Five years of MacArthur BART x 5 days a week = over 2500 trips in and out of this station. Yikes. Okay, the good: two train lines means not so much waiting. And thankfully they changed the SFO line back to this station, so no changing trains. Covered area for when it's raining, yet you can wait in the sun when it's a lovely day. Flower stand at the fare gates is handy. And I don't have to drive! that is worth the $7500 I have spent on BART these last 5 years, right? The bad: suffered two car break-ins (one on street near station, one in parking lot, over 5 years), innumerable panhandlers and solicitors, a mean-spirited sax player (who I used to like and give money too, until I saw him yelling at someone one day), and some minor bike vandalism (give me back my blinky lights, you thief!). During bad days, when the trains are mucked up and the platform is jam-packed, it feels a bit unsafe. There's no way the two stairwells and the escalator could get everyone off that platform in an emergency. Prove me wrong with your pedestrian models, transit engineers! BART, can you PLEASE put some e-signage outside ALL your stations with the NEXT TRAIN info? All in all, BART is my friend, and MacArthur is just MacArthur. My carbon footprint is a wee bit smaller because of it. read more

Don't PARK here. I use to like this station until my car got broken into. Three cars next to me also got their windows smashed. There were no BART cops on site. They filed a report but said it wouldn't help. They said it was "an insurance thing". Too bad most insurance has a $500 deductible. One of the guys who also got his window smashed said he saw some people robbing people of their cell phones as they walked to their cars last week. Until the BART cops start patrolling the parking lot like they give a damn, I am going to better station. read more

MacArthur BART will always have a special place in my heart because it is the nexus station where the last train of each line (except Dublin) rendezvouz at the magical time of 12:45 am, when the BART cops walk the trains to wake up the drunkies. It makes me feel that, for once, The System(tm) works because all the trains meet up and the cops will make sure you get on the right train home. But I can't really tell if that warm fuzzy feeling is of the special moment, or the cumulative effects of the cocktails consumed all night. In reality, MacArthur BART could use some improvement. They could sort out the individual pick-up/drop-off situation; right now, during the evening rush, there's a clusterfuck of cars blocking the passage in front of the station, forcing various shuttle drivers to lay on the horn to clear the way. They could also move the dumpsters away from the Emery-Go-Round stop so we don't have to smell stale garbage. And it's not awesome that sometimes, the sheltered part of the shuttle waiting area becomes a sort of panhandling gulch. (There's one clean and decently dressed guy who sits around drinking tall Starbucks drinks and asking for spare change, whom I consider to be my secret nemesis. On the other hand, there is an industrious crack/crystal meth lady who climbs into recycling dumpsters to get a motherlode of cans/bottles for cash.) On top of all that, parking now costs a dollar in addition to the fare increase. Oh well. MacArthur is still THE place to catch free shuttles to hospitals and malls, hear live jazz, and experience the magic of 12:45am. read more

Stop it with the pee stench and letting us know every 10 minutes an elevator is out. Confusing bus and transport signage is no good.

Within a 24 hour period I got verbally abused by 2 separate station agents. I called bart's corporate line and they basically said oh well, just deal with it. read more

Cold and a little shady here, had to drop by to visit a client. Decided to take the Bart.

Has anyone experienced flat tires when you park outside the Bart parking garage right under the overpass? This has happened to me twice, where all four tires went flat. The weird thing is that they are not slashed and they go flat gradually. This has ONLY happened right after I parked outside - twice! I would highly suggest you do NOT park outside the parking garage. Just bite the bullet and pay the $3 daily parking fee and get there early to get a spot. read more

This station is okay but I wouldn't trust the times that it says online when they say there open for 24hrs that's a lie there never open 24hrs. There open around 5:00am or 5:18am that's when the employee open the gates and lets us in for those who are there in the morning early but never trust online at all unless there's a red or whatever color high lighted in big lettering about any time changes but it's very doubtful. read more

STAY OUT!!! Nasty a** restroom. Okay, really they are just plain G-R-O-S-S!! I feel like washing the bottom of my shoes off before I walk anywhere else. The side walk seems so much cleaner. read more

you know what? this is my favorite bart station. i love living within walking distance from it. and since it is a hub of most east bay traffic. i know that when i am going home from berkeley i can catch any train headed that way and i know that i don't have to worry about transferring wheni come back from the city. i love that fresh freeway air that blows twords you from the edges of the platform and i love that if i stand in the right place on the platform i can end up in the right place when i get off the train. but if it is your favorite why did you only give it 3 stars you ask? well there are two reasons. sometimes the bart station feels unsafe. this mostly has to do with the bike graveyard on the side of the entrance and the wobbly feeling the freeway gives off. secondly, last week while going to work i noticed a dead raccoon on the side of the entrance to the parking lot. when i went up to the attendant and told him about it. he yelled at me " i know that people have been telling me that all day. why dont you call the police about it?" i'm sorry but why dont I call the police about it? i would if i had a land line phone with the number and was sitting in a little quiet box in the center of the bart station twiddling my thumbs all day, but actually i am running late to work and dont have a yellow padges with me and figure this doesnt merrit a call to 911. ass. read more

Macarthur Bart station is provides access to multiple locations and it is a transfer point for people going to different directions. The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is because it does need a facelift. Oakland just received hundreds of millions from the Federal Government to create a Macarthur Bart Village. YEAH! It will make that area much more attractive. By the way, west of Macarthur station (Golden Gate District) is rapidly gentrifying. It's a gem waiting to be found. Easy access to SF, Emeryville, Berkeley, Rockridge, Temescal, Lake Merritt, Downtown, freeways... affordable homes at less than half the price you'd get in SF. All this "it's dangerous" bs comes from people whose internalized racism make them see every black person as dangerous. I feel pretty comfortable in the area. Lots of amenities, restaurants, community spaces. It does need some street landscaping, trees, fresh paint. Macarthur Bart Village will help a lot. East of Macarthur lies Temescal, Rockridge, and Piedmont (all within walking distance, Temescal being the closest). West of Macarthur lies Longfellow and Emeryville (within four blocks, going straight down on 40th Street). There, you will find the numerous shopping destinations of Emeryville, Pixar, Rudy Can't Fail Café, other cafes and restaurants, Home Depot, Target, and all kinds of stores. Longfellow and Emeryville are rapidly changing areas--for the good--and lots of young people and artists are moving into the area. Bike routes are underway and after the new Bay Bridge section is done, this area will thrive even more than now. Come enjoy the area and see it for yourself. read more

It's fine. Rockridge is nicer but it's too far for me. When I first moved to N. Oakland two years ago & read yelp reviews I was nervous. I've had zero problems and use MacArthur to get to/from work every day. I usually ride my bike and I use the bike lockers. Sometimes they get full though, we could use more of them. If you are thinking of moving to this side of the bay don't freak, you will be joined by hundreds of other normal people of all demographics who will not bother you. Yes there will be crime from time to time, this is Oakland, but if you have street smarts you shouldn't have a problem. Civic Center is way worse, I tried to use the elevator at Civic the other day and it was literally flooded with pee - gross! I have also walked home by myself at midnight (gasp!). Sometimes I take a cab, they are always parked right outside the station. My real complaint is that there isn't a grocery store on my way home or a decent coffee shop on my way to BART. Bonuses include occasional street musicians, and the Emery-Go-Round. Nice! read more

Additional star for the new parking garage and the station upgrades now in progress. Also because this station is a transfer point to other lines and has more trains running into SF..... read more

MacArthur BART is basically the best thing ever...mostly because it has all those transfers. MMMHHHHHHMMM Lettin' me get my transfer on.

Don't pay any attention to what side the trains are supposed to be on because whoever operates them sure as hell doesn't. I waited for a train on the Pittsburg line and the electronic screen said one would arrive in 4 minutes. Unfortunately, 4 minutes later, a Richmond bound train arrived on the Pittsburg side. Since it arrived at the time the Pittsburg train had been advertised to, I got on and was lucky enough to waste a bit of my time. I wanted to commute to and from work using something better for the environment than my car, but due to the frequent delays and poor management of the railway system, I'm switching back to my car. Good luck getting to work on time! read more

Love the kaiserrider thingy. & counting the blackened gummy splotches on the pavement while waiting for transport. xo

Bart is Bart. Love that it gets you from point A to point B. But I think it could benefit by having more security at night or sometimes even during the day. More workers at the booth would help too since I tend to see people cross the rope, so to speak, whenever someone isn't at the booth. read more

Probably the most convenient and user friendly. You can park here, AC transit will bring you here, and the Emery Go Round will take you to and from the station to the shopping at Bay Street. It's the main transfer hub. It's the best spot to transfer too since it will take you in any direction that you want. Moreover, when you get off your train to transfer, the train you want is waiting for you! I take the Emery Go Round to and from this spot. That's why I like MacArthur so much! I don't have to park here and I can get a complimentary ride to work. It's pretty clean, but just be warned that the platform is outside so it can get kind of chilly while you wait in the mornings and at night. Just remember which platform you need to be on since there are 2! Until next time, have a safe commute! read more

Great for transfers. Not in the best neighborhood. Walkable but long-ish from my house. I wouldn't park my car there, if I had a choice.

it's the best bart station in the east bay by far.. it may be because it's literally 1 minute away from my house, but it is a good station, you're only on the train for about 20 minutes which isn't too bad... and it's a transfer point so there are always a few trains to SF at any given ttime.. if you miss the train, one will come up in less then 10 minutes! you can't beat that... I've only had one real interaction with the workers there, and she wasn't super nice... but whatevs... WORD OF ADVICE: I have gotten 2 tickets thinking i was being slick.. I was not.. someone is out there giving out tickets even 30 minutes before 10am... just don't risk it... don't be a mensita like me! read more

Very convenient for public transportation. You can take a free ride on the Emery Go-Round throughout Emeryville. Unfortunately, the surrounding area is a little shady. I wouldn't feel too safe taking Bart here late night. read more

Stuck on Bart - another day... not sure why they are late or what's holding us up. I'm on the last train just trying to get home. Started in SSF, have no Idea why we're waiting! read more

This train 1895y stinks. Do the employees ever clean these cars? Some bleach and soapy hot water is what all of them need. I wander what is growing on the seats, floor and walls. Do they safety inspectors for the area clients sit in? Bart CEO need to do a 56 hours shut down start at 9 pm Friday and restart at 5 am Monday. Have Buses at all station to get the community to there designation. The CEO and all his board should join in on cleaning Bart and the mechanics could do the service. This might have to be done 3 times but it will be worth the wait. read more

Clean, centrally located, brightly lit. Very easy to navigate and a lot of room on the platform.

Great free bus service to Ikea, and other Emeryville locations on the Emery Go Around

This is a review for the whole Bart. Bart has wonderful front office staff always. Bart is great because of its accessibility and parking as well schedule. Bart needs to massively improve its cleanliness and need to enforce non loitering. It seems that on a daily basis the seats and floors do not get wiped or mopped as you can still smell in the morning and all day trace of all kinds of body fluids. Bart would need to enforce also the ridership of patrons with valid Bart tickets and rides to ensure that seats are available legitimately as well as passenger comfort and safety. There are no Bart inspectors checking tickets. Compared to the trains in Asia and Europe, Bart needs to be massively improved hygiene and cleanliness side and ridership with valid tickets. I would pay a little bit more to make this happen. read more

Grossest bathroom I've ever used!! But love the free shuttle around Emeryville!

Love this Bart Station because many Bart trains stop here. I hate it that the men's restroom is dirty and occupied most of the time.

Here is the deal...MAC is a good bart station. There is lots of secured bike parking. the platforms are well lit. The access to buses and cabs is pretty good. The area around the station is much better that it was 5 or 6 years ago... The telegraph neighborhood is a good place to grab a bite and explore. read more

I definitely like this Bart station I Always catch my trains on time! And it's always cool service when you ask the Bart staff for questions if you need it. I always take the emery go round to get to the station and it is a great option if you need to get to the Bart station. If you don't want to drive and your looking to get anywhere in the baby area I recommend this Bart station! read more

This station is one of the better stations I've had to use. It seemed a bit cleaner and safer but maybe it's just me.

Uhm, yeah... I don't like to wander around here after dark, even if it IS a station that still connects to many other lines.

This Bart station is a pretty good one. I grew up in Piedmont so I would use this Bart station often. Not the best part of Oakland and not the worst. The good news is that this Oakland Bart station does have parking and they have added more parking. read more

NO PARKING! And no longer parking on side streets either for more than two hours!! If they want people to use public transportation, and I want to, then MORE PARKING SPACES have to be provided. Otherwise, it's cheaper to drive into the city and pay for a parking garage than to park on a side street and get a ticket, as happened to me today. read more

the smell of urine and homeless people is well within BART/Subway guidelines...

The station is very convenient. You can transfer to almost any train from here and there are also several free shuttles which you can hop on to go to Emeryville or Berkeley. The only reason I gave it two stars is the safety component. At all times, I avoid the parking lot area or Telegraph Avenue. Beware of anyone who asks to use your cell phone. Be very alert. I am happy that there might be some improvements though with coming renovations. read more