the area. All stations are fully accessible to disabled persons. Out of 152 km of total length (1997), 30 km run in subways through city centres, 5.8 km underneath the San Francisco Bay, 5.5 km is the Berkeley Hills tunnel, 36.8 km run elevated and the remaining 70.5 km are at grade. Out of 39 stations, 14 are underground, 13 elevated and 12 at grade. Four stations are shared with Muni Metro stations in downtown San Francisco.

An extension of the BART trunk line to San Francisco International Airport (15 km) and Millbrae was added in June 2003).

The Muni Metro is a streetcar-like network which runs underground (parallel to BART) in the city centre (8 underground stations), similar to a German Stadtbahn system or the trolley networks in Boston or Philadelphia.

In 13 Jan 2007, the new T service along Third Street (8.2 km) opened for introductory service, with regular service starting on 7 April 2007.

11 Sept 1972 - Oakland (MacArthur) - Fremont (44.8 km, 12 stations)
29 Jan 1973 - Oakland - Richmond (17.6 km, 6 stations)
21 May 1973 - Oakland - Concord (27.2 km, 6 stations)
05 Nov 1973 - San Francisco subway opens between Montgomery St and Daly City (12 km, 8 stations)
16 Sept 1974 - 5.8 km Transbay Tunnel opens (12.8 km, 1 station) and completes 71.5 miles (114.5 km) initial network
27 May 1976 - Embarcadero station added
16 Dec 1995 - Concord - North Concord/Martinez
24 Feb 1996 - Daly City - Colma (2.6 km, 1 station)
07 Dec 1996 - North Concord/Martinez - Pittsburg/Bay Point (12.5 km, 2 stations from Concord)
10 May 1997 - Bay Fair - Dublin/Pleasanton (2 stations)
22 June 2003 - Colma - San Francisco Int'l Airport and Millbrae

 Projects

An additional station has been under construction at West Dublin/Pleasanton since Sept. 2006 for completion in 2009.

Another extension is planned on the Fremont leg to Warm Springs (7.6 km).

In Nov. 2000 voters decided in favour of a BART extension from Fremont to San José (via Warm Springs). Eventually this might become a circular route back to Millbrae.

The Muni Metro T line, which opened in April 2007, will be extended underground north from King Street along Fourth Street, entering a new Central Subway near Bryant Street. It will then cross beneath Market Street and continue under Stockton Street. Underground stations will be located at Moscone Center, Market Street (interchange with BART and Munic at Powell Street station), Union Square and Clay Street in Chinatown.

© All pictures by kind permission of Eric Haas

-OPERATION

4:00 - 24:00 Mon-Fri, 6:00 - 24:00 Sat, 8:00 - 24:00 Sun, every 15 minutes on all branches, which results in a 4-minute headway on the transbay link between Oakland and San Francisco (3 minutes during rush hours).

-FARES

Single Fare:
$1.50 on Muni Metro
$1.50 - $8.00 on BART, according to distance

Tourist Passports (valid on Muni Metro, cable cars & buses)
- 1-Day - $11.00
- 3-Days - $18.00
- 7-Days - $24.00
Weekly Pass for all Muni Lines: $15.00 (+$1.00 for each cable car ride)

BART stored value tickets (Blue High Value) are available for $48 and $64, offering a certain discount.

Bay Area Rapid Transit District (Official Site) incl. map

San Francisco Municipal Railway Home Page

San Francisco Transit Page at New York Subway Resources (incl. everything about BART & Muni Metro)

Bay Area Rail Transit by Loren Petrich

Jon Bell's San Francisco Page incl. photos

Silicon Valley extension project

San Francisco BART & MUNI Gallery

Long-term Bay Area Rail Plan

San Francisco Cityscape (incl. many bay area rail maps)