BigFlyer
Jun 5, 12, 11:33 am
While looking at the BART website relating to another thread, I see that BART is now selling Advance Purchase vouchers - they are not tickets. You pay online, get a printable voucher, which you then cash in for a real ticket at the International Terminal G Information Booth - here's the link - http://www.bart.gov/guide/airport/voucher_sfo.aspx.
This is a terrible idea for visitors for the following reasons:
You can easily purchase tickets from the fare machines at the BART station;
The voucher must be exchanged for a real ticket at the information booth in the International Terminal. The BART website says it is open from 8:30 to 10:30 P.M., but doesn't tell you the booth is staffed by a volunteer. If the volunteer is on a break, then you can't exchange your ticket.
If your flight is delayed beyond the time the info desk is open, you are SOL.
If you decide that you want to get back to the airport by some method other than BART, you are stuck with a non-refundable BART ticket. Same if you are delayed and arrive after BART has closed, or because of the delay you just want to hop into a cab.
If you take Airtrain to BART from another terminal, you are let off no where near the booth where you have to pick up your ticket. In fact, you can't even get to the booth from the BART stop on Airtrain, you have to counter-intuitively go to one of the two International Terminal stops, not the BART stop.
I doubt that many people will be tempted to buy this, as it is buried on the website. But, if you are tempted, don't do it!
This is a terrible idea for visitors for the following reasons:
You can easily purchase tickets from the fare machines at the BART station;
The voucher must be exchanged for a real ticket at the information booth in the International Terminal. The BART website says it is open from 8:30 to 10:30 P.M., but doesn't tell you the booth is staffed by a volunteer. If the volunteer is on a break, then you can't exchange your ticket.
If your flight is delayed beyond the time the info desk is open, you are SOL.
If you decide that you want to get back to the airport by some method other than BART, you are stuck with a non-refundable BART ticket. Same if you are delayed and arrive after BART has closed, or because of the delay you just want to hop into a cab.
If you take Airtrain to BART from another terminal, you are let off no where near the booth where you have to pick up your ticket. In fact, you can't even get to the booth from the BART stop on Airtrain, you have to counter-intuitively go to one of the two International Terminal stops, not the BART stop.
I doubt that many people will be tempted to buy this, as it is buried on the website. But, if you are tempted, don't do it!