San Francisco Bay Area pedal & ebike information

Bikes on transit

Most (but not all) buses & trains & ferries allow both pedal and ebikes. If the agency allows bikes and does not explicitly disallow ebikes, we assume they allow ebikes.

Racks and station elevators are often not big enough for longer cargo bikes, tricycles, recumbents, trailers, or tandems. Note that BART has an Elevator Dimensions guide to help you determine if your longer bike will fit.  

Bikes with large fat tires or very small wheels may not work in the racks. Check with the agency for size limitations.  

Clipper Card: Many, but not all, systems accept the Clipper Card for fares. Some have a discounted Clipper fare.

Confirm before your ride: Always follow the blue hotlink which will lead you to the transit system's bike page if I could find one. There you can learn the specific rules for each agency before you ride, including weight and size limits on some systems.  See also the Bike East Bay Bikes on Transit guide and the 511 Bicycles on Transit  

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Trains & BART: Learn which stop precedes your stop. Watch for it and start unhooking your bike soon after the train leaves the preceding station. It will take some extra time to unhook your bike from tie downs and you need to be ready to roll off when the train stops or risk missing your chance and going on to the next stop.

• ACE: Yes. Does not accept Clipper.

• Amtrak: Yes on trains, although there is technically a 50 pound limit and 2" maximum tire width. There is frequently a significant gap between the platform and the train to lift your bike up & over. Some trains have vertical racks that require swinging your front wheel up and lifting your bike up a few inches (these will not fit a longer cargo bike - check this out ahead of time to insure a longer cargo bike or fat tire will fit).

  • Capital Corridor - This route from San Jose to Richmond to Sacramento is more bike friendly than most of Amtrak. It has bike racks in most cars, does not require a bike reservation to bring a bike, allows ebikes, and attempts to accommodate all riders even if the racks fill up. See the Capital Corridor Bike page for more info

  • San Joaquin - This route from San Jose to Bakersfield also accepts bikes with no fee. Unlike the CapCorridor, they want bikes in a locked luggage car, which is usually either at the back ... or the front ... of the train. Ask an Amtrak agent at track side where the luggage car will be and go there to get a conductor's assistance to put your bike in the locked luggage area and help you get it back out at your destination. If you cannot find a conductor to help, look for a bicycle symbol on the first or last car if you can, get on board with your bike and sort out where it should go with the conductor when they come through for tickets. See the San Joaquin Bicycle Policies page for more info. 

  • Other rail routes: Policies vary widely with other routes. Many other Amtrak trains are either reservation-only or FCFS. For other routes, check out Bring your bike onboard and the Bike FAQs. 

  • Amtrak connection buses - some accept bikes, others don't. If they do, you will need to store it in the baggage storage compartment underneath the bus. Some will take bikes without boxes. On others you may need a box.  Call Amtrak or check with the station to confirm.

  • Platform access -Some require carrying your bike up and down steep stairs to get on and off the train. Once in Berkeley my train door opened off platform to the gravel. Check with a conductor if your destination station doesn't have a full platform.

  • Clipper - No. Amtrak does not accept Clipper.

  • Feedback: Have you already had experience taking your bike on Amtrak and have a gripe or suggestion? Take the Bikes on Amtrak survey.

• BART: Yes. Check rules for which cars you can ride in and other guidance. Watch for a bike logo near doors to find tiedown bars you can lean your bike against. The supplied tiedowns are only large enough to strap one bike. Bring a bungee to strap your bike to the tiedown bar in case you need to lean against another bike so you don't have to hold your bike for the entire ride.  Gas powered bikes not allowed, No restriction on e-bikes.​ Clipper discount.

  • Elevators: *** Many BART stations are elevated or below ground and require using an elevator or carrying your bike on stairs. Bikes are prohibited from escalators. Check the BART Elevator Status website as they frequently break down. Cargo bike or tandem? Check the Elevator Dimensions guide to see which elevators your bike will fit in.

• Caltrain: Yes. You must carry your bike up and down a short flight of very steep stairs to get on and off Caltrain cars.  Look for cars with “Bike Car” label near the door. There is ample for room for multiple bikes. Check Caltrain website for instructions for adding a suggested yellow hangtag with your station name so your bike doesn’t get buried behind other bikes going to farther stations. Clipper discount.

• SMART: Yes. Easy platform level roll on/roll off the train. Ample room for multiple bikes. Clipper daily pass discount.

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Ferries: Use the indoor storage on the boat if available to keep corrosive salt spray off your bike. Most are easy same level roll on- roll off, but watch for multi level where you need to carry bikes on a stairway (e.g. Larkspur)

• Golden Gate Ferry: Yes. Roll on access at some docks, but you may have to carry the bike up or down a stairway between some terminals. Larkspur is the only one that I know has an elevated boarding platform that goes to the second level of the boat, requiring carrying bike on stairs to access lower level for SF docks. LMK if you experience this on other docks. Clipper discount.

• SF Bay Ferry: Yes. Gas powered bikes not allowed, No restriction on e-bikes.​ Roll on-roll off on all runs I have tried (Jack London-SF and Richmond-SF). Clipper discount.

• Tideline Berkeley SF Ferry: Yes. Small boat. Limited schedule.  No Clipper ticket service yet.  

• Treasure Island SF Ferry: Yes. Roll on access.  Small boat. Operator said they had taken 8 bikes on already and "can probably fit more. We don't want to leave anyone behind." Another said they can jam 16. No Clipper ticket service yet. 

 

Bus & Light Rail: Racks usually only hold either 2 or 3 bikes, usually on the front. Rack space is first come first served so have a back up plan. Some bus systems will allow an additional bike or two in the bus in the wheelchair area if it is not needed by a disabled person. Some large buses on regional commuter routes make room for bikes in the luggage area underneath. Reverse commute direction is easiest of course. Confirm with the bus system ahead of time.

Trains, BART and the ferries, generally accommodate many more bikes than buses & light rail

On a bus, you will have to be able to fold down the rack, lift your bike on and off the rack and fold the rack back up without help from the driver. Communicate with the driver, particularly to notify her before you get off the bus that you will be pulling a bike off the rack. Always fold the rack back up after removing your bike if it is empty. 

All of the bus systems listed below accept Clipper Cards (or are free)

• AC Transit: Yes. Clipper discount.

• CityCoach (Vacaville): Yes. Accepts Clipper.

• Commute.org San Mateo Shuttles: Assume yes. No bike policy found. Shuttles have bike racks. Free.

• County Connection (CCCTA): Yes. Clipper discount.

• Dumbarton Express: Assume yes. No bike policy found. Shuttles have bike racks. Accepts Clipper.

• FAST: (Fairfield): Yes. Accepts Clipper.

• Golden Gate Transit Bus: No ebikes :-( (but they do allow pedal bikes). Contact the GG Bridge District to ask them to allow ebikes. Clipper discount.

• Marin Transit: No ebikes :-( (but they do allow pedal bikes). Contact the agency to ask them to allow ebikes. Clipper discount.

• Petaluma Transit: Yes. Accepts Clipper.

• SamTrans: No ebikes :-( (but they do allow pedal bikes). Contact the agency to ask them to allow ebikes. Clipper discount.

• Santa Rosa CityBus: Yes. Two wheeled pedal and sealed dry cell ebikes are allowed. Recumbent, tandems, motorized, three-wheeled, muddy, dirty, or greasy bikes are not allowed. Accepts Clipper.

• SF Muni: Yes w/limits on some vehicle types and small wheel sizes. All bikes are allowed on buses. Only folding bikes are allowed on Muni Metro & Light Rail and historic vehicles. No bikes are allowed on cable cars. Clipper discount.

• SolTran Solano Express: Yes. Accepts Clipper.

• Sonoma County Transit: Yes. Accepts Clipper.

• TriDelta Transit: Yes. Accepts Clipper.

• TriValley Wheels (Livermore Amador Valley): Yes. Accepts Clipper.
• Union City Transit: Yes. Folding bikes (e or otherwise) may be brought into a bus but must fit under the seat. (Per email communication. See Rules of the Road printed brochure. Accepts Clipper.
• Valley Transportation Authority (VTA): Yes. When the racks are filled, up to two bicycles will be allowed inside buses subject to the driver's discretion when passenger loads are light. Accepts Clipper.
• Vine (NapaCounty): Yes. If racks are full, at least one pedal bike (but not ebike) can be brought in the wheelchair area if it isn't needed by a disabled person. Check website for weight and size limits on racks. Accepts Clipper.
• WestCAT: Yes. Accepts Clipper

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