Guide to Berkeley Public Transportation
What is a Clipper Card?
As a Freshman, you will receive a shiny blue card known as the Clipper card. This card has the ability to get you anywhere in the bay. As a student, you get free access to AC Transit buses. AC transit serves Alameda County. Any additional transportation, such as BART, buses in San Francisco, the ferry, etc will require you to pay. However, you can pay for these using your same clipper card, you will just need to add money to it.
How do I use my card to get on the bus?
When you get on the bus, you will see a small card scanner/payment area next to the bus driver. All you need to do is hold your Clipper Card against the card reader and it will make a single beep sound to alert you that you can go through. If your card beeps multiple times, it means that the reader did not pick up on your card and you will need to hold your card to the reader again. Don’t worry if this happens, it is common! When using the bus, you only need to have your card scanned when you get on. You don’t need to tag off when you get off at your desired destination.
How do I know where to find a bus stop?
Your phone will become a critical tool in helping you navigate public transportation. You can enter the address you want to get to using the map app on your phone and ask it to show you how to get there using public transportation. Maps will then show you the nearest bus stop to get on your desired bus. Note that you may want to zoom in to figure out what side of the street the stop is on. Two-way streets often have buses from the same line stop on the same schedule, but going in opposite directions, make sure you are getting on the right one!
What bus lines should I know about?
There are many bus lines, however, there are a handful that you will rely on. The 51B bus line is probably the most well known by students. In one direction, the 51B can take you in the direction of Rockridge. In the other, it travels to the Berkeley Marina. This line has many stops close to campus as well as grocery stores. If you live on the southside or closer to Oakland, the 6 line will be your friend. This line runs down Telegraph and into Downtown Oakland. In the other direction, it goes to Downtown Berkeley and makes stops along the Southside of campus. If you are on northside or live in University Village, the 52 will be your friend. The 52 runs to University Village which is also located next to a Sprouts farmers market. The reverse line runs from University Village to the Berkeley campus, looping around from the Northside. Two lines that you should keep an eye on if you want to get away from campus and go do something fun are the 36 and the F. Both lines will take you to the Emeryville shopping center where you can hang out at the mall, grab some good food, or watch a movie at the AMC theater. The F bus will take you all the way to San Francisco, ending its route at Salesforce Transit Center.
Do I need to flag a bus down?
Most bus drivers will stop at a bus stop if they see people standing at the stop. However, if you are turned away or on your phone, they may assume you are waiting for a different bus and drive by. Once the bus is within your field of vision, I suggest putting your phone away and holding out your clipper card so they can tell you are getting on the bus. You can wave or make another suggestive gesture to make sure they see you, especially if you are the only person at a stop or if another bus is pulling up at the same exact time. Sometimes even if you make it known that you are waiting for a bus, they may not stop. This usually only happens if the bus is at full capacity or if it is no longer in service.
What apps are helpful?
There are many apps that can help you navigate the transit system. I suggest starting with the maps app on your phone to get an idea of where the bus stops are and to get a general idea of their schedules. For real-time information I suggest downloading the CalTransit app. This app is specific to AC transit buses and shows you where a bus is relative to their distance from your selected bus stop. Other students have suggested the Transit App which also provides real time bus information. In my experience, I have found the CalTransit app to be more reliable than the Transit App.
How can I use BART?
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is a heavy-rail transit system that connects the San Francisco peninsula to parts of the East and South bay. BART can take you to places further than what AC transit can reach. It can also help get you places more quickly than AC transit. In order to use BART, you can get on from the Downtown Berkeley Station which is located underground. From there, you can get on your desired BART line. When you use BART, you will need to tag your Clipper Card to get in at your starting point and tag it again to get out of the station at your destination.
How do I pay for public transportation?
As mentioned, AC transit is free using your Clipper Card. However, BART and some other Bay Area transit services will require you to pay. BART stations have machines where you can deposit funds into your account using cash or card. You can also reload your card online if you create an account for your card.
Public Transportation Etiquette
Many students do not know how to practice public transportation etiquette given that they are not familiar with these systems. Here are some of the things you should know
When boarding the bus, try sitting on the window seat to allow someone to sit next to you if the bus is becoming full
The seats at the front of the bus are reserved for elderly, disabled, and people carrying strollers. Try to avoid sitting in these seats if possible. If someone who meets the stated criteria boards the bus, you should move so they are able to sit in the designated seats
If you have to stand on the bus because there are no open seats, make your way to stand in the back so that other students who get on can also stand. Keep moving back to allow as much space as possible.
Say thank you to the bus driver as you get off the bus.
Many buses and other transportation systems have a no eating rule. Please make sure to follow these rules. Any strong scents will linger and you never know if someone on the bus is allergic to something you may be eating.
Since many BART stations are underground, they have escalator systems to get you back up to ground level. If you plan on allowing the escalator to carry you up, stand on the right side of the escalator and leave the left side open for anyone walking up the escalator.
Many students don’t take advantage of the wonderful public transportation we have access to. I encourage you to push out of your comfort zone and explore the bay on weekends or during breaks. Start small and work your way out into the bay as you get more comfortable. You won’t regret it!