Search Results
Around the Bay this Weekend: Beyoncé, Braves v. Giants, and big BART news
Friday, Aug. 15 – Riders continue to return to BART. On Saturday, Aug. 18, nearly 150,000 people rode our trains, and the following day, more than 98,000 of you hopped aboard.
Big things are brewing around BART, and we’re not just talking about the special late-night service we’re running when Beyoncé comes to town next week (more on that below).
In addition to recently doubling our police and safety presence on trains and doubling our train deep cleans, we’re excited to announce our fleet will be entirely composed of new trains starting Monday, Sept. 11. (You may spot a legacy train on occasion for events and contingencies.)
September 11 is an auspicious date for BART – it's our 51st anniversary! Though we're adding another notch to our years in service, we’re as forward-looking as ever.
On September 11, we’ll be releasing a reimagined schedule that will substantially improve the rider experience. The schedule is designed to work for everyone, every day, whether you’re taking BART to work, to the game, or for a night out with Beyoncé.
That same day, we’ll begin sizing trains for safety and efficiency by shortening their lengths. Sizing trains in this fashion means increased safety and cleanliness for riders, as well as a maximization of BART’s scarce resources. Read more about it here.
September 11 is a few weeks off so, first things first, let’s talk about what’s happening around the Bay this weekend...
For a more in-depth listing of local events, visit the BARTable website. We publish a weekly event roundup, BARTable This Weekend, that highlights happenings around the region as well as cool contests and sweepstakes from our partners.
Wednesday, Aug. 30: The Beyoncé Renaissance Tour at Levi’s Stadium
Beyoncé’s in the Bay next Wednesday, and we'll be running extra trains and offering special limited service after midnight for the show. We’ll also have extra station staff and security to help riders get around.
Getting to Levi’s Stadium on transit is easy. Riders should transfer from BART at Milpitas Station to VTA’s Orange Line and ride to VTA’s Great America Station, located on the north side of Levi’s Stadium.
Earlier this week, Beyoncé announced that for her birthday, she wants her fans to wear silver to the show to “surround ourselves in a shimmering human disco ball.” We at BART are expecting our riders to be shinier than ever, as Queen B implores.
Find more detailed information on taking transit to the concert here.
Friday-Sunday, Aug. 25-Aug. 27: Braves v. Giants at Oracle Park
The San Francisco Giants return to Oracle Park for a trio of games facing the Atlanta Braves: Friday, Aug. 25 at 7:15pm; Saturday, Aug. 26 at 1:05pm; and Sunday, Aug. 27 at 4:10pm. It’s a big series so your best bet for getting to Oracle Park is BART, as always.
Use our guide for taking transit to the game here.
TRACK CLOSURE ADVISORY: If you are traveling from Berryessa/North San Jose Station on the Green Line to San Francisco, be advised of the track closure this weekend for hazardous tree removal and track work between Union City and Fremont stations. The closure will require riders to take a bus bridge between the two stations before continuing to San Francisco.
To avoid the bus bridge, riders can start their trip at Union City Station (or any station north of Union City). Parking is available at many stations if you plan to drive around the bus bridge; reference this page for more information.
SINGLE TRACKING ALERT: On Sunday, Aug. 27, be advised of single tracking between Balboa Park and Daly City stations. BART staff will be cutting back and removing trees that could pose a hazard to the trackway between these stations. Single tracking means service will be reduced from two tracks to one track, and riders in the area should anticipate delays of 10 to 15 minutes. Additionally, all Green Line trains will be cancelled.
Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 26-Aug. 27: Oakland Chinatown Streetfest
The Oakland Chinatown Streetfest returns for its 34th year on Saturday and Sunday. The free festival runs from 10am to 5pm and highlights the historic neighborhood’s traditions, culture, and local businesses.
You can expect performances on two stages, art, food, beverages, and BART! BART staff and safety personnel from BART Police will be tabling at the event with free swag and lots of information. Stop by and say hello.
The festival takes place around 9th and Franklin streets in Chinatown. Take BART to 12th St Oakland Station then walk about three minutes to the festivities.
Explore the Best Attractions near BART Stations
The Bay Area is home to an incredible array of attractions, whether you’re looking to get up close and personal with wildlife or let your imagination run wild with LEGOs. Learn about some of our favorite spots for family fun on BARTable.
Sweepstakes Spotlight: Win Hieroglyphics Swag Ahead of Hiero Day
Hiero Day comes to Oakland on Monday, Sept. 4, and if you’re still looking for a ‘fit, you may want to enter our sweepstakes for a Hieroglyphics Hip Hop Crew Collection swag package. Entries close Monday, Aug. 28, so enter ASAP on BARTable.
Weekend Read: How We Scrub our Trains from Top to Bottom
BART recently doubled the number of times our train cars get deep cleaned – you could say our trains are now twice as clean! For these “thorough cleans,” as they’re known around BART, two cleaners spend two hours scrubbing a car from the ceiling to the baseboards.
Read all about the thorough clean process on bart.gov.
Happy Riding this Weekend!
We hope you enjoy your weekend adventures aboard our trains.
Stay in touch by signing up for the BARTable This Week newsletter on the BARTable website – your one-stop shop for all things accessible by BART. You can also keep up with BARTable on Facebook and Instagram.
Train car cleaner Alyssa Barnes seen from the bottom of a sudsy bucket.
Thousands bid farewell to BART’s legacy trains at retirement ceremony and final ride
This past Saturday, April 20, BART fans caught a final ride on the trains all of us will soon miss. Thousands of people, many wearing their favorite BART outfits, including those they made themselves, came to MacArthur Station to bid adieu to the historic legacy fleet and take their last ride on the 51.5-year-old trains. The event included a celebration in the station plaza, a retirement ceremony, and a final journey aboard three legacy trains brought from the yard just for the day. Some people traveled from outside the state just to attend the event.
“I’m coming out here to pay my respects to an old friend that I’ve been missing these last few weeks," said one rail fan who arrived over an hour early to the event. “It’s going to be sad to see it go, but it’s nice to know I’ll be here for its final moments.”
In the plaza, throngs of BART fans enjoyed food trucks and activities, including a stamp rally, as well as a raffle for legacy car number plates. There was also a Railgoods popup shop so folks could top off their collections of BART merch and purchase the latest product offerings, including a shirt made specifically for the day.
The party in the plaza was followed by a ceremony opened by BART Board President Bevan Dufty and including remarks by General Manager Bob Powers, FTA Region 9 Regional Administrator Ray Tellis, and BART Chief of Police Kevin Franklin. There were also representatives from groups who will receive legacy cars after successfully submitting proposals to repurpose the vehicles, including the Western Railway Museum, which is establishing a Rapid Transit History Center that will include three legacy BART cars; the Sierra Train House, a forthcoming residence and short-term rental in the Sierra Foothills constructed from a BART car; and the Original Scraper Bike Team, who will use a car for a bike shop, providing free repairs and bike repair lessons to local youth, as well as a clubhouse for community events and the organization's mentorship program.
At the end of the ceremony, it was time for the last hurrah aboard the legacy trains. Incredibly, the line to get on a train was so long it reached MacArthur Boulevard. Despite the line, everyone was able to get onboard a train.
The trip ran from MacArthur to Fremont Station – the reverse of BART’s inaugural run in 1972. Some of the cars in service for that momentous day were hauling passengers for this last ride, more than fifty years after their wheels first touched rail.
After the trains reached Fremont, they rode off into the sunset and came to rest at BART’s Hayward Yard. A crowd on the station platform at Fremont, their cameras rolling, was there to see them off.
Position open on BART Police Citizen Review Board – Public-At-Large
The BART Board of Directors is currently in the process of recruiting a Public-At-Large appointee for the BART Police Citizen Review Board (BPCRB).
The BPCRB is comprised of 11 members and residents of the following counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and San Francisco. The Public-At-Large position is appointed by all nine BART directors.
Members of the BPCRB work to increase the public's confidence in BART's policing services by:
- Reviewing, recommending, and monitoring the implementation of changes to police policies, procedures, and practices
- Receiving citizen allegations of on-duty police misconduct
- Advising Board of Directors, General Manager, Independent Police Auditor, and Police Chief
- Participating in recommending appropriate disciplinary action
- Meeting periodically with representatives of the BART Police associations
- Participating in community outreach
Submit an e-application or download the printable application.
Application period opens Monday, Nov. 18, and closes on Friday, December 20, 2024.
Call (510) 464-6083 or email [email protected] with questions.
BPCRB Recruitment Flyer - Public-At-Large
General BPCRB information (.doc)
BART Board hosts night meeting on Nov 17 discussing transit coordination and other items
The BART Board of Directors on Thursday, November 17th will hold its fifth night meeting of the year. The Board this year is prioritizing holding several evening meetings to encourage greater public participation. The public can attend and comment in person or virtually. The public portion of the November
BART teen poets to participate in Bay Area Book Festival this Sunday in Berkeley
Some of the winners from our BART Lines Teen Poetry Contest will be participating in the Bay Area Book Festival's free and family-friendly Outdoor Fair this Sunday, June 2 in Berkeley.
Festivalgoers can stop by our table to write a BART “flash” poem with our award-winning poets. Every flash poem writer gets a BART prize. Several of the teen poetry contest winners along with Youth Speaks Brave New Voices team members will be reading their BART Lines poems at the table throughout the day. We’ll be tabling at the Outdoor Fair in the Family Fun Zone - booth 106.
We’ll also be selling our hot-off-the-presses BART Lines chapbook. Be the first to get your hands on a copy and get it signed by one of the teen poets whose work is featured in the collection. The one-of-a-kind books will be for sale on railgoods.com after the event.
The Outdoor Fair runs from 11am to 4pm in MLK Jr/Civic Center Park in Downtown Berkeley, and the BART station is just a 3-minute walk from the festivities. More info here. See you there!
BART Police Department doubles down on commitment to fill 28 officer vacancies
As part of it’s ongoing commitment to making BART the Bay Area’s safest way to travel, the BART Police Department is pursuing an aggressive recruiting campaign to fill 28 officer vacancies. The announcement comes after the BART Board of Directors unanimously approved an agreement that increased BPD officer salaries to make them competitive with other Bay Area law enforcement agencies. BPD salaries had previously been 19% below the market average for 10 comparable jurisdictions.
“We are pulling out all stops to fill our current officer vacancies and continue our progress toward making BART the safest way to travel the Bay Area,” said interim Police Chief Kevin Franklin." Competitive pay is essential to attracting the top officer candidates, and we believe this pay increase will help BPD attract excellent candidates. We also offer state-of-the-art equipment and training, an array of special assignments, and an unmatched commitment to community policing across the Bay Area.”
BART General Manager Bob Powers and the BART Board have committed to adding 19 additional new officer positions once BPD fills all its current vacancies.
“We are putting our money where our mouth is when it comes to ensuring the safety of our riders,” said Powers. “In addition to our success adding Crisis Intervention Specialists and Transit Ambassadors, these new sworn BPD officers represent an important investment in the safety and security of the BART system that the Bay Area demands, and we will provide. We know that by filling these vacancies through the duration of 2023, as well as adding additional, highly-trained BPD positions, we will ensure BART is safer and cleaner for all our riders.”
BPD has set a goal of hiring 6 officers a month starting in August. The department has hired 19 officers so far this year including 4 that are set to graduate from academy this month.
BPD has streamlined its hiring procedures to ensure qualified candidates move swiftly through the process. The department’s latest recruitment open house in July was a great success. It attracted 65 prospects and 21 applied on the spot to take BPD’s written exam and physical agility test.
BPD has had success hiring non-sworn Crisis Intervention Specialists (CIS) and Transit Ambassadors. BPD has filled 19 of its 20 CIS positions and 9 of its 10 Ambassador spots. These unarmed BPD staff play a vital role in helping the department to boost its visible safety presence in the system. They receive de-escalation training and work in coordination with sworn officers.
Officer candidates can learn more about working for BPD at the department’s employment page. The site allows prospects to text a recruiter so they can speak live to staff about applying with the department.
BART PD volunteer chaplain coordinator takes on national role in black law enforcement group
By MELISSA JORDAN BART Senior Web Producer Long after her regular workday ended, Sgt. Tanzanika Carter switched to her volunteer role and convened a monthly meeting of BART Police volunteer chaplains. Carter, the volunteer chaplain coordinator, collected their reports on activities such as visiting injured
BART to open at 5am starting 2-11-2019 with alternative bus service provided
JANUARY UPDATE: Beginning on February 11, 2019, BART's start of service will shift from 4 am to 5 am systemwide for a massive project that will seismically retrofit the Transbay Tube. About 2,900 riders enter our system in that first hour of service. BART conducted extensive outreach this past spring which
BART offers special early service with limited stops for 2024 Bay to Breakers
BART will provide four trains with limited stops before regular BART service begins for the Bay to Breakers event on Sunday, May 19, 2024. The special service will get race participants to Embarcadero around 7am.
The special early morning event trains will pick up passengers for an Embarcadero arrival with limited service from the following peninsula stations; Millbrae, Daly City, and 16th Street Mission in San Francisco and from the East Bay; West Oakland, MacArthur, Pleasant Hill, El Cerrito del Norte, Bay Fair, and Dublin stations. These stations will be the only stations opened early for service.
These four trains will go out of service once they drop riders off at Embarcadero. Riders cannot board a train at Embarcadero.
Special Service Details
- One train will leave Millbrae at 6:30am and will stop at Daly City at 6:43am, 16th Street Mission at 6:53am and then Embarcadero at 6:58am. No other stops will be made along the line.
- A second train will leave Pleasant Hill at 6:24am and will stop at MacArthur at 6:43am, West Oakland at 6:52am and then Embarcadero at 6:58am. No other stops will be made along the line.
- A third train will leave Dublin at 6:18am and will stop at Bay Fair at 6:35am, West Oakland at 6:55am, and then Embarcadero at 7:01am. No other stops will be made along the line.
- A fourth train will leave El Cerrito del Norte at 6:36am and will stop at MacArthur at 6:49am, West Oakland at 6:58am and then Embarcadero at 7:04am. No other stops will be made along the line.
Regular systemwide BART service starts at around 8am.
Tips
BART parking is free on Sundays. People driving to BART to take the train should park at one of these stations being served: Pleasant Hill, El Cerrito del Norte, MacArthur, Bay Fair, West Oakland, Daly City, and Millbrae. 16th Street Mission does not have a BART parking lot.
BART has loaded these event trains as special service to the Trip Planner.
Once on the platform, these four trains will be labelled as: “Limited Stop to Embarcadero.”
Load your Clipper card in advance with enough funds for the round trip.
If you don’t have a Clipper card, add one for free ($3 savings) to your phone’s wallet in advance and use Google Pay or Apple Pay.
BART offers 1am Extended Service for 2023 New Year’s Eve
For New Year’s Eve, Sunday, December 31, BART will run standard Sunday service (starting at 8am) but with an extended closing time and extra event trains.
- Last East Bay bound train running through downtown San Francisco will be at around 1:30am.
- Last southbound train heading toward Millbrae will run through downtown San Francisco at 2:10am (it will not stop at SFO).
Our 1am Extended Service will be as listed:
- Three-line special service (Yellow, Blue and Orange only in both directions, for total of six trains for 1am Extended Service). Yellow Line will be the only line running in San Francisco and Peninsula. Blue Line will run between Bay Fair and Dublin/Pleasanton.
- Trains will be waiting at 12th St Oakland, MacArthur and Bay Fair to complete timed transfers.
- Yellow Line and Orange Line trains in all directions will be timed to meet at MacArthur Station at 1:47am in a "Grand Meet". This is the transfer point for riders coming from San Francisco heading toward Richmond or Berryessa or riders coming from the East Bay heading toward San Francisco.
- Yellow Line and Orange Line trains will be timed to meet at 12th St Oakland.
- Riders boarding a Berryessa-bound Orange Line train heading to San Francisco can exit their train and wait for the Millbrae-bound Yellow Line at 1:55am on the same Platform 2 (Lower Level).
- There will be a timed transfer at 1:43 am on Platform 1 and 3 (Upper Level) between Antioch-bound Yellow Line train and Richmond-bound Orange Line train.
- Orange Line and Blue Line trains will be timed to meet at Bay Fair Station at 2:16am. Dublin-bound riders can take the Berryessa-bound Orange Line train and transfer at Bay Fair Station.
- SFO and OAK airport stations will NOT be served.
- Last East Bay bound train running through downtown San Francisco will be at around 1:30am.
- Last southbound train heading toward Millbrae will run through downtown San Francisco at 2:10am.
The regular last trains of the evening (Yellow, Blue, and Orange lines) will be dispatched from the end of their lines at midnight and then at 1:00am, we will run another set of last trains of the evening to serve 48 out of our 50 stations. The 1am trains will not serve SFO and OAK airport stations.
BART’s Trip Planner has been updated to include the extended service trains.
Avoid Vending Machines and Put Clipper on Your Phone
We encourage all New Year's Eve riders who need a Clipper card (BART no longer sells paper tickets) to add a digital card to their phone’s mobile wallet and to load round trip funds before arriving to BART. The funds will be available for immediate use.
A digital card avoids the $3 plastic card fee and the hassle of waiting in long lines at machines. Here are the Google Pay and Apple Pay instructions. Do not download the Clipper app, go through your phone's wallet.
Each person 5 years and older need their own Clipper card. There isn't a way to share one because you have to tag in and out at the fare gates. Multiple cards can be added to a phone's digital wallet, if you need to use multiple cards, turn off express mode so you can toggle through each one when entering and exiting at the fare gates.
1am Extended Service details
Besides the extra event trains which be dispatched as available, only the Yellow line (Millbrae to Antioch) will run between San Francisco and the East Bay. Riders heading from San Francisco towards Richmond, Berryessa, and Dublin will need to transfer. Yellow Line trains will not serve SFO. Southbound Yellow line (Antioch to Millbrae) trains will run to Millbrae, stopping at all stations except SFO.
The Blue line will operate from Bay Fair to Dublin only. If travelling from San Francisco, Dublin-bound riders need to transfer at MacArthur to a Berryessa (Orange line) bound train and then transfer to a Dublin (Blue line) train at Bay Fair to complete their trip. These transfers will be timed meets to reduce travel time.
The Orange line (Richmond to Berryessa) will also run hourly to coincide with the other trains. Riders coming from San Francisco who need to transfer to a Richmond-bound train will do so at MacArthur; riders who need to transfer to a Berryessa-bound train (or Dublin) will do so at 12th Street. These transfers will be timed meets to reduce travel time. BART to OAK service will not be operating after regular BART hours.
Avoid lines, get Clipper in advance
Each rider 5 and older needs their own Clipper card to pay for BART fare.
For those who already have Clipper, make sure you have your roundtrip fare loaded (lines will be long at the station).
If you don’t already have a Clipper card, save $3 per plastic card, and add Clipper to your phone’s digital wallet for free. No app required. You can instantly load cash value with your Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
For step-by-step instructions on how to add a new Clipper card to your phone, please go to Clipper's Apple Pay page or Google Pay page for more information.
Parking
Parking is free on Sunday, except at Berryessa/North San Jose and Milpitas stations, which are owned and operated by VTA and parking fees are enforced on 7 days a week, including holidays. Monday, January 1, will also be free parking, excpet at Berryessa/North San Jose and Milpitas stations.
You can leave your car at BART lots overnight if necessary.
Stay Safe
Save these numbers in your phone:
- 510-200-0992 to text BART Police dispatch to discreetly report criminal activity
- 510-464-7000 to call BART Police in an emergency (It’s faster than calling 911)
We also offer the free the BART Watch app--a free mobile app available on the App Store and Google Play that allows you to quickly and discreetly report criminal or suspicious activity directly to BART Police.
You can reach the train operator using call buttons in each car. On old cars the button is at the end of the car, on new cars, the call button is by the side doors.
Note your train car number when contacting police or the train operator. The train number is located above the doors on the inside of each end of the train car.
BART will have extra safety staff working on New Year’s Eve to have more staff on trains, on platforms and inside stations.
Sunday Service on New Year's Day
New Year’s Day, January 1, 2024, will be a regular Sunday schedule with service running 8am until midnight.