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Ferry to San FranciscoThe San Francisco Ferry. The best commute on the Planet... and why you should take it.

 

On BART during commute hours seats are usually taken so you can not sit and read a paper but must stand and hold on. No coffee, no views. BART is also not terrifically reliable. A rodent chews through a cable and the system goes down. A car catches on fire from a sticking brake and an entire line stops. Software hangs up and the cars slow to manual speed.  BART from Alameda to SF is $4.40 round trip from the Oakland 11th street station but you have to pay for parking. The bus to the BART station costs $2.70 round trip. So total cost is going to be $7.10 round-trip plus parking. The ferry is $6.25 when you buy a commute book of tickets. Parking is free. We have not had a ferry adrift yet. Live on an island 20 min. from San Francisco.   Take the ferry to the City!

Why commute? The rental market in "Bay Area: Renters Hell". And Desperately Seeking 2 Bedrooms" compares rental markets in SF and Alameda.

 Why commute? If you will be working in SF you might take a look at some past San Francisco newspaper articles. To show how serious the locals take the subject, all are front page articles. The San Francisco Examiner looks at the rental market in "Bay Area: Renters Hell". The San Francisco Chronicle's "Desperately Seeking 2 Bedrooms" compare rental markets in SF, Alameda, the Peninsula, Marin, etc. They chose Alameda over the others. Bottom line? The SF market makes Manhattan  look easy. Very tough. In San Francisco an ordinary one bedroom in the Marina or the South Of  Market districts can be well over $2,600. 

The San Francisco Chronicle "Smooth Sailing to the Office" front-page article shows the fastest ferry ride on the bay to SF is from Alameda. It is quoted as twenty minutes in the ferry schedule, but can be faster. Coffee and the Chronicle on the way to work, a glass of Chardonnay and a sunset on the way home. Very civilized compared to BART's standing room only cheek to jowl, haunch to paunch, environment.

The Alameda Ferry is a terrific way to get to San Francisco. For an afternoon of fun or a day of work.  The San Francisco Chronicle "Smooth Sailing to the Office" front-page article shows the fastest ferry ride on the bay to SF is from Alameda. It is quoted as twenty minutes in the ferry schedule, but can be faster. Coffee and the Chronicle on the way to work, a glass of Chardonnay and a sunset on the way home. Very civilized compared to BART's standing room only cheek to jowl, haunch to paunch, environment.

Coffee and the Chronicle on the way to work, a glass of Chardonnay and a sunset on the way home.

Alameda Ferry Service fares: One-way fares  $4.75 for adults, $3.00 for seniors/disabled, and $2.00 for children. Ticket books are $125 for 20 round trips, a months worth. So the ferry is $6.25 round trip if you buy a 20 trip commute book. AC Transit bus service to and from the Alameda Ferry is free. And if you prefer to drive, parking is free at the 2990 Main Street ferry terminal in Alameda. Just park and get on. You buy tickets on board. When you get off the ferry in San Francisco you can use your ticket for free Muni travel both to and from the ferry. The ferry terminal is much quicker to get to than a BART station. You can ride your bike to the ferry and take it on board with you. The ferry is easier, faster, and lot more fun than BART!

A.C. transit TransBay bus takes approximately thirty minutes from Alameda to the San Francisco bus terminal downtown. The TransBay bus leaves from directly in front of some of our locations.  It is $2.50 each way, or $75.00 for a one month pass which gives you unlimited travel on all AC Transit buses for the month.

Ferry: San Francisco Bay Ferry  see the schedule 510-522-3300
Muni: San Francisco bus service 415-673-6864
BART: Bay Area rail service 415-788-2278
AC Transit: East bay bus service to SF 510-817-1717

Alameda is the quickest commute to SF when you take the ferry. It is also the most for your money. Great views, coffee in the morning, a newspaper, and perhaps a glass of wine while you watch the sunset on the way home. You arrive at the gorgeous, historic, Ferry Building (upper right on map below).

[map of San Francisco Ferry Building]

1) Transbay Bus terminal
2) Justin Herman Plaza
3) Embarcadero Center
4) Transamerica Building
5) Golden Gate University
6) Crocker Galleria
7) St. Marys Square
8) The Chinatown Dragon Gate
9) Union Square

See the Ferry Terminal on a map:

Directions: Straight down Main Street one mile to the water.

 Ferry facts:
  It is fun: On the water with spectacular views
  It is fast: The quickest way to get to SF
  Bikes: Ride your bike and take it on board
  Free bus: Your ferry ticket is good on the bus
  It is cheap: You save over BART or the Bus
  It goes other places: Angel Island, Oakland, Marin  

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