If your gluten free maybe don't come here. This isn't for the faint of heart. Public transportation isn't a luxury experience. Its if you want the most practical way into the city where parking is difficult. I use this transfer station once in a while. If you have a victim mindset just avoid it - I think kriminals can sniff out fear and target that sort of thing. Maybe its even a sort of self fulfilling prophecy sort of thing. Expect the worst out of people get the worst. I'm not sure though. For all the German tourists that send their 18 year old daughters here - its not a smart thing to do. Unless your really hurting for cash give them finances to avoid public transportation - especially after hours. read more

BART - West Oakland Station - Train Stations Near Me - Oakland, California

Let me start by saying that earlier this evening (11 pm on Wednesday) my daughter and I rode BART for the first time. We drove our car to a concert in Oakland, but on the way home we got a flat tire. luckily, we pulled off on an exit near this station. The gentleman working at the booth was our guardian angel. Not only did he explain everything clearly and patiently, he genuinely cared and went above and beyond to help us. I nearly cried because he was like a knight in shining armor, he was an ally in a difficult situation. I literally created a yelp account just to acknowledge this amazing man and the excellent quality of our late-night BART experience overall (everyone was helpful, the trains were clean and prompt). Once we got home, my teenage daughter told me , and I quote without exaggeration, that "this experience renewed my faith in humanity". From now on, I plan to travel this way more regularly. Thank you so much to all of the BART employees (especially the gentleman in the booth in W. Oakland). read more

There is no maintenance at all , looks filthy and disheveled Trash cans are overflowing in front of the station. Where do the fare increases go? read more

BART - West Oakland Station - Trash on all sides of the garbage bin. Our fare increases at work! - Train Stations Near Me - Oakland, California

I have a love/hate relationship with this station. On the plus side, it's super convenient if you're driving and planning to take BART into SF - every train passes through here, so getting back from the city is super easy because you can take every train. It's one of the best options if you're looking for flexibility and a guaranteed ride into the city. That said, there are definitely some downsides. The parking is expensive during weekday mornings - $13.90 if you arrive before 3 PM, which is steep compared to the $3-$5 you'd pay at other stations. Also, I always feel like my car is going to get broken into because of the surroundings, but it hasn't happened yet. This station has a bathroom should you have a bathroom emergency, but when I went, it didn't have toilet paper or soap. read more

The new fare gates are being tested. It's supposed to stop people from entering without paying. It doesn't. When there isn't anyone watching, people can get through by having one person pay, then the person not paying walks directly behind you. I saw someone get 3 other people through the gates this way. Parking is now $13.75 Monday-Friday before 3pm. You'll still see things once in awhile that you wish you didn't. Including people going to the restroom next to the BART building, excessive trash in the parking lot and near outside seating areas, and people using drugs within the station and near the building. read more

plenty of parking outside of commute hours and it's free after 3pm weekdays + on weekends which is so nice! I feel like many other stations are cutting back on their parking or never had it to begin with. plus every train comes through here, so you'll get to+from the city as fast as possible read more

The West Oakland BART station is a convenient necessity. From here it is only 5 minutes to San Francisco. Parking after hours and on the weekends is free, but there is a very reasonable chance your car will be broken into. The station is dirty. For example there is a pigeons nest directly over the up escalator for the westbound platform. It has been up there for years, and pigeons defecate on customers coming up the escalator. Station agents at this station do absolutely nothing to protect or help customers. Oddly, customers are rarely harassed by aggressive panhandlers at the tickets machines. On a daily basis you can find a ranting screaming person on the platform. It's not unusual to find someone vomiting or shooting heroin around the station. If you call Bart police they are very responsive. The BART police dispatcher does their best to get you help. Police officers do their best to get on scene quick. There are nice bicycle cages outside of this station. Do not ever lock a bicycle up without using one of these secure cages. Your bike will almost certainly be torn apart and stolen. I live in West Oakland and I will occasionally take a lime scooter to this station. That's an extremely convenient option. This is a very convenient station for access to San Francisco International Airport for those who live in West Oakland. It's usually easy to get Uber or Lyft from the station to your West Oakland destination. read more

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It was my first time taking BART and it's not as bad as everyone says. It's dirty and sometimes unsafe but make sure you are going with someone instead of going alone. I think just be extra cautious on the train and while waiting on the train. read more

Holy smokes! I check in like 2 times and now I'm the Duke! Well then, let's review! The train rolls smoothly through the station. This stop is one of my favorites because it means that I'll be going under the bay at over 70MPH! Try that at commute time! I rest my case! read more

BART - West Oakland Station - Last stop before SF! - Train Stations Near Me - Oakland, California

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I feel less likely to die or be attacked at this station and there's plenty of parking available. If you can't find any parking in the main lot or overflow, next to the overflow lot there is a little parking lot you can pay to park at for a reasonable price. I prefer to drive to this station when heading to the city so I can take any train from SF back to the east bay without having to wait for a particular train. Like anywhere in Oakland, I would advise you not to leave anything valuable in the car as break-ins can occur regularly. read more

If coming from San Francisco, BART's West Oakland station is the first station you'll stop at after crossing the Bay. All four lines (red, yellow, blue, green) coming out of San Francisco go through West Oakland. By default, it's probably the busiest BART station in the East Bay. This is a popular and relatively convenient commute option, compared to other BART stations in Oakland, for those who live in Oakland or elsewhere in the East Bay and work in San Francisco. There's plenty of on-site surface lot parking as well as tons of bike racks. Once on a train (you can hop on any one bound for SF), it only takes about 7 minutes to get to San Francisco (Embarcadero station) and it costs only $3.75, one-way, at most. Trips to and from San Francisco International Airport take about 40 minutes and cost $9.90 one-way. Not bad. This is a pretty simple station with two elevated side platforms, one for "outbound" trains heading towards Richmond, Antioch, Dublin/Pleasanton, or Fremont/Warm Springs/South Fremont and one for "inbound" trains going into San Francisco. I believe there's only one restroom (unisex) and it's located on the ground level at the bottom of the escalators. I wouldn't use it unless you have an emergency. West Oakland station is bigger than the other BART stations I've used in Oakland including Rockridge, Lake Merritt, and Fruitvale. From a visual perspective and condition-wise, it's about the same as the other Oakland stations -- not very remarkable. It's old and not the cleanest. In general, all of the BART stations and trains could use some upgrading and modernization. As far as getting you from point A to point B, however, the system still gets the job done on a mostly reliable and consistent basis. read more

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For many years, this was my favorite spot to head on over to Downtown San Francisco. I used to love coming here, but no more. No more street parking (limited to two hours) and the parking situation in the parking lot is insane. And the payment is equally insane, so I'm not crazy about it. I used to be able to find decent parking, but I'll say that it's better than driving over there, but not ideal. I now park at Del Norte, North Berkeley, or even Lake Merritt. But if I have to come here, I do. I just have to make sure that I get there hours early so that I can find parking and have time to walk the long 4-6 blocks to the station. One thing I appreciate about this is that all trains go through this station, so I liked the fact that on my way to the east bay, I could catch any train, but that isn't the case anymore because of the horrible parking station. It's better than nothing, but that's a rather low bar. read more

Hopped on Antioch Line on one of the newer trains. I was wondering why it had a strong BO smell. After a few stops I noticed a young transient male was cleaning himself with wipes and throwing them on the Bart train floor. At one point during trip he even pulled down his pants and started wiping his you know... Never knew Bart was the new washroom of the unhoused. If you see wipes on the floor.... guess whose it was? Purposely no pics for this trip. read more

this Bart-West Oakland Station opened in 1974. i've utilized it many times as a transfer point. the station isn't an issue. it's the trains running down 7th St. above ground that is. prehistory: up till the 1950's West Oakland was a cultural gathering point for African Americans. 7th St: i.e a thriving nightlife/cultural center. when local jobs disappeared, west oakland's housing needs decreased. as a result, West Oakland's nightclubs/businesses declined. they eventually all shuttered. while the Bart station is useful for residents, the overhead tracks down the main street of (7th st.) West Oakland was/is an impediment to any possible business revival. read more

Do not try to find free parking outside of the parking lot... Your car will get broken into. Most of the time I park in one of the surrounding parking lots. I tried to park on magnolia ONCE to save $7... After work my car, and all the cars around me were broken into. It's not worth it. That area is bad. Also, if you do get your car broken into, please report it to the police. Looking at the crime maps of the area show no car burglaries, so people don't know how bad it is read more

BART - West Oakland Station - Do not park outside the parking lots... Your car WILL get broken into - Train Stations Near Me - Oakland, California

I still don't completely trust the neighbourhood around the West Oakland BART station, even though "The Times They Are a-Changin". And the fact that one of Gayle's sons has had his car broken into here several times doesn't add to my confidence level. However, if West Oakland BART was closer to home or if my alternative was MacArthur or Fruitvale, you might find me here more often. It you get on BART in the City, thinking that you're heading for Concord or Richmond, and instead are going to Fremont, this is the last station to conveniently make a correction. I've also been known to hop a Fremont train and get off at West Oakland, to exchange a drab underground station for a scenic outdoor one when my real train is way behind schedule. read more

I laugh so hard at the reviews that make this station sound like something from The Warriors or Mad Max-feel free to stick to Walnut Creek or whatever suburban bubble you live in. This station is the last East Bay station before the City, so it's the fastest way to get in. The best part of that is you don't need to be waiting in San Francisco on your way back to get the right train. It gets really full on commute days and even on weekends if you're not careful. As far as getting your car broken into, if you don't have things easily in sight, and you lock your trunk and glove compartment it'll be fine. Alternatively, you can Uber here and it's not too expensive from most places in the inner East Bay. As for the "neighborhood", it's really not as bad as everyone here makes it seem. Stick to yourself and you'll be fine. If anything major happens, there's always a police car and ambulance here! read more

This is the most convenient Bart station there is. I live in the neighborhood and i love being able to walk to this Bart station and be in the city 10 minutes later! This station has an outdoor platform, so prepare for the elements. There are constantly trains whippin through this station, I never really wait more then 5 mins for a train. There are never any big crowds and I haven't ever seen any suspicious activity. There are also bathrooms and parking is never a problem. People tend to really bag on West Oakland, let it be told that I am a white male and have been walking to and from this station at all times of the day and night and have only encountered people saying hello to me. West Oakland is on the up and up and this Bart Station is a great addition to a neighborhood on the rise. read more

BART - West Oakland Station - SF platform on the right - Train Stations Near Me - Oakland, California

Still 5 stars for this BART station, and props to my buddy S_ for his hilarious review. Read it if you wanna laugh sometime this year. On another note, I thought this was hecksa coolness. My West Oakland BART Station review got quoted in this article - http://oaklandlocal.com/article/are-yelp-reviews-help-or-hindrance-oakland-analysis. It's at the bottom. Talk about cool surprises! Props to B for showing it to me! read more

It's true - the neighborhood around this station is sketchy in a lot of ways but this station deserves 3 stars just because it gives the opportunity to escape downtown SF and stand on the outdoor platform and enjoy the sunset after work while waiting for the train that actually goes to your destination! I think sometimes I am the only person who does that - the train will be just as crowded when it arrives at West O as when it left one of the downtown stops - so why not just take this stop, wait outside, enjoy the view of all the old victorians and the random stuff going on below you, then get on the crowded car by the door. This station also gets an extra star because the food vendors take care of the feral kitties in the parking lot. Mew!! read more

I like taking the West Oakland station as it is the last stop before it heads into SF and goes to SFO airport. Gets packed sometimes but what subway doesn't. Take the next train if it is packed. That said, it's very convenient as far as location and time. read more

This is the last stop before entering San Francisco, so, of course there's going to be no parking left. It's also the priciest parking out of all BART parking lots. Last I heard, $5 a day. And consider yourself lucky if you even find parking here during commute hours!! Nothing has ever happened to me here but just keep your guard up. Things happen right outside of this BART station often. Acorn Housing Projects is very very close by and that particular project is ALWAYS on the news. read more

Amongst my least favorite BART stations in the system. Seems that there are always many homeless/psychotic/scary folks around, it's in a neighborhood with a lot of crime (though slowly improving), and most importantly to me (last night), it's very open-air and on a cold night it's FREEZING with nowhere warm to stand. If you have the means... BART elsewhere, hop off at a nicer/safer station, and grab a bus to your final destination. read more

If you ride the BART I definitely recommend downloading the app to your phone that makes it so you can report suspicious or dangerous characters to BART police. My girlfriend has this app and uses it quite often. This BART station sucks just like every other BART station. The smell of bum urine wafts through the air and the germs are so plentiful they are nearly visible on every surface. In addition to the less than appealing conditions of the actual station the surrounding neighborhood itself has recently become home to several homeless encampments so when you take the BART you have to pass through a modern day shanty Shantytown. Don't go into the bathrooms. I'm giving this place 3 stars because if you get there before as late as 7 there is still plenty of parking. It's also only a quick ride to SF from here. Another reason I'm giving it 3 stars is because the BART police have always been very professional here. read more

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Appreciate that there are BART police officers patrolling the lots, particularly the back lot. It can get kinda scary walking to my car later in the night. It's the most expensive bart parking lot in the East Bay ($5.50 compared to $1.50) but it's convenience that you're paying for. Although recently it feels like it has been getting harder to board the train because it gets so crowded by the time it reaches West Oakland station. The back lot gets filled by 7:15AM (7:30AM on Thursdays and Fridays) so get here before then. Weekends are free but it fills up quick, especially if there is a special event in the city. Errbody will be parking here and barting in. read more

I would normally have a higher rating for this station since Its my usual stop but I was on my way home Monday night from the West Oakland bart station travelling north on Mandela Parkway between 7th and 8th streets when a couple of black teenagers tackled me off my bike and dragged me from the middle of the street to the sidewalk by my helmet. They kicked and punched me while one yelled, "Get her iPod! Get her iPod!" They beat me until a paserby honked their car horn, but not before kicking me in the face a couple of times. Luckily they didn't make off with anything, my iPod, my wallet, my bike. It's like they did it just to do it--because they could. I filed a police report and learned that the W. Oakland station has seen a lot of activity like this in recent months: kids targeting random people for their cel phones, iPods, anything. So please, please be careful while in that area. Even though it's a relatively well-traveled area, these kids couldn't give a shit and will mess with anyone! Although I like how close and open and easy this station is, I don't like the bullshit that comes with it. read more

Whenever I tell people that the West Oakland BART station is my preferred East Bay BART station, I often get reactions that I just said I like vacationing regularly in war torn Baghdad. I'll take West Oakland over the Fruitvale Station any day even when Fruitvale is closer to my house. And obviously bringing up the Fruitvale BART Station just brings up another recent can of worms on the BART public transit system that is part of our public law enforcement. This stuff needs to come to peace. In these times, we need to get to places safely and efficiently.. 1. West Oakland is the last BART stop in East Bay and all of the trains pass through there if you are heading to SF/S. Think nice convenience factor here. 2. There is reasonable paid parking lot (6$) across the street with attendants if you can't find a 5$ daily space in the station's lot. There were even helpful guys working at the private parking lot showing me where to park in the overflow area under the freeway. 3. There are paramedics stationed there frequently. Why? No, not because of injuries from violence in the neighborhood. A hospice nurse explained to me that it is because of distance and dispatching logistics. So, if you do happen to come back from SF after a night of drunken debauchery and you fall down the BART stairs, you'll have the paramedics right there at your feet (literally). 4. The station attendants are sometimes indifferent, but mostly courteous. It's a government job, what do you expect? 5. A BART Policewoman actually advised me politely to stay in my car a couple more minutes to avoid getting a ticket since it wasn't quite 10am yet when you can start to use the reserved spaces that aren't occupied. Imagine that, a nice BART policeperson. They do exist! 6. Ever since Obama was voted into office, I get a lot more warm friendly smiles then suspicious glances from everyone in the station and surrounding neighborhood. However, I never felt threatened there way before it. It's all good, my friends, and really, it *is* just a BART station, after all! Drop the stereotypes. read more

I've passed through this station 1,837 times more than I've been on the platform here. I'm not exaggerating. As a pass-through station, it's more than A-OK. I really like it, actually. There's the weird gas station and those sad businesses and the weird murals and that one guy's backyard that's filled with all kinds of junk, but he's not a hoarder--not exactly--everything is lined up perfectly, and I swear that he switches out his junk, so I think there's a method to it. And the old coffee place and the sad senior-citizens home that was never completed because of the fire and Esther's (who could forget Esther's?), and that little boat on top of that roof. But as a BART station, it's pretty shady. The innards remind me of MacArthur Station's innards, which is never a good sign, but the final dropping of starrage comes not from any of that but from the fact that the platforms are on opposite sides of the tracks. Yes, I realize that it's coming out of the Transbay Tube, so it makes more sense for the tracks to be as close together as they are, but there is enough lead distance, I believe, to have separated the tracks and put in place a central platform that services trains going in either direction. And if there wasn't enough room, well, there's way too much distance between the station itself and the twin tunnels the trains go in going northeast and southeast, respectively, so they had that option. Why do I want a central platform? Because central platforms mean it's much easier to switch trains, for those times when you've fallen asleep, gotten on the wrong train, or--most importantly--when you're trying to get from Oakland Airport to something along the Richmond line and don't want to wait for the Orange Line because the Orange Line sucks. And having to go down those stairs and up the other stairs might make you miss the Red Line train you were trying to get. If you've spent as much time on BART as I have, you know exactly what I'm talking about. read more

Latest news on parking at West Oakland BART: You can go on-line and reserve a daily parking for $6 at https://www.parkingcarma.com/portals/bart/bartreservations.aspx However, you have to reserve at least a couple of weeks in advance. There's a waiting list for monthly parking. BART still saves some spaces for shoppers arriving just before 10am. Parking is free after 4p and on weekends and holidays. Your alternative is to park in the private lots around the station. The lot on 5th and Mandela Parkway is open 24 hours, but staffed only until 8p on weekdays. The employees are fine, but they charge $8 a day. Big lot with lots of parking. https://www.parkingcarma.com/portals/bart/bartreservations.aspx A better alternative is the lot on 7th near Center Street. It's also also staffed and the employees are fine as well, but it's only $6 a day. I prefer this lot mainly because it's right across busy 7th Street from the BART station. A huge advantage after the sun goes down. All of the street parking is 2 hours only on weekdays. I wouldn't park on the street even if I could find free parking a block or two away if you want to minimize your chances of getting robbed or having your car broken into. read more

The peculiarities of the West Oakland BART station. It is unparalleled in its nastiness, yet to trumped in its ghettoness, unbeaten in exorbitant parking fees but I will always heart this station. Oakland is a city with effortless character. I was stuck at this station for nearly an hour and got my daily slice of the real. The banjo-hipster cooing in the background, playing in absence of a tip jar, solely for the joy of music (stay broke dumbass). Juxtaposed by the loud beggar arguing with police before running off into the parking lot in a crazed frenzy as the fat officers watched in startled "hmph?'s". The pebble rock sellers that handout a special rock blend called "Bob Marley" and sell a variety of films conveniently removed from their DVD cases. I even wandered into the adjacent dollar store to rummage for discounted chips. I never knew how much could be sold for one dollar a piece. Unfortunately, I am a picky eater and I will not be able to shop there for groceries. As picky as I may be, I will always use this station for my SF ventures. Its close and..... well its very close to the city. IF YOU ARE GETTING MUGGED A LOT IT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE CONVEYING AN IMAGE THAT SAYS "ROB ME PLS" OR YOU DRIVE A JAPANESE CAR OR YOUR LUCK IS DAMNED BY GOD HIMSELF. THIS AREA ISN'T EVEN THAT BAD FOR CHRISTSAKE. read more

I love this station bc on my way home from the city, a lot of people tend to dump off here... seats clear, breathing room. Ahhh.... In the mornings, the familiar "West Oakland Station, West Oakland" announcement tells me I've about 4.5 more minutes of napping before heading off to work. It's like a big giant snooze alarm. I got off bart here one night, bc randomly enough my car was parked in her lot. I found the walk to my car a bit sketchy and choose not to repeat it. read more

I love this station for personal reasons. If start my bart commute here in the morning I love that I only have to ride through the tunnel and BAM! I exit at Embarcadero and I'm done. Same thing on the way home. First train that pulls up at Embarcadero, get on and gett off. EZ. Who cares if I don't have a seat it's only one stop. I would hate to have to park here because I would wonder if my car would be broken into or stolen by EOD. There are private parking lots in the surrounding areas but I would fear for my life walking back to them at night because the area is... less than desirable. There are always stray dogs running around or someone trying to sell you a stolen phone or begging for change. (Tip: if you play an instrument people are more likely to give change than if you just demand it) But the number one reason this station gets on my dang nerves is the escalator!!! Far be it for me to turn my nose up at some impromtu (much needed) cardio but there are actual elderly or less-able folks that rely on it to get up and down the plattform. It's been broken since November!!! read more

Easy in & easy out. Silly, I am talking about West Oakland BART station. Don't let the news give West Oakland a bad wrap and stop living in fear. At this location you can take any train into SF and any train out of SF, saves you time and money! I use this location all the time with ZERO problems. read more

Easy parking (on the weekends) and a short walk into the station. We hardly ever drive into the City anymore ever since we figured out taking Bart is the more cost effective way to get to San Francisco. We drive to West Oakland from Dublin and park here and hop over ($5.80 round trip ticket) to San Francisco in about 15 minutes! Here is why we do this.... We wont have to pay toll over the bridge We wont have to pay for parking in the city I wont be frustrated with all the crappy drivers Its easy on easy off the freeway directly into the BART parking lot Give it a try folks...its a lot easier than driving! read more

I really enjoy the dancing shows I see on BART, where generally 2-3 guys that get off/on BART around West Oakland and they dance and do these contortions with their joints. I have no clue what this kind of dancing is called; I just know I like it. Any time you see these guys, please watch and donate. Maybe one day they will make more money doing this; I certainly hope so. I hope other people enjoy their work as much as I. read more

I've heard many dire warnings about West Oakland and expected the worst from its BART station (because, you know, it's BART), but it totally surprised me. It was bright (being above ground, high above ground with lots of windows will do that), it did not smell like pee (being completely open on all sides will do that), it was not too crowded, and I did not get mugged. Their money machines work great, I had no problems with the gates, I did not poke into any dark corners (are you KIDDING who would do that in a BART Station), and there's this very awesome hotdog vendor outside the exit, but I suppose that's another review. This place gets 4 stars, which may seem high, but it DID NOT SMELL LIKE PEE. That deserves an entire star, right there. read more

West Oakland feels like a BART station with a lot of untapped potential. Unfortunately it seems as if the desire, the vision, or the funding is missing to realize that potential. What we're left with is still a fairly serviceable station. Coming from Emeryville, this is easily the best station to take to get to SF, as it is the last East Bay stop and every SF-bound train passes through it. It's easily accessible from highway 880 or surface streets. During commuting hours, you'll usually wait less than 5 minutes for a train into the city. All of that is great, but there are a few barriers to entry that keep West Oakland from being as good as it could be. There isn't a great way to get from Emeryville to this BART station by public transportation. Driving, while fast, means you'll have to deal with the underwhelming parking situation. The lot fills up fast, and has the steepest daily price tag of any BART station at $7. Unless you're a really early bird, you're more likely to end up parking in one of the (non-BART-affiliated) auxiliary lots, which cost even more - somewhere between $8 and $10 a day presently. That's starting to approach downtown SF parking prices, which makes you begin to wonder, why take BART at all? The cost of the Bay Bridge toll is comparable to a round trip BART ticket from West Oakland to Embarcadero or Montgomery. There's a lot that could be done to encourage riders to choose West Oakland more often. I could envision the station becoming a more focal transportation hub for the East Bay, but until then, we have a BART station that offers conveniences and annoyances in roughly equal measure. read more

Some people may not believe this. The West Oakland BART station is the last BART station before San Francisco. This is an excellent place park your car and ride Bart to the city. read more

BART - West Oakland Station - Train Stations Near Me - Oakland, California

I must say West Oakland BART u are truly a diamond in the rough. I mean u definitely don';t have any parking....like NONE, Zilch, Nada. The parking that u do have is $5 as opposed to the $1 that I pay at Macarthur. Thankfully there are some adjoining lots that are $6 on the next block. But the reason why u are truly cool is b/c I can get to the city in under 10 minutes flat. I don't have to care about what train to get on b/c they all are going to SF if I'm on the right side. Its just great to me! I mean if Jamaica and I would have parked at West Oakland instead of Macarthur the night of the Yelp! Cartoon Museum Event... we probably could have just went straight home after passing our transfer station and going all the way to Fruitvale b4 we realized it. yeah good times. WO BART....rocks my socks and parking hurts my heart but its worth it ;-) read more

What I like about this station is that it is the last stop of the Eastbay, so if I go here it's a straight shoot into San Francisco. What I also like is the fact that I have a higher chance of catching a train relatively quickly in case I miss the one on the platform, instead of being at a station like Lake Merrit where there is only one train that heads in the SF direction (Daly City). I also like the fact that the bart station manager is right in front of the enterence/exit thing (don't even know what to call it) that you go through after you slip your BART ticket through. There have been a few times where someone has walked right after me (people of a multitude of shades and ages) and I didn't realize it until afterward (and really I am not the confrontational type, but now I will not be afraid to say something if that ever happens again), but either no BART employee has been around, or they are in the box at the other end looking down at their phone. Also, the escalator to the platform of the San Francisco direction was out of order for the longest time! That was so annoying, even though I came here once maybe every other week while it was out of commission. I'm glad it's working now, and I now have the time in my schedule to go every Saturday instead anyway, so it's perfect. But really this is an in and out BART station, really no room to see any singers playing for money or anything like that. The parking lot is huge, but gets packed really quickly. I come here is I can on Saturdays instead of going to my regular stop of Lake Merrit just for the expediency of the trip and probability of catching a train as I stated above, but I only do it on Saturday when parking is free. Parking during the week is crazy expensive and not worth it. I think it's $5, but it could be more since prices are always going up with BART. I know from the statements of others that parking during the week gets packed, but from first hand experience if you desire to come here on a Saturday morning, give yourself time because it looks like Costco with people sharking to get a parking spot. Seriously, give yourself time. Otherwise you will have to find some place on the street that isn't permit or 2 hour parking to park your car, and the perimeter of the BART station has street cleaning on Saturday, and people do take the ticket if they are desperate. Parking is really the only negative I can find for this place. But if you park on the street somewhere, just be smart and go with your gut. There are many places where I've seen glass from broken-in cars on the ground. I was even parked a few cars down from someone whose car was broken into, and she and the person she was with were on the phone calling the cops. This was not in the neighborhood, but on the same street of BART just two or three blocks down. I've had no issues, but some people have no shame, so seriously give yourself time for parking if you want a spot. read more

BART - West Oakland Station - Entrance from one side of parking lot. - Train Stations Near Me - Oakland, California