Many of the Bay Area’s public transit agencies have slashed their service since the region’s shelter in place order led to massive drops in the number of bus, train and ferry riders, leaving those who must travel for work or other essential needs with fewer and fewer options.
In the three weeks since the order went into effect there has been a dizzying stream of updates from the Bay Area’s more than two-dozen transit operators. Some bus and rail lines have been shut down, others have had their hours or frequency cut and still others have extra service to prevent crowding on routes that are still popular — we don’t blame you if you’ve lost track.
Here’s a round up, but if you don’t see your local transit agency, check out this list of service updates from 511.org. Officials are also encouraging riders to use the Transit app for up-to-date schedules and trip planning.
This page will be updated as service changes.
BART
Click here for BART’s coronavirus information page
BART has shortened its hours and reduced the frequency of trains — they now arrive every 30 minutes on weekdays — after ridership dropped more than 90 percent under the shelter in place order.
The service cut that went into effect Wednesday effectively cancels every other weekday train until further notice. Extra trains that typically run during rush hour have already been suspended.
BART officials say there still should be enough room aboard trains to maintain social distancing despite the reduced schedule.
On weekdays, the last BART trains are now stopping at 9 p.m., rather than midnight. You’ll need to be on your train or platform by 8:45 p.m. to guarantee a ride to your destination, BART officials say.
Trains are running from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.
San Francisco International Airport has started running a late-night bus service for employees and travelers affected by the shorter BART hours.
VTA
Click here for VTA’s coronavirus information page
VTA’s light rail service was suspended on March 25 after an operator trainee tested positive for coronavirus, but the agency is bringing that three-line system back this week after deep-cleaning the trains.
Starting Thursday, light rail trains will arrive at stations every 30 minutes, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays only.
As for the system’s bus lines, passengers are getting free rides, but hours have been reduced and more than a dozen routes are suspended.
Almost every bus route now stops running at 9 p.m., instead of at midnight, including the normally 24-hour line 22. The exception is express route 181, which is timed to leave after the last BART train arrives at the Warm Springs station in Fremont.
VTA has stopped collecting fares from riders, and is asking them to board buses from the rear doors in an effort to keep drivers and passengers separated. Passengers with mobility issues can still use the front door.
The following bus lines have been suspended:
- Route 500 from Diridon Station to Berryessa BART
- Route 20 from Milpitas BART to the Sunnyvale Transit Center
- Route 31 from Evergreen Valley College to Eastridge
- Route 37 from West Valley College to Capitol Station
- Route 52 from Foothill College to Mountain View Transit Center
- Route 83 from Almaden and McKean to Ohlone-Chynoweth Station
- Route 86 from Gavilan College to Gilroy Transit Center
- Route 87 from Morgan Hill Civic Center to Burnett Avenue
- Route 200 from Milpitas BART to Mountain View
- Express route 101 from Camden and Highway 85 to Stanford Research Park
- Express route 102 from South San Jose to Stanford Research Park
- Express route 103 from Eastridge to Stanford Research Park
- Express route 121 from Gilroy/Morgan Hill to Lockheed Martin
- Express route 168 from Gilroy/Morgan Hill to Diridon Station
The system has also suspended its “school tripper” bus routes, which are based around local bell schedules, since schools are not in session.
Caltrain
Click here for Caltrain’s coronavirus information page
Caltrain is running a reduced schedule of 42 trains per weekday, down from its usual 92 trains per weekday.
Trains run every 30 to 60 minutes on weekdays between San Francisco and San Jose, depending on the time of day, and are making all local stops. Two trains will continue south to Gilroy during the morning and evening commute hours.
Caltrain’s Baby Bullet and limited trains have been suspended indefinitely.
Weekend service has not changed.
Muni
Click here for Muni’s coronavirus information page
Muni has made the widest-reaching service cuts of any Bay Area transit operator, shutting down the vast majority of its bus routes, completely halting light rail service and closing its subway stations. Cable cars were also shut down in March.
Starting this week, just 17 Muni bus lines will have to serve all of San Francisco.
The remaining bus lines are the 1 California, 8 Bayshore, 9 San Bruno, 14 Mission, 14R Mission Rapid, 19 Polk, 22 Fillmore, 24 Divisadero, 25 Treasure Island, 29 Sunset, 38 Geary, 38R Geary Rapid, 44 O’Shaughnessy and 49 Van Ness, plus the buses that have replaced the N Judah, L Taraval and T Third light rail lines.
Some of those lines will have more frequent service to accommodate extra riders and ensure passengers can keep social distancing from one another.
Muni says the cuts have been driven by the availability of bus drivers, with over 40 percent of the system’s workforce expected to be off the job this week because of public health orders. Five Muni employees have tested positive for coronavirus.
Officials said they chose those lines to prioritize service to hospitals, and to ensure buses run within a mile of everyone in San Francisco.
AC Transit
Click here for AC Transit’s coronavirus information page
AC Transit has cut several routes and reduced frequency on most others.
The bus system has also stopped collecting fares from riders, and is asking those who can to board through rear doors.
Most local routes are essentially running on the system’s reduced Sunday schedule every day. The schedules don’t exactly match Sunday service, though — officials warn there are some “minor time changes” — so you’ll want to use trip planning tools like AC Transit’s real-time departures page or 511 to find out when your bus arrives.
Local lines that typically only run on weekdays have been suspended, as has Oakland’s free Broadway Shuttle.
As for transbay service, four lines — F, NL, O and 800 — are still operating, but weekday-only routes have been shut down.
Changes have also been made to some late-night routes: Lines 800 and 801 now run hourly, while line 1 is be hourly from midnight to 5 a.m. Other All-Nighter lines have not changed.
SamTrans
Click here for SamTrans’ coronavirus information page
SamTrans has suspended its school routes but is otherwise running normal service.
Passengers don’t have to pay for their ride, and are asked to board through rear doors if they are able.
San Francisco Bay Ferry
Click here for San Francisco Bay Ferry’s coronavirus information page
Bay Area ferry service has been dramatically pared back.
Ferries will no longer run on weekends, and weekday service has been suspended for Richmond, Harbor Bay, South San Francisco and San Francisco’s Pier 41.
Service continues from Alameda, Oakland and Vallejo — but each of those routes has reduced schedules.
County Connection
Click here for County Connection’s coronavirus information page
County Connection has cut four routes and is warning of reduced service on six others because of the crisis.
Routes 93X, 95X, 96X and 97X, which link to BART stations, have been suspended. “Select trips” on routes 4, 14, 18, 19, 21 and 92X are being canceled as well, County Connection officials said.
School routes have also been suspended.
The agency has suspended fare collection and is asking passengers to board through the rear doors.
Capitol Corridor
Click here for Capitol Corridor’s coronavirus information page
Capitol Corridor has pared back its schedule, running five daily trips in each direction between Oakland and Sacramento, of which four will start or end in San Jose.
The rail line is also closing cafe cars and suspending several of its bus lines, including the one between Oakland and San Francisco.
Traffic
The Bay Area’s fearsome traffic jams have practically disappeared since the shelter in place order went into effect. The region has seen the largest drop in car traffic of any major urban area in the country.
Express lanes on sections of Interstates 580 and 680, as well as Highway 237, are open to all drivers and will not be charging tolls.
Bridges
For those who are driving, all of the Bay Area’s bridges are going cash-free — but not toll-free — during the public health crisis in a bid to limit the potential spread of coronavirus between drivers and toll takers.
If you have FasTrak nothing will change, you’ll just go through the toll plaza like normal and be charged the regular amount.
If you normally pay with cash, you should instead drive through the toll without stopping — the Bay Area Toll Authority will mail you a bill for each crossing. That bill might come in a scary-looking “Toll Violation Notice” envelope, but you’ll only be charged for the toll, with no added penalty.
Parking
Many Bay Area cities are easing up on parking enforcement — though the rules tend to vary from place to place, so you’ll want to look up any changes that are specific to where you live.
San Jose has said it will not write parking tickets during the shelter in place order, nor will the city tow abandoned or illegally parked vehicles. The Bay Area’s largest city has also suspended deadlines for contesting parking tickets.
Oakland has similarly stopped enforcing parking meters, time-limited spots and street sweeping rules.
San Francisco is no longer ticketing people for parking offenses related to street sweeping, peak-hour zones, residential parking permits or leaving vehicles parked for more than 72 hours.
