best public transportation deals SFO area?
Apr 27, 2003, 2:15 am
#1
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: CH-3823 Wengen Switzerland
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Posts: 27,041
best public transportation deals SFO area?
Being a fan of public transportation (pampered by the swiss transportation system ...) I am already looking forward to my 23 days stay in the Bay area this november/december 2003.
Also hoping that the BART-SFO airport link will be open.
So far, for my stays of 7 days or more in SFO/the Bay-area I always bought a local 7-days pass covering local SFO transportation (including cable cars) and individual BART, SAM-bus and/or Cal-Train tickets.
Any way to buy a (montly?-) pass that covers all (Bart, Sam, local SFO-bus and cable-car, Cal-train) of them for a month (november 14 to december 8).
Any rebates for 'out of town' (= Swiss) seniors (ofer 60 years of age?) - procedure to get such a senior-rebate?
Is there (or will there probably be, once BART-SFO is open) a place at SFO where I can get such a monthly-pass?
Also hoping that the BART-SFO airport link will be open.
So far, for my stays of 7 days or more in SFO/the Bay-area I always bought a local 7-days pass covering local SFO transportation (including cable cars) and individual BART, SAM-bus and/or Cal-Train tickets.
Any way to buy a (montly?-) pass that covers all (Bart, Sam, local SFO-bus and cable-car, Cal-train) of them for a month (november 14 to december 8).
Any rebates for 'out of town' (= Swiss) seniors (ofer 60 years of age?) - procedure to get such a senior-rebate?
Is there (or will there probably be, once BART-SFO is open) a place at SFO where I can get such a monthly-pass?
Apr 27, 2003, 2:59 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,373
Yup, BART-SFO will be open by then. The opening date appears to be pretty firm at June 22.
BART Plus - see http://bart.gov/tickets/types/typesPlus.asp - might ordinarily meet your needs. It includes unlimited rides on SF Muni and SamTrans. However, as a senior you're eligible for a 75% discount on BART, so I would recommend a BART "green" (senior) ticket instead. Currently the BART ticketing machines don't sell those. You can buy one at a shop at the airport or at the downtown SF stations. Be aware that the senior cutoff here is 65 years.
Same goes for Muni - because the 7-day Passport is an adult fare, you would be better off just paying a senior fare as you go.
Unfortunately, there's no coordination (yet, anyway) between Caltrain and BART. There again, though, just buy S/D/C tickets (Senior/Disabled/Child) assuming you're eligible. Under Caltrain's new system a round-trip ticket is valid as a day pass, so if you want to tour the Peninsula for a day, getting on and off, you can do that with a single discounted RT. Caltrain's passes are monthly, instead of 31-day (don't ask me why) so given that your dates don't coincide with the beginning and end of the month, you'd have to buy 2.
[This message has been edited by mkincaid (edited 07-05-2003).]
BART Plus - see http://bart.gov/tickets/types/typesPlus.asp - might ordinarily meet your needs. It includes unlimited rides on SF Muni and SamTrans. However, as a senior you're eligible for a 75% discount on BART, so I would recommend a BART "green" (senior) ticket instead. Currently the BART ticketing machines don't sell those. You can buy one at a shop at the airport or at the downtown SF stations. Be aware that the senior cutoff here is 65 years.
Same goes for Muni - because the 7-day Passport is an adult fare, you would be better off just paying a senior fare as you go.
Unfortunately, there's no coordination (yet, anyway) between Caltrain and BART. There again, though, just buy S/D/C tickets (Senior/Disabled/Child) assuming you're eligible. Under Caltrain's new system a round-trip ticket is valid as a day pass, so if you want to tour the Peninsula for a day, getting on and off, you can do that with a single discounted RT. Caltrain's passes are monthly, instead of 31-day (don't ask me why) so given that your dates don't coincide with the beginning and end of the month, you'd have to buy 2.
[This message has been edited by mkincaid (edited 07-05-2003).]
Apr 27, 2003, 3:23 pm
#3
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Links for every transit agency in the Bay Area:
http://www.transitinfo.org/
If I recall right from when I worked at BART, the passes you're referring to are actually Muni passes, and BART allowed them to be used only on San Francisco trains (you could not use them out to Berkeley or Concord, for instance).
The Muni link has a whole section on passes. I'm just not sure if you need a regional transit ID card in order to purchase them (for 65 and older).
http://www.transitinfo.org/
If I recall right from when I worked at BART, the passes you're referring to are actually Muni passes, and BART allowed them to be used only on San Francisco trains (you could not use them out to Berkeley or Concord, for instance).
The Muni link has a whole section on passes. I'm just not sure if you need a regional transit ID card in order to purchase them (for 65 and older).
Jun 8, 2003, 3:29 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,373
No RTC card needed for Senior Muni passes, any age ID will do.
By the way, if you want discounted BART tickets, there are various locations in the airport that you will be able to get them. Some of these may sell other transit tickets, tokens, and passes, too, especially the last one, the Transit Store.
Boule Café
Departure Level, Int'l Terminal
Polaris Information Booths
Arrival Level, Dom & Int'l Terminal
Transit Store
SFIA BART Station (off to the side of the main international terminal ticketing lobby, or take the people mover)
By the way, if you want discounted BART tickets, there are various locations in the airport that you will be able to get them. Some of these may sell other transit tickets, tokens, and passes, too, especially the last one, the Transit Store.
Boule Café
Departure Level, Int'l Terminal
Polaris Information Booths
Arrival Level, Dom & Int'l Terminal
Transit Store
SFIA BART Station (off to the side of the main international terminal ticketing lobby, or take the people mover)