Berkeley Public Transport: How to Get Around by Transit

BART is the region’s rail service, and both Downtown Berkeley and North Berkeley stations serve the Richmond–Berryessa/North San Jose and Richmond–Millbrae/SFIA lines. These connections make BART useful for trips beyond Berkeley as well as for getting between the city’s stations.

AC Transit is the local bus option. Downtown Berkeley has bus stops nearby, and routes include Line 6 between downtown Oakland and downtown Berkeley via Telegraph Avenue and Southside Berkeley, including the UC campus. Line 7 runs between El Cerrito del Norte BART and Public Market Emeryville, serving Berkeley along Shattuck Avenue, Adeline Street and Stanford Avenue.

For destination planning, you can also read guides to Berkeley Repertory Theatre, the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive and Edwards Stadium.

Downtown Berkeley Station is at 2160 Shattuck Avenue, on Shattuck Avenue between Allston Way and Addison Street. It sits close to UC Berkeley, shops, restaurants, theaters and other attractions, making it a convenient place to begin a trip on BART or connect with a bus.

Nearby AC Transit routes include 6, 7, 18, 51B, 52, 65, 67, 79 and 88, as well as all-nighter routes 800 and 851 and Transbay routes F and FS. Bear Transit and Berkeley Lab shuttle routes also appear on the station’s transit-stop map. Route details can change, so check the official site before you go.

Downtown Berkeley Station has elevators and extra-wide faregates, which can help when you’re travelling with luggage or need step-free access. The station also has a public restroom with an attendant and valet bike parking.

North Berkeley Station is at 1750 Sacramento Street. It serves the same two BART lines as Downtown Berkeley, and its location near the Ohlone Greenway makes it a useful rail stop if your plans include this East Bay pedestrian and bicycle path.

The station has bike racks and 96 on-demand BikeLink lockers. Restrooms are available there, though they may close for cleaning or maintenance.

BART fares depend on how far you travel, so use BART’s Fare Calculator to price a particular journey. BART does not offer weekly or monthly passes; fares are paid according to distance.

You can pay BART fares with Clipper or Tap and Ride. Tap and Ride accepts contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover cards, as well as mobile payments including Apple Pay and Google Pay. Use the same card or device to enter and exit.

Tap and Ride charges adult fares. If you qualify for a youth, senior, Clipper Access or Clipper START discount, use the corresponding physical or digital Clipper card instead. AC Transit accepts cash, Clipper or contactless payment. If you plan to use both systems, check each operator’s fare information before setting out.

BART recommends its Trip Planner for departure and arrival times and journey planning, including planned delays. You can use it to compare routes before leaving, then confirm the details again close to travel.

From Oakland International Airport, take the Oakland Airport Connector to Coliseum Station, then transfer to a BART train toward Berryessa/North San Jose for Berkeley. The airport train ride takes approximately nine minutes, with an average wait of 4.5 minutes. The airport BART station is a short walk from both airline terminals.

The Oakland Airport Connector runs on a schedule that differs by day: weekdays from 5 a.m. to midnight, Saturdays from 6 a.m. to midnight, and Sundays from 8 a.m. to midnight.

BART service hours are also day-dependent: weekdays from 5 a.m. to midnight, Saturdays from 6 a.m. to midnight, and Sundays from 8 a.m. to midnight. Check current operating information and connections before you travel.

Before leaving, use BART’s Trip Planner to check your route and timing, then confirm service details with BART and AC Transit. This is especially useful when your journey depends on a bus connection, a particular fare option or the airport train’s operating hours.