General tickets &
payment options
San Francisco Bay Ferry operates on a first come, first served basis. Reservations are only available for special service to Oracle Park and Chase Center.
How to pay fares
There are three ways to pay fares for regular service
CLIPPER
We recommend Clipper for regular riders or those who ride other Bay Area transit services.
- Add value to your Clipper account via website, app or retail location
- Tag on with your plastic or mobile card, tag off when you exit
- Receive transfer discounts when riding with other transit agencies
Youth, senior and disabled passenger discount cards are available through Clipper. Clipper START is available for qualifying low-income residents. A single Clipper card (physical or digital) can only be used for a single passenger at a time.
CONTACTLESS BANK CARD
Ferry passengers can use contactless bank cards—plastic or mobile Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover cards—to pay adult fares. Here are some tips to keep in mind when paying with a contactless bank card:
- Each rider must pay with their own card or mobile device.
- Contactless bank card payments are only good for adult fares. Youth, Senior, Clipper Access (formerly RTC) and Clipper START customers should continue to pay fares with their plastic or mobile Clipper cards—they will not receive a discount with contactless bank cards.
- To ensure that the correct card gets charged, riders should remove their card from their wallet before tapping. To reduce the risk of improper or multiple charges to your cards, use the same card to tap on and off the ferry. Riders paying with a mobile device should select their preferred payment in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
TRANSIT TRANSFERS
Transfers are automatically issued on Clipper cards (mobile and plastic) and contactless bank cards. For transfers to be applied correctly, you must tap on and off with the same card/device. All inter-agency transfers will receive a discount of up to $2.85 (within 2 hours of boarding the first agency).
Can be used by those 65 or older, 17 or younger or those with Medicare cards or DMV disabled parking placards.
SF BAY FERRY APP
If you’re a visitor or riding with a family or group, we recommend you buy mobile tickets using the SF Bay Ferry app. Activate a ticket for each passenger in your group just before you board and show it to the deckhand at the gates.
Paper Tickets
Paper tickets are sold at Bay Crossings in the Ferry Building. If you don’t have Clipper and cannot download the SF Bay Ferry app, you can also buy paper tickets onboard the ferry using cash or card. You will be required to wait in a second line, so we don’t recommend this if you can avoid it.
Ticket Prices
| Ferry Route | Regular Adult Fare | Discount Fare | Children under 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland & Alameda Alameda Seaplane Harbor Bay | $5.10 | $2.50 | FREE |
| Richmond | $5.20 | $2.60 | FREE |
| South San Francisco | $7.60 | $3.80 | FREE |
| Vallejo | $10.00 | $5.00 | FREE |
| Alameda Short Hop | $2.85 | $1.40 | FREE |
| Oakland Alameda Water Shuttle | FREE | FREE | FREE |