Easiest and cost effective way to see the Bay. Use a clipper card and travel from the San Francisco Ferry Building to Oakland / Alameda. It is a relatively quick tour with wonderful views of downtown San Francisco skyline, Treasure Island and the Bay Bridge. I use the word 'tour', but this is a commuter ferry. Be on the lookout for wildlife. I love the accompanying birds, especially the occasional squadron of pelicans. Once I even saw a dolphin while the sun set behind the skyscrapers. Both the San Francisco Ferry Building and Jack London Square have loads of restaurants and cafes. Bring a jacket and sunglasses to better enjoy the outside experience. The chairs inside are comfortable with large windows to enjoy the sights. read more

Alameda/Oakland Ferry - Inside - Ferries Near Me - San Francisco, California

This was our first time going to San Francisco on the ferry and it was an excellent experience. There was plenty of parking on a Saturday morning. We arrived early and waited in our car until we noticed that a queue had formed to board, so we got in line. There was no need for urgency as the ferry we boarded was less than 1/2 full. We both have Clipper Cards so it was easy to present our cards to one of the card readers. Once you heard the tones, you could walk up the ramp to board. We sat on the upper level on the outbound and on the lower level on the return trip. Both ferries left on time and the crew was friendly. The rides were relatively smooth, and it beat the bejeebers out of driving into The City. read more

Really recommend this place or when traveling to and from San Francisco to either Alameda or Oakland. Me and my girlfriend were able to capture this beautiful moment of the sunset setting over San Francisco which was really beautiful. read more

Alameda/Oakland Ferry - Ferries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This Yelp listing is for the Oakland and Alameda ferry route of the San Francisco Bay Ferry. At the time of writing this review, you can travel between downtown Oakland and downtown San Francisco by taking this route for only $5.75 per person, one-way. If you have the Clipper app, it's only $4.50. Either way, it's a pretty good deal if taking the ferry makes sense for you. We had the day off and thought it would be fun to take my nieces out on the Bay and have lunch and ice cream at the Ferry Building in San Francisco. The Alameda/Oakland Ferry stops right at the Ferry Building. Convenient. We did the round trip from Oakland, taking vessel Carina out and vessel Cetus back in. The trip was a success. The ferries were nice. Nicer than I expected. This is Bay Area public mass transit, but it's much better than BART. For us, the ferries were clean, felt safe, and were never crowded. Each vessel reached maybe 50% capacity at most. The rides were quiet and comfortable with plenty of room to spread out and relax. The ferries had bars selling food and drink. The restroom I used on Cetus was reasonably clean. Of course, instead of riding in a packed train car through a dark tunnel on BART, you get to breathe in the fresh air and admire the scenic views on the ferry. Views include the Bay Bridge, the downtown San Francisco and Oakland skylines, and Yerba Buena and Treasure Islands. There are three stops for the Alameda/Oakland Ferry: 1. Downtown Oakland 2. Downtown San Francisco 3. Main Street Alameda It takes about 25 minutes for the ferry to travel from Oakland to San Francisco, 20 minutes from San Francisco to Alameda, and 15 minutes from Alameda to Oakland. So, the trip from San Francisco to Oakland takes longer than the trip from Oakland to San Francisco because of the stop in Alameda. If you're a visitor and/or don't want to deal with the Clipper app or purchasing a Clipper card, you can buy paper tickets for the ferry after boarding. For more information about that and additional details about the San Francisco Bay Ferry, read my review for it here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/san-francisco-bay-ferry-san-francisco-4. For more information about the Oakland Ferry Terminal including where to park, read my review for it here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/san-francisco-bay-ferry-oakland-ferry-terminal-oakland. read more

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The best way to travel to San Francisco on a clear day from Alameda! Ferries run about every 45 min. A small discount on t if you use your Clipper Card. Arrive at the Ferry Building and you can walk a few blocks and jump on the Muni to continue to different areas in SF. For Warriors games, I have been taking a regular ferry to SF and taking muni to the stadium. But I pre purchase online a ferry ticket from Chase Center back to Alameda. Less than $15 for this travel option! read more

Alameda/Oakland Ferry - Sailing under the Bay Bridge - Ferries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We have taken the ferry to Alameda and to Sausalito now. Both times it was an easy trip. Keep in mind we were not using them during commuting hours. They have a bar with drinks and snacks that are ridiculously priced but the bartenders are friendly. The trip itself is much more relaxing than taking the BART. With the clipper card you get a discount (to alameda from sf it was 5.10). I would take this anytime I wanted a leisurely trip to the other side of the bay. read more

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If you need to get to Alameda from SF and don't have to drive then this is the way to do it. It's not expensive and more calming than driving or taking BART. On a sunny clear day sit outside on the upper deck for a fantastic view. The ferries are not new and a bit worn down as expected from being on the water and the sometimes foggy SF climate. If so, you may sit inside on the lower or upper deck. Catch the ferry at pier 141 which is to the right of the Ferry Building. You may also pay once on board. Too bad on weekends and holidays the ferry departs so infrequently. Note on the Alameda side of the bay, it is only a few minutes walk from the pier to St. George Spirits, Building 43 Winery, and Rock Wall Wine - all three are literally steps from one another. Totally worth doing a crawl when it's so convenient! read more

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I have already written a review of the Alameda Ferry almost two years ago. If I would have known the name of this entity was on yelp, I would have had a lot more check-ins than the one I have as of today...lol. No dukedom for me. That's okay because I can't backtrack all the way back to July 1, 2013. I also did not have a fancy Samsung back in the days; I had a dinosaur flip phone, a Sanyo Vero...ugh. When BART went out on strike in July 2013, I started my commute to and from Alameda/San Francisco. Even though the commute cost me more, the ride was definitely far more superior than riding BART. It was also then that I started learning the routes of several Muni lines. Eating and drinking are not allowed on BART. There's no restroom facility on a BART train either. However, the ferry boat has the snacks, the beverages and a restroom facility. A few times I have had some stressful days at work. Thanks to Alameda/Oakland Ferry, I would have Kahlua and Cream to enjoy while riding home. Then, traveling under the Willie Brown Bridge is much better than traveling under the water in a tunnel to head home. I have been on my second journey for over a year, so I don't ride the ferry every week day anymore. What else can I say except the ride from Alameda on a nice sunny day is the way to venture to the City by the Bay - San Francisco. read more

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We have traveled this ferry numerous times over the past 30 years. Our last experience was miserable. The ferry broke down ( it is new), the validation machine was broken so we had to pay the $13 parking fee. The attitude of the crew person was nonchalant and condescending, explaining that "maybe" the next time the validation machine might work. No skin off her nose. I'll drive the next time. read more

The best way to understand the Ferry is to compare it with BART. Seating. BART - often standing room only. Ferry - always a seat Smells. BART - don't ask (maybe that guy smoking pot). Ferry - usually pleasant People. BART - usually weird and dangerous people. Ferry - never. On Time. BART - probably. Ferry - almost always. That's pretty much it. read more

Free parking at Alameda is cool. It is definitely a nice commute into the city and now that my work is close to the Ferry building it is an option. $5.30 is the cost it's cheaper then bart if you factor in parking. Wish it had more frequent times. That's probably the only ding. I forgot to load up my clipper with real cash though. I need to learn. But still ended up cheaper then bart and you can drink. Leaving the city was slower too because of the amount of people. You don't have to worry about getting robbed as much i think. There is no bart jumpers or homeless taking over rows of seats. With the plus and minuses it averages to 4. Which bart I'll give a 2 for sheer convenience alone but there are so many negatives nowadays. It was a good experience. Definitely an option. read more

Great way to get into the city without the hassle of driving and trying to find parking. Very reasonably priced. Big, clean and comfortable cabin. There is plenty of parking near the ferry terminal on the Alameda side. The entire ride was super quick and the clipper card makes it very convenient (as well as cheaper!). read more

Alameda/Oakland Ferry - Missed it! - Ferries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Beware!!!! The QR CODE you are supposed to scan to get your tickets didn't work to buy tickets aparently because as soon as we put in the card info they were busy selling our credit card info! About 3 hours later, our bank texted us saying they declined it on a small purchase which is one of their red flags that it has been used illegally. Now we can't use that card until they change all the info and send us a new one. Real pain in the a$$ because we are travelling. You would think the ferry system would take down the code A frame sitting by the gangplank to the ferry at Jack London Square! read more

Sometimes instead of driving to S.F. I always opt for another peaceful, relaxing way to get to Pier 39, and that's taking the ferry. I always enjoy the breeze blowing on my face, freeness of traffic, the smell of the dirty bay, lol and just the overall comfortableness of just sitting back, enjoying the different views & letting my thoughts just wander. It's always a bonus when the weather is beaming with Sun rays. Always check the schedules, there usually on time, prices for round trip is fair, everytime I was on board, the boat was pretty busy with folks. Parking is abundant, depending on days and times. read more

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Awesome people and way to travel across the bay. We love this and will make it a new habit. read more

Alameda/Oakland Ferry - Ferries Near Me - San Francisco, California

If you want a fun departure from BART, and you happen to be heading to the Alameda/Oakland area, I would definitely recommend this ferry. My friend and I took BART from Dublin to Embarcadero, which was fine, but it took about 25-30 minutes. While we were eating on the patio, we decided it might be fun to take the ferry back. For the same price as BART ($6 one way, $12 round-trip), you can enjoy some outdoor water goodness and spectacular views, and it takes less than 20 minutes. The ferry also seems to be quite on time; we left literally minutes after we boarded! I was worried I might get seasick, but the ferry moves fast enough that there isn't much of a swaying/rocking sensation. The only downside is the smell of the fumes powering the ferry, but if you sit on the right places, this isn't an issue. read more

When I first started working in the city (San Francisco), I unfortunately did the commute that everyone and their moms hated: Taking the Caltrain from Sunnyvale to San Francisco. Truth is, the duration itself wasn't actually the absolute worst. On average, it would take me around 1-1.5 hours to get home. Not too bad compared to a lot of people traveling far to work in the Bay Area (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/17/business/economy/san-francisco-commute.html). However, the two major issues with the Caltrain were the innumerable amount of passengers and the frequency of mechanical problems. Often times, my girlfriend and I could never get a peaceful seat and Monday afternoon rides would also spell trouble. So tl;dr taking the train wasn't all that pleasant. Fortunately, I now take the San Francisco Bay Ferry to and from work after having moved to the beautiful island of Alameda. Although the commute is still about an hour long, my sanity has effectively been restored and I couldn't be any happier. And it's all thanks to the SF Bay Ferry as well as the Ferry Building Terminal at the Embarcadero. Here's why: -- REASON #1: AMPLE ROOM Omg, I always feel like the ferry can't hold that many people. But somehow the boat has seats for pretty much every one. Even during rush hour when hundreds of people line up to board, I generally have no issue getting a spot. UNLIKE with the Caltrain where you're like sardines in a can. Not gonna lie, there have been times when I've waited around 2 blocks from the boarding gate and I STILL make it on. Hella clutch! -- REASON #2: SMOOTH SAILING -- WOOT, never a problem with the boat. Besides the occasional waves from high tide, I always get to my destination safely and happily. Plus, if you arrive before the departure time you are pretty much guaranteed to make it on before the boat leaves. -- REASON #3: HELLA FRIENDLY PEOPLE -- From the wonderful crew on board the ship to all the passengers, people are MUCH FRIENDLIER than those on the Caltrain. It's all smiles, even during busier days. My favorite moments are when crew members genuinely wish you a great day. -- REASON #4: THE VIEWS -- Can't beat staring out in the morning on my commute and watching the sun reflect off the water. The sparkles light a warmth in my heart. Totally beats looking at barren grassland on the Caltrain. -- REASON #5: SIMPLE PRICING SYSTEM -- At first, I thought it was weird they got rid of the monthly pass. But then again I remembered how terrible it is for Caltrain. Only two ways to pay: $7 single ride for a ticket and $5.3 with a clipper card. No hiccups and the crew members are very on top of making sure you can get a ticket. Plus, you can either buy tickets on the boat or inside the Ferry Building Marketplace. Before I get too biased with how I love the SF Bay Ferry and the Embarcadero Terminal, there are several things I don't like so much. -- MEH FEEDBACK #1: NOT ALWAYS ON TIME -- Compared to the dock at the Main Street Alameda Terminal (https://yelp.to/qTKq/eJTT50KrcP), the one at the Ferry Building can sometimes be slightly inconsistent when it comes to timing. For example, during Giants game days, they have left 5 minutes early (like today). Other times, I haven't been able to leave until like 10 minutes after the estimated departure time. And that's because of... -- MEH FEEDBACK #2: LONG LINES -- Though everyone can make it on board the ferry, it does suck for me since I have to catch the 430pm boat because THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE. Sometimes I panic when seeing all these passengers, only to find out that I'll be able to get on. Very scary for me especially due to the fact that if I miss this one I have to wait 50 minutes (!!!) for the next ferry. So all in all, I'm pretty satisfied with my experience using the SF Bay Ferry. Specifically regarding the Embarcadero Terminal, I've found most rides to be pretty chill. Even though lines are long and timing might be iffy, things usually work out better than all those times on the Caltrain. In fact, today I got home faster than usual! I give my experience a "Nice-su, you can take your parents here and they'll be happy" rating. Have fun and prosper, , Have fun and prosper. read more

I used the Alameda ferry (main st) for the first time today for my work commute. Depart-7:15AM (plenty of parking and seating on ferry), cost $6.40. You can pay onboard (debit/credit/cash) or scan clipper card before boarding. Arrive- 7:35AM SF ferry building. Walk 5 mins to embarcadero BART Tip: arrive at least 10 mins before your ferry departure. On my way home I arrived right "on time", but my ferry already left. I had to wait another 40 mins until the next ferry! Thank goodness it was happy hour and plenty of restaurants in the SF ferry building. Overall great experience! I would take the Ferry ANY day over BART. Beautiful views! Relaxing, and if you get there early, you will have your choice of sitting outside or inside. read more

Alameda/Oakland Ferry - Ferries Near Me - San Francisco, California

I am a big fan of the ferry. The BART is just a mess in the evening, I waited on 5 trains, all of them so packed no one could get on, and said "F it". Ferry loaded quickly, I was about to get a drink, relax, and take the smooth and not scary ride to Oakland. If you are lucky you can catch the 72 bus up Broadway, even if you don't it's a short 10 block walk. read more

Great alternative to BART, with drinks and stunning views. Only drawbacks is that it may be chilly and it consumes a bit more time than the standard. read more

The ferry is much more relaxing than the BART! There is always a seat available in that boat, bikers are welcomed, the view is great, and this is a fast and convenient way to go from the Ferry Building to Jack London Square! Clipper works, and the bar seems fine (haven't tried yet, next time probably) read more

Sit on the top deck! It's beautiful and just enough wind that you know you're outside in the open space! Clean and friendly staff!

Spacious, comfortable, Safe. This was a Wonderful experience. I went round trip from Oakland to SF. Everyone was professional and courteous. Ron took the time to answer my questions and share what was happening on the bay. Free parking in the garage with validation. Why would anyone take bart? read more

The whole trip is a lot slower than BART from the downtown Oakland area (there is a ferry stop in Alameda either before or after Jack London that really lengthens the ride), but much more scenic and there is a bar. Great occasional alternative for Oakland commuters. Perfect drop off for tourists. read more

Great way to get over to Jack London. A bit more than Bart but way more enjoyeable on a beautiful day. The staff is very punctual and efficient. For anyone who lives or is visitng the Bay, this mode of transit is a must! read more

Dark waters and a dark night and a dark time for America as the streaming lights illuminate the aft deck. Ships at night shimmer through the darkness like hidden gold as we gently, surely ply the tides. A monstrosity lurks on the horizon, brought upon by our hubris...and I don't only mean the bay bridge. Why take the ferry? The screech of BART can make the walls close in on a man, AC Transit provides exceptional views, but can be held up in traffic, or delayed by protestors, or overcrowded. The ferry is more expensive, yes, but you can drink if you order from the well-apportioned bar, and the views of the city skyline can't be matched, and the feeling of the wind over the deck as a well-apportioned catamaran spins up its engines to over 30 knots is indeed breathtaking. The timing of trips requires one to plan in advance, but rewards the patient with easy access to Jack London Square or the Alameda Airbase for some serious liver-fucking. Even if they deploy one of the older single-hull vessels from the Blue and Gold Fleet, you get to spend more time on the bay, away from it all. Its relaxing in a way that other systems of transit aren't, and, while not inexpensive ($5.00 for a one-way trip, and $5.50 for a beer), its simply a more civilized way of travel. We pass the Oakland port, a vestige of America's halcyon days as goliath cranes are starkly painted in floodlights. Our engine hums a constant, throbbing D below the bass clef, accompanying backup alarms and the doleful calls of freight. We are implacable, buffeted by wakes and breeze as the night gets darker. It seems it'll stay dark for a while longer. read more

In terms of commuting to the city this is how you want to go. Its cleaner, less crowded, and more reliable than the bus, the bart, and there is no traffic. Although the lines look long when you see people lining up to get on, pretty much everyone gets on. The seats have tables so you can work, there is free wifi and the difference about the ferry and the bart is that people actually talk to you. You can have a conversation while enjoying the view of the bay and have a nice relaxing ride back to Alameda or wherever you are going. Definitely prefer this option over all others. read more

Take the ferry if you don't like BART. Read, drink a beer, and relax instead of getting all gross and hot and covered with BART germs. Key for East Bay folks: Bring your bike whenever, and there's wifi. They just added Clipper also. With Clipper, it's $4.75 to get across the bay. read more

Have not gone on the ferry for a year, this time in July we took a trip to Angel Island. This time it took forever, there are so many stops to pick up people. It is not the same like before, we could leave Angela Island and go directly to Alameda. read more

You can keep your cable cars. This is the best ride in town. Just like in New York City, where the Staten Island Ferry easily beats any of the tour boats. Besides, you can pick Alameda or Oakland on the other end. Both are amazing. Was born in one and lived in the other for years. read more

As an attempted first-time ferry rider, where are all the signs to tell you which boat is which? Are you supposed to just know? Especially when the people who work there don't say anything? Maybe I'll revise this if I have a better experience the next time. read more