The Clipper card is a transit ticket card that works on all mass transit systems in the Bay Area. Clipper cards can be purchased in BART stations or at retail locations (like Walgreens or Whole Foods) for $3, and give you a $0.50 discount per BART ride and $0.25 per MUNI ride, so if you’re expecting to take lots of public transit, it might be worth buying one.
If you use paper tickets instead of a Clipper card, the value won’t transfer between agencies. This means, for example, that bus tickets from SF won’t work in Oakland, or on BART, or anywhere but another SF bus.
Clipper cards work by storing cash value, and then paying it out when you tap your card.
The Bay Area Rapid Transit system is the area’s subway system. To enter, each rider needs their own ticket or Clipper card. You’ll need to use the same ticket to leave the system, so don’t lose it!
BART lines are identified by their ultimate destination, so make sure you know what the final destination of the train you want is. Don’t be afraid to take a train and transfer to another line at a transfer station (at certain times of the day, you might have to do this to get where you’re going).
MUNI trains run partly underground and partly aboveground on tracks. Within SF, they share some stations with BART, so make sure you’re entering the right paid area. If you enter through an underground station, you’ll need to tap your Clipper card or insert a pre-purchased ticket to come in through the gate. If you enter aboveground, you’ll be able to tap your Clipper card on any train car, or pay with cash for a ticket on the first car of the train.
There are several different bus systems in the Bay Area, but they all work similarly: pay or tap a card when you get on the front of your bus. Pull a cord or hit a button to signal that your stop is coming up.
If you want to get somewhere that public transit doesn’t go (like to our wedding), Lyft and Uber are your friends! Install one or both apps before you leave. When you open the app, you’ll be able to select the type of ride you want (shared ride, private ride, etc.), your pickup location, and your dropoff location. The app will let you know when your car is arriving and tell you the driver’s name and license plate number. Make sure you get in the right car!
Prices vary by time of day and availibility of drivers. This is called "surge pricing". Sometimes waiting a few minutes can make the surge pricing go away, but it can also get worse.