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 | San Francisco B.A.R.T Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 61 |  |
 | |  |  | B.A.R.T: Glen Park Station destinations | Tip Rating:    |  |  | |  |
In a series of BART station reviews, I provide examples of destinations and activites that can be take from those stations, as well as the connecting MUNI transport services. For those with limited time in the city, Glen Park could be a good stop. Glen Park is one of the first stops off BART on the south side of the city, with only Balboa Park being closer to the SFO city limits. The station interior is mostly unfinished concrete but the skylight roof creates a pleasant urban ambiance. Leaving Glen Park Station itself on foot is no great shakes because the neighborhood is quite near the 280 freeway, but just outside one can quickly find the #23 Monterey MUNI Bus which will wind it's way over the residential ridges south of Mt. Davidson to 19th and West Portal where there's a relatively quiet little business district with a row of great restaurants, good bookstores, and pleasant coffeeshops. Here, the average tourist visiting the city is rarely found (see my tip on West Portal). The upscale St. Francis Wood neighborhood is also here (see my tip on St. Francis Wood). The single family homes hugging the hillsides in this part of town are mostly early 20th century Mission Revival type homes with tile trim and rounded doorway lintels. Continuing from West Portal District, take Sloat Avenue west to Stern Grove (see Stern Grove tip), San Francisco State University, the San Francisco Zoo, and eventually Ocean Beach. This western side is the foggiest corner of the city. While these aren't considered "must see" places in SF, for those who have been to the city exploring this corner of the city will still rival the interest value of most American cities. Incidentally, at 19th and West Portal, one will find a line of the MUNI Rail system, which can be taken through the Twin Peaks Tunnel to the Castro District, creating a reasonable loop of sorts for those without a rental car. Leave a Comment Theme: Subway/Metro
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| | | | B.A.R.T: Distant BART Bay Area Destinations | Tip Rating: | | | | |
BART has construction plans to extend lines out east as far as Antioch, Brentwood, and Livermore, and south to San Jose via the Fremont line. These extensions will make BART an even better service than it is now. As others have stressed many times, BART is a good deal in terms of American transportation economics. From the end of the Blue Line at the Pleasanton Station, the average automobile will take at least an hour, assuming no traffic jam, and pay a $3- Bay Bridge toll. A Round Trip, per person, BART ticket to the Embarcadero Station in San Francisco is currently only $9.40, payable with either cash or credit/debit card. For not a lot more, one can ride all the way to the airport---beating all the airport shuttle prices. The price of parking alone in the city or at the airport will easily persuade visitors that BART is a good deal. When returning to the East Bay destinations though, be sure to check which train you are on. You may need to transfer at one of the Oakland stations, and in some cases, back track. But, don't worry, you don't have to pay extra if you make a mistake as long as you don't leave the station. As some have noted, be careful of the parking lots at night, but in general, BART is very safe. See my combined transport for recommended routes in the city itself. Leave a Comment Theme: Subway/MetroWebsite: http://www.bart.gov/index.asp
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| | | | B.A.R.T: BART - (somewhat) useful to tourists | Tip Rating: | | | | |
BART is a godsend to us in the Bay Area. But it is important to realize that BART is primarily designed for commuters - it is a great way to get TO San Francisco, but of only limited use in getting AROUND it. As you'll see by looking at your map, BART doesn't serve anywhere north of Market Street - where virtually all of SF's tourist attractions are. The only way to get to the Golden Gate Bridge is by bus. Fisherman's Wharf and North Beach are accessable by Cable Car, but the bus is faster, cheaper and less confusing. Chinatown and Union Square can be reached with a short walk from a BART station. As as alternative (or, more likely, supplement) to BART, check out MUNI's metro system, which is a much better way to get around the city. You can reach the Haight/Ashbury, Golden Gate Park, the Castro, and the beach using the metro. Unfortunately, the Mission Street area is not directly served by MUNI light rail, but it is by BART. Leave a Comment Theme: Subway/MetroWebsite: www.bart.gov
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WOOO-WHOOO for you. JUNE 22 ’03 is when BART finally has service to SFO (the grey portion). BART is sort of the Bay Area’s Subway system, although much of it is above ground. This will probably be the most efficient way for travelers to get into SF from the airport. Check out the website and map for more details. Leave a Comment Theme: Subway/MetroWebsite: www.bart.gov/
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Transbay heavy rail service is provided by Bay Area Rapid Transit, or BART. BART operates several heavy rail lines, all but one of which converge on San Francisco and run underground through the city toward the airport to which an extension is being built. BART serves San Francisco and the East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley, and their surrounding regions) exclusively, and is generally regarded as cleaner, faster, and more efficient than MUNI. Use of BART is only recommended if travelling across the bay, otherwise MUNI is sufficient. Cost varies depending on the length of the trip taken. Leave a Comment Theme: Train
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BART is a decent enough service for getting around a lot of parts of the Bay Area. It serves part of SF, part of East Bay, about halfway down the Peninsula. It doesn't go to San Jose (yet) and it will never go to Marin County. It certainly beats driving into the city and having to park your car in some place where you might not come back with a driver side window, like, say, the Mission District. BART has seen better days and is in need of an upgrade. The interior is getting a bit shabby, the trains don't always run on time, and the rails screech a lot. However, it generally works (when workers are not on strike), and it is much cheaper than taking a cab or parking. Build in some extra time for waiting for Bart, waiting for it to leave the station, and the time it takes to get from point A to point B. Overall, well worth it. Combined with other mass transit systems, like Caltrain, Muni and Golden Gate Transit, you can pretty much get around to a lot of places in the Bay Area without a car. Leave a Comment Theme: Subway/MetroWebsite: http://www.bart.gov
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San Francisco
on May 12, 2004
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