I was able to ride all the way to Novato to see the Space Festival 2019. Just a short walk from the bus stop at Salvatore & Ensente Streets. Using Clipper Card is so easy too! There is free WiFi and no need to worry about driving. I like it! The drivers are so nice and I didn't think I would, but I asked the driver for some held with directions. He was like a super help. read more

Since the SMART train expanded its service, it feels like Golden Gate Transit bus service has gone downhill. One of my biggest frustrations is that buses are constantly running far ahead of schedule. If the Petaluma stop says the bus arrives at 5:20, I understand a few minutes early or a few minutes late. But 20 minutes early is unacceptable. It happens often enough that it's become a real reliability issue. People plan their commutes around the published schedule, and buses leaving that early make riders miss them entirely. Another ongoing problem is bus spacing. It's common to see two buses arrive within a couple of minutes of each other, followed by a 30- to 40-minute gap before the next one. Better spacing would make the service much more dependable. I've also noticed that many drivers barely come to a complete stop before pulling away. They accelerate quickly before passengers have a chance to sit down, which can be uncomfortable and potentially unsafe, especially for seniors or anyone with mobility challenges. I rely on Golden Gate Transit, so it's disappointing to see the service becoming less reliable. I hope they take rider feedback seriously and work on improving schedule adherence, bus spacing, and passenger safety. read more

How to Avoid the Clipper Card Minefield Using a Clipper Card is a great way to travel, but you first have to understand their intuitive rules. I bought 2 clipper cards at the the Windsor Smart Train station for my wife and I last year and took the train from Windsor to the Larkfield ferry. Unfortunately you can't buy a senior card at the train kiosk so you have have to pay the full price with no discount. To get a senior card you have to buy it online and wait a few weeks to receive it in the mail. A few months ago, I had about $10 remaining on each card and my wife and I decided to take the Larkfield ferry to S. F. the next day. I went online to check my balance and there was no cash available. So I called the number and I was told " we are experiencing long hold times and there are 38 folks ahead of me". And they mentioned to go online to use self service. I went online and there was no self service options. The online site is useless. Finally I spoke to the rep and was informed that since I didn't use the card for 6 months there was no cash value on the card, but she would add the previous balance back onto the card, and this would take a few days. So, I added $20 to each card online using my Visa card. Unbeknownst to me it takes over a week to add this cash value to the Clipper Card, even though they they charged my Visa immediately. When I got to the Smart Train station there was no cash value on the card so I had to add $20 more to the cards. This really upset me. I had to call the Clipper Card office 5 more times and wait between 14 and 41 calls ahead of me to finally get a promise that they will send me a check. I have been waiting for 2 weeks to get the check and called again only to find out it takes about 1 month to get the check. I'm still waiting. It seems very clear to me that Clipper Card grabs your money immediately and will try anyway it can to keep it. If you want to avoid some of the money pitfalls and phone calls of using a Clipper Card: 1. Purchase your card online 1 month before you intend to use it. 2. Add value to your card at the train or ferry kiosk only for the amount you intend to use that day. 3. Use the cash value quickly. read more

Review based solely on my wife and my weekend getaway from Santa Rosa to SF. We purchased the $12 one way combo ticket to use for the SMART train and Larkspur Ferry. Hardest part of the trip is walking from the train to the ferry. Otherwise an amazing trip. What I was most impressed with about the ferry other than the views was its on time schedule. Both Saturday and Sunday the ferry arrived right on schedule and left right on schedule. Super impressed. read more

All cmon y'all why are some of you very upset. GGT is one of the oldest transit agencies in the Bay Area. Being a public transit freak, I have lived in the Bay Area for 26 years of of my life and are glad to ride GGT. Unfortunately for me I am not able to ride the large buses because I do not live in Sonoma county. If you need to go across the Golden Gate and have no fast track, GGT's buses do the trick. I love how I can bypass all the drama of worry about pay by plate when returning to SF. The Golden Gate Ferries are really good too because you not only get a good view of San Francisco but a quick way across the bay. Drawback: The bus frequency can be a bit troublesome because there are rarely buses in the San Francisco side of the transit district. There is a limit on clipper if you are riding the ferry read more

Horrible experience, ... riding the bus from SR to sf freezing buses , AC turn at 9am every day ..... drivers don't care!

Not sure why there isn't a Yelp page for just the Giants Ferry, as it literally drops you off at the ballpark. The regular ferry drops you off at the Ferry Building, which is a 20-minute walk to AT&T Park. The Giants Ferry is a great option if you don't mind leaving the game early; otherwise, you better spend the night should the games go into extra innings. I do have more cons than pros unfortunately. PROS: - Gorgeous views of the Bay while taking the ferry over. - Hassle-free parking if lot is available. - Take this ferry to special events like concerts to AT&T Park, but check calendar for fine print. CONS: - Not any cheaper than driving to SF, as the tickets are $12 each way, easily $120 for family of five. Be sure to purchase both ways, unless you plan on staying over in the city. I'd rather drive & pay for parking. This way, I can leave whenever I want. - Tickets must be purchased in advance, not available @ GGF terminals & non-refundable. - Must print tickets at home, $2 fee applies if mailed, option not available within 10 days of game. - More headaches during day games, as GGF limits # of tickets sold to the ballpark due to limited # of parking spaces in their terminal & overflow lots. - Clipper cards not accepted on Giants Ferry. - Vessel departs 30 mins after last out, so if the game goes beyond the 9th inning, you're SOL j/k. You must catch the last ferry home, can't stay for nail biter - boo! http://goldengateferry.org/events/giantsferrycalendar.php http://goldengateferry.org/events read more

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The best way to get into the city from Marin County without having to drive your own car in. They have a round trip service from Larkspur right into AT&T Park on game days. I recommend you buy a $1 reservation to and from the AT&T Park. They also have scheduled service into the Ferry Building by Fisherman's Wharf. This makes it easy to get into the city from Marin County. Cons for the SF Giants game ferry. It doesn't leave on time, it says to be there an hour before its scheduled departure, I recommend you be there early too since there is a long line waiting to get on the special game day ferry. You'll still be waiting on board the ferry for them to fill it to capacity even with a reservation. I missed my free giveaway since the ferry arrived 30 mins before the first pitch and the park already ran out of the free stuff. It seems a bit unorganized and the ferry actually got back to Larkspur almost at midnight! Other than that, If I didn't have to bug my aunt and uncle to pick me up from the terminal, I'd probably buy a Clipper card and utilize the ferry all the time. It is easy to drive yourself into town, but if you don't want to pay for parking, you want to save on gas and the hassle of finding parking in town, I'd take the ferry. About $18 for a round trip ticket from Larkspur into SF. No LATE ferries back to Larkspur from SF. Good views of San Quentin, the Bay Bridge, SF Bay and downtown SF while riding the ferry! read more

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Rude driver unit 1923 on the route for golden gate, he didn't allow a couple of guys arrive and when we pay for two with the phone he try to charge more read more

I've had my fair share of experiences with Golden Gate Transit in the past. Most of my past experiences - involve a lot of tedious waiting. Agony -- if you're in a rush to get somewhere for an appointment. Or in a hurry to get back to and from the city - on a long day. But my experiences with Golden Gate Transit today - on an epic North Bay expedition was truly a thing of beauty. On a lovely weekend - when you have no time constraints - pack up some good food and take a trip up to the inspiring and stunning North Bay via Golden Gate transit. If you do your research - you can pretty much get anywhere. Everywhere - from Bolinas to Mt. Tam. Our route to Muir Woods today - consisted of the below - We took the 28 MUNI up 19th Avenue to the Golden Gate toll, where we waited 20 or so minutes for the - 70, which took us all the way up to Marin City. At Marin City - we all - grabbed an adorable 66 Shuttle bus, complete with retro Golden Gate bridge adorned seats - that took us literally right in front of the majestic redwoods. Closer than most cars can get. And for just three dollars round trip. The 66 shuttle runs every half hour - up to 7pm - back to Marin City. Once back at Marin City stop - we hopped on the 10 (though the 80 works well too) back to the city. So easy. So easy. I kept on gazing out the window on our spectacular - winding path to Muir Woods - and wondering why I hadn't taken public transportation sooner to get out to such natural inspiration. Sitting perched on a moss covered thick stump - immersed in the lush foliage of the rich aroma of mother nature - we broke out in big smiles. Just cause you don't have a car in the city - doesn't mean that you can't find other means across that beckoning beacon of a bridge. Golden Gate Transit was truly what was up today. read more

Scathing, hateful letters sometimes work. I write really bitter, nasty, resentful ones that usually get ignored or passed on to worker bees who then pass it on to the trash bin. But THIS time...I HAVE BEEN HEARD! My class took a field trip to the Ferry that ended up being a horrible experience for pretty much everyone involved. We were treated with disdain and snobbery...they sucked. So when I got back to school, I wrote a hideously angry letter to...well...everyone. I made 20 copies and mailed this three page rant to every member of the Board of Directors of the Highway and Transportation District and Gavin, too. Honestly, I didn't think it was anything more than me venting my frustration on paper. No one listens to us little people, right? WRONG-O! Two days later, we got a call from the Ferry Building manager, Mr. Swindler, who apologized and tried to explain what happened. That was nice. We were happy with that. He said he would try to get our money back, too, which we never heard about again. THEN, the Executive Assistant to the General Manager of the Highway and Transportation District, Amorette Ko, came to the school to personally deliver a letter of apology from their office. I was blown away! She was so kind and sweet about it, and offered us a free trip on the Ferry anytime we would like to return. She thanked us for supporting public transportation in San Francisco, and reminded us to call her office directly if we needed anything at all. Golly! But the topper was BEVAN DUFTY. His office called us to say they had been cc'd the letter I wrote and was appalled at what had transpired. Not only did he apologize on behalf of the city, he offered to give our money back, straight out of his personal campaign account. And he did! With the check came a letter which read: "I'm sorry for the unhappy experience of your kindergarten class on Golden Gate Ferry. I have spoken with the Deputy General Manager and he pledged to follow up with all of the employees and problems you cited. I know Michelle from my office called because of my desire to address the $155 problem that can't be recovered. Enclosed is a check-I hope it helps soften the bumps in a day that should have been fun. Take care, Bevan." I LOVE SAN FRANCISCO! Although I don't normally revere politicians, Bevan Dufty is my new hero. He showed that even a little ripple can make a huge wave in a big pond. http://www.yelp.com/biz/Z2oysr4NGTAXfRaMa0RNjg read more

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Take this to a SF Giants game and get dropped off right behind center field! It is a leisurely 45 minute ride on one of the older ferry boats ( not the new Catamaran faster ones they use for weekday commuters). They limit tickets ( which are purchased on-line, not at the ferry) to the number of seats on the ferry, so there is no overcrowding and everyone can find a seat. This is a special Giants game ferry, which arrives about 30 minutes before first pitch and departs 30 minutes after the final out. There is only one, seating roughly 500? If this is sold out, you can take the regular ferry from Larkspur, but you will arrive at the commuter dock, which is about a mile from ATT stadium. It isn't cheap, it is $12.50 one way, so $25 (two separate print out tickets) round trip, plus lot parking in Larkspur (I think it is $2, not sure, we had a legit handicap placard). But the driving over a bridge and parking may cost you $25 or more, and you don't get the great Bay views! There are 2 bars on board for your pre-game priming. read more

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From a value perspective, for the short ferry ride in to Embarcadero, this ticket is pricey! Was showing an out-of-town friend the view of the water and around Tiburon. Can get so windy when out on deck. But the ability to take another mode in to SF, and spying the wonderful mansions dotted along Tiburon, as well as a "unique" view of San Quentin, made it a novel experience. What is priceless: avoiding the hassle of taking a car in and dealing with not only parking price poaching, but the mayhem of finding a spot in the first place. read more

Less than half a star if I could. What is going on w this outfit?! It used to be so reliable. The 24 has become the worst! I left my house in Ross an hour ago to walk to the bus and we just now hit the 101. They cancelled the 7:13 and didn't bother to issue a service alert. The next bus is late. Now I will be about half an hour late. I hate what GGT has become. Call customer service and you'll just get attitude. Something seriously needs to change. Our busses should be improving not going backwards w service. read more

I would love to give a better review for the Larkspur ferry. But my only experience riding it was this weekend, and I didn't end up even getting on the ferry. The line at the tickets machine was about 50 people deep, and there are only 2 machines and zero cashiers. I asked the woman taking tickets if the long line was the only option (I wasn't sure if you could buy a ticket on the ferry) and said in a condescending tone "If you want to get on the ferry it is!". Yeah. Thanks. The ferry was supposed to leave at 9:40, and I was still in line at 9:45. My problem with this is they were holding the ferry for all the people waiting in line (which included me), and I knew I was going to be late if I got on that ferry. So I left and drove to the city instead, mad that I wasted my time. I will try again soon, hopefully with better luck. I know they say to arrive 30 minutes early to buy your ticket, but if they're holding up the ferry for everyone anyway, then what's the point? The machines fail in this instance, and it's a shame that they can't have the cashier window open to avoid such a big customer service disaster. read more

The ferry itself is an amazing method of transport when you want to get into the city with minimal stress about driving/tolls/parking...etc. Everytime I have taken it, it has been timely and fairly enjoyable. HOWEVER, the employees (before you even get ONTO the Ferry) are extremely rude and obnoxious. They made scanning your ticket into a huge deal because they are so focused on the "order" of who is in line....seemed a little over the top. Your job is to smile and scan the ticket I just spent 20 minutes paying for because the computers there are also extremely temperamental. read more

I love Golden Gate Transit! As someone who lives in San Rafael and works in San Francisco, taking the bus is a dream. I usually drive to Manzanita since there isn't parking by the San Rafael bus depot. The bus is always on time in the early morning. When I take the bus home in the afternoon, it might be a couple minutes late, but if you have the Transit app, you'll know what to expect. Drivers are nice and I've been the only person on the northbound buses midday before. Like a personal limo. I'm curious if the negative reviewers have ever taken Muni buses or any major city bus. Cause Golden Gate transit buses are luxury travel in comparison. read more

Golden Gate Bridge Transportation District - Photo waiting for GGT - Transportation Near Me - San Francisco, California

worst experience I ever had with a bus driver as he insulted me for not knowing how the cash machine worked " are you stupid? what are you waiting for? " i took a Uber for my journey back. read more

Very clean ferry. Was pleasantly surprised with comfortable chairs and tables. The only complaint I have is upon return, a dread headed African American gentleman (William Gordon?) comes out on the upper deck whistling loudly. Scared the crap out of us as he approached us from behind!! {LOUD high shrill whistle} "EVERYONE LISTEN UP!!! You will need to exit from this area to avoid bottlenecking. I wouldn't wait to exit to avoid the bottleneck!!" Then he repeats himself like we were children. I was offended. I was offended by the unprofessional way he approached us with loud whistle and yelling. My relaxing boat ride (along with everyone else's) turned into standing the remaining 5 minutes while we barely cruised past Alcatraz. There was no need to get us all cattled at the exit only to stand that long. Ay! read more

We took the ferry to one of the Giants games but took it early so it wouldn't be packed. The ride to SF was really quick and the ferry was moving along. There were lots of seats inside and outside. There was a snack bar and some of the seating had tables. The ferry looked a bit newer and the seats were nice. The way back wasn't as fun. The ferry went much slower. It was probably because there were so many people on it and it couldn't go as fast. This was an older looking ferry that didn't have as good of a seating arrangement as the one we arrived did. Not bad though. For 10-12$ I'd say it's worth it to not have to fight traffic and deal with finding parking in the city. read more

There is nothing more relaxing then riding the ferry into work. Well, except for the getting on the ferry especially if you have a bike. Its seriously crazy in the mornings these days. Everyone is avoiding driving into the city and the ferry is where its at. I think its wonderful and I really do enjoy getting on the boat with a coffee and getting though all my email in the morning. Then when heading home enjoying a beer and a game. It really is great if you can find a nice seat, but that has been the problem lately. Its always full and the bike rack is a mess. Didn't even mention the lack of parking yet either. Now, this is very important. the hours are not even close to being practical and that is defiantly one of the reasons why they lose a star. The last ferry back is 9:35pm which makes it impossible to use after a business dinner. The last ferry back on the weekend is even earlier! Like why? If there was one thing I would improve about the ferry is their last boat. It really does need to be much later. If you work in the city, I really recommend taking the ferry in. You will love it and probably make some nice friends over the years. If you ride a bike, its the only game in town but be warned and get there super early! read more

On time, dependable, quick, easy, and safe. I love all types of public transportation, but the Ferry is the best. I have always had a positive experience, the crew treats you right and everyone seems to honestly enjoy their work. It is easy to pay if you have a clipper card, if not I think you buy a ticket before you board, then give it to the skipper when you disembark. Children 5 and under are free! The only potential problem is that the parking lot might fill up. I don't usually travel during commute hours or during Giants baseball games, but it seems like the parking lot is too small. I think there is a shuttle bus from a park-and-ride lot, but I don't have any details on that. In the winter the views are usually better due to less fog, but even in the summer it is always an enjoyable ride. read more

Golden Gate Bridge Transportation District - Safety first! - Transportation Near Me - San Francisco, California

parking is a pain. No toll takers is draconian. Forced to have a fastrak so they can fasTRACK me wherever I go.

Asked the driver if the bus went to palace of fine arts. Didnt know. Pointed it out on a map. Didnt know if the route passed it. Got off bus the strangly empty peak hour bus and waited for the next one, 20min wait. Hailed it down, refused to stop Gave up went and caught muni instead. Asked driver, told me it was the wrong bus and the exact route i needed to catch. Say what you want about muni being noisy, weird smells, etc but it serves its basic functionality of transporting people around. Not sure what service GGBT is running but it seems like a drive empty buses around type of gig. read more

Service is worse than ever a bunch of asshole bus drivers that intentionally try to make me late for work. It's like you know I'm trying to get the bus in front you asked me if I was I say yes. I ask can I get off there you ignore me like you don't hear me. Thankful for Smart Train I don't have to take it as much and I try to avoid it at all costs. I even leave a hour early if I take the bus but the bus is late and they will still be spiteful assholes and make me miss my bus. Passengers should strike and not take the bus if they can until they improve the treatment of passengers. Stuff like this is why unions suck people should be fired if they have this type of power and being intentionally spiteful assholes possibly causing someone to lose their job for being late. I'm lucky that doesn't affect my job it's just annoying. There are great drivers that are nice and friendly that are always helpful but there aren't enough. The sexual harassment of the drivers harassing passengers I haven't seen much but I don't take the bus anymore it was to stress stressful and scary with them calling the police on people all the time that didn't do anything. read more

Great way to get into the city without driving. Parking at the Larkspur ferry is free. My husband and I arrived around 11:20 for the 11:40 ferry. The line was long, but moved rather quickly. I waited about 15 minutes or less. Got our tickets and went on the ferry with about 5 minutes to spare. The ferry did not leave right away since there were still people purchasing tickets, we left about 10 minutes after our scheduled departure time. Arrived at the Ferry Building around 12:40pm. I would take it again. read more

Not on time. They cut some routes, but the same are still on their website. They are so irresponsible, unreliable, and unconsidered.

First thing I notice after reading the reviews is that the ones that accurately describe the parking situation are filtered. Trying to use the Larkspur Ferry to commute with during the week is a joke unless you can get there before 8am. The parking lot is full and will not empty out until the afternoon. I have literally timed the incoming boats from SF and stalked the passengers as they walk to their cars so I can get a coveted parking space. I can not come before 8am as I drop off children at school. After trying for five years to use this ferry to commute twice a week, I've largely given up. When I do still attempt it, about 80% of the time I just get back on the freeway and drive in to the city instead, because THERE IS NOT ENOUGH PARKING. In spring of 2013 they resurfaced the parking lot, taking away some parking spaces. They also took away the street parking along Sir Francis Drake. Early 2014 they began charging for parking. The illogical rationale was that charging two bucks a day to Marinites was somehow going to create more available parking with less spaces. The extra parking behind the marin air porter lot is dangerous to walk in, especially once dark as it is very poorly lit. And to top it all off, if I can't find parking and miss the ferry, I can't even catch the bus at the closest bus pad, because they have only one bus that goes into the city after 8am, and it comes every hour, passing through the Lucky Bus pad one to six minutes BEFORE the ferry leaves. Ex. Bus leaves at 9:09, ferry leaves at 9:10. In early 2014 i wrote to the golden gate transit a three page letter about the parking situation. I have had no response. Who loses? 1. Anyone who starts work after 9am. 2. Anyone who needs to take their children to school in the morning. 3. Anyone who can't catch the single bus that stops at the ferry. 4. Anyone who has to drive to the ferry after 8am. 5. Golden gate ferry- because they lose ridership mid day because THERE IS NOT ENOUGH PARKING. 6. People who live in The North Bay because of all the pollution and traffic from the cars of people who have to drive into the city because THERE IS NOT ENOUGH PARKING. 7. Any senior citizen, tourist or college student who needs to take the ferry mid day. There are many possible solutions. Some of these include: 1. Build more parking spaces. Create an underground garage, or build up. If more people show up to take the ferry, then add more runs, more boats. 2. Do what BART does: set aside some parking for mid day parking. BART in Daly City for instance has a section of parking designated for 9am or later. Just because someone's schedule allows or demand for them to take an earlier ferry, does that mean someone whose schedule starts later and ends later gets penalized? 3. Find a lot somewhere in Larkspur, Greenbrae, Corte Madera or any place in the area and create a parking lot for ferry riders and provide a parking lot shuttle to the ferry. This is an idea the airports use, why not the ferry? Even charge for the shuttle. Okay, if I can come up with three options late at night, all by myself, why can't Golden gate transit come up with some viable solutions to the parking problem???? read more

Warning: Vulgarity and anger ahead: Have I mentioned I hate people? Well I do. I fucking hate people. I used to take the Bus from Mill Valley to the FiDi everyday. The #4. Good times. I finished a book a week or so, and generally got to work on time. Bus workers were awesome, and always willing to stop when they saw me running to catch them. It could be because of my tata's, but I'll take it when I can get it. One day, I learned that my car had been broken into. I was on my cell phone on the bus. Let me start by saying, I am not the "cell phone' girl. I am the girl who only talks on her cell on the bus if absolutely necessary. And this time it was. I do, however, understand the mildly annoying character of someone blabbing on their phone while you are trying to unwind from a long day of financial analyzing or whatever it is that you do. I can appreciate that, but it doesn't stop me from letting people do what they need to do. It was raining out, the wind shield wipers on the bus were screeching, honking horns surrounded us, so by no means was this bus quiet, and by absolutely no means was I being loud. Well, Senor Suck a Dick behind me, tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to keep it down. I complied, and got off the phone, but I was PISSED. I would and have never asked anyone to get off the phone in the bus, because I realize the bus is not a restaurant, nor is it a library, nor is it the living room of said Senor Suck a Dick. BUT, I am a nice girl, and I hung up the phone. Livid. The next time I was on my cell phone on the bus was when I got laid off from BE. I was basically crying, QUIETLY, and talking to my support system when I was handed a note. Seriously, passed a note, like in second grade by an older woman across from me. The note said, and I quote, "Didn't they ban cell phones on buses?". I had to talk myself down. "Maintain, Rachel. Maintain." I could feel the heat in my face rising. It took everything I had not to turn and punch that lady in the neck. Instead, I took out a pen, and wrote -- "Must not have gotten the memo..." and handed that fucking thing back to her. I wanted to write, "bitch!" at the end of the sentence, but as you know, I'm a lady, and refuse to be vulgar in most public situations (Yelp is different, OK?!?). So the point of this LONG story is, when you see someone on the phone ON THE BUS, and not in a movie or in the middle of the SF Ballet, try to ignore it. You have NO idea what's going on in their life, and there is a good possibility they might flash on you if asked to stop their call. And if you absolutely need quiet during your ride to or from work, you might want to look into driving your own fucking car. I promise I won't be on my cell phone there. read more

1 star for generally nice bus drivers, and responsive customer service. Wow, this system is kind of a joke. It's 2014, and you're not going to list all of your available stops anywhere? Like, ANYWHERE? I have a hard time understanding why a company would want to withhold opportunities to use their product from their customers. Check out this schedule. Notice how you can pick up the bus at YES O'Clock from the Golden Gate Bridge? http://goldengatetransit.org/schedules/current/route_4.php Does the "-" mean the bus won't stop? Oh what a fun game this is! I have to use Google Maps to get a grasp on when and where I can board a bus, and even that doesn't always work out. Two days ago I waited at Golden Gate Bridge for a bus that never came, than a second bus that never came. It took 1.5 hours to get from the bridge to San Rafael. Oh, and I called 511.org and provided the Golden Gate Bridge stop ID to receive departure times, and 511 did not recognize the ID number... Good lord, if I was a car dealership I would advertise like crazy on Golden Gate Transit buses and bus stops, cause it's the only time I ever think about buying a car. read more

I love being able to use the Translink card on both the Golden Gate Transit Bus and the Golden Gate Ferry, so depending on whether or not I'm running late in the mornings (and mostly I am), I don't have to hassle with having the right kind of ticket/pass/fare. But this is not a review about Translink. While I love the ferry and ride it as often as possible, I take the bus when I'm running late since the stop is so much closer to home. I'm riding practically every morning these days... As far a buses go, these must be rather nice, because on more than one occasion, I've seen peeps who are half-asleep and waiting for a MUNI look in and mutter something about how nice it is and therefore couldn't possibly be a MUNI. They have a point. There's definitely less crowding and I've only experienced one person mashing against me once in a year. Probably the most notorious rider on my route is the guy who snores. But I also suspect I'm on one of the strangest routes in the system because at least half the riders say 'thank you' to the driver as they depart at their stop. Not a bad thing at all, just different. And I agree with the majority on my route. A daily 'thank you' is definitely in order here. read more

We took the Larkspur ferry a couple of weeks ago forgetting completely that it was the Saturday of the St Patrick's Day parade. Only a bit crowded going to but returning.......YIKES! We hadn't ridden the ferry for years. We used our Clipper cards which made it easy to board. Those without clipper cards can purchase tickets at the terminal. There were staff members guiding people to either the ticket windows or ticket machines and the line for clipper card users. There was only a small area on the outside deck--I thought I remember it being larger. We barely got seats. The trip was uneventful---hard to see very much but it was still fun riding the ferry. The return trip was kind of a nightmare due to hoards of high school students and especially a few individuals. As we were standing in line to board the return ferry to Larkspur, dozens and dozens of high school kids kept cutting in line--I'm not talking about 2 or 3 teens but 12-20 at a time. The ferry security guards put up metal bar gates and told the students to not cut in line and to go to the end of the line. Many students complied but there were some obnoxious ones who deliberately taunted the officers and kept cutting in line. (So disrespect is cool)? Okay I know teens will be teens but these teens were so disrespectful it made everyone in line angry. I may have been able to let go of this but as the line moved forward some of them started loudly chanting, "We like Black people! We like Black people....." Then as people started boarding the ferry several teens lay down on the benches and wouldn't move even when people POLITELY asked them to move over. C'mnon ----rude and disrespectful again? I know this is a rant but if any of these kids' parents are reading this I hope it's not too late for some of you to instill the concept of respect for others. I hope these teens will grow out of this disrespectful "stage" btw I'm someone who always defends teens but not this time The ferry staff and security guards did a wonderful job in controlling the unruly who created an unpleasant situation for many. read more

Golden Gate Transit is fast becoming less of a transportation agency and more of Marin county's way of punishing its riders for not using cars. GGT, I know that no bus system is exactly in the realm of pleasant, and I know you currently have the budget of a 1950s movie about giant tarantula monsters. A good deal of your drivers are actually very nice people who continually put up with less than wonderful customers, and you're honestly a little more reliable than your cousin, Muni. BUT, the past few times I've taken you to and from the city, I've been treated so badly by the drivers that I'm starting to think I'd even be better off if I rode a sick camel while Africanized bees stung into my eye sockets everywhere. One driver thought it'd be fun to go ahead and scream at me and not give me a ride home because I was a nickel short of my bus fare (I was grabbed by a skeezy dude at night in SOMA prior to boarding. Wouldn't that have been fun if I were kicked back to the curb after inserting a $5 bill?). Another driver just last night actually yelled at me for not signaling him well enough at a stop. Apparently, if you do not wave your arms around like a crazy person, a GGT bus will not stop for you despite the fact you are waiting at a designated stop at the time of its arrival. And if you wave like a sane person, you get a harshly worded lesson in proper bus-hailing. I like taking the bus as much as you apparently like driving it, guys, but if I'm going to pay $10.10 a day to curb pollution a smidge (if I'm too poor for a car, you can deduce that's big money to me), I'd like to be able to do it without being verbally punched in the face. read more

This transit agency IS THE PITS.... Here is a typical scenario for a commuter taking the bus: - A long wait for a bus that is always late...and for me, it's usually a long wait at a bus stop in the city where right next to you, there's someone doing heroin. - When a bus comes, you better be ready! I fequently miss buses because of driver inattention. You practically have to jump in front of it. - A bus ride from the San Francisco to Mill Valley takes one and a half hours (VERY LONG RIDE FOR JUST A SHORT DISTANCE). This transit system is substandard......you've been warned. read more

I continuously experience issues accessing your buses with my DOT Approved ADA mobility device. This has been an ongoing issue over the past month, even after getting it approved by Jon Gaffney and GGT's Safety & Training Supervisor. Today's issue was with driver Francisco S. on the 71X (1708) from Bridgeway & Pine at approximately 2:15pm. The driver refused to read my email correspondence with Mr. Gaffney and demanded a printed letter from GGT, which Jon confirmed I should not need to board during our last converse on 6/28/2019. This disruption may now cause me to miss my neurologist appointment in Fremont this afternoon, which will take me weeks to reschedule and possibly require the postponement of an upcoming surgery that took months to get approved and put on schedule with the neurosurgeon. Can you please get it together and ensure that the operations team educates ALL of your drivers? This will be my last attempt to resolve this issue personally, before pursuing legal action with my civil rights attorney. Thank You read more

I've taken the 54 from San Rafael....to....downtown San Fran (and the other way) a few times in my time. The bus is big and generally roomy. It's nice to take jaunts over the Golden Gate because you get views you just don't get from a low-riding car. There aren't a huge number of stops, so if you're in North Bay and looking for an option to SF, this is nice. The bus makes several stops peppered in the downtown SF area. read more

I have nothing but good things to say about Golden Gate Transit, it's buses, it's service, and most importantly, it's drivers! All excellent! I take GGT to the Civic Center M-F. In the mornings, I have to change buses at the Golden Gate Bridge, which is both picturesque and annoying at the same time. It's nice to gaze at the bridge, but why oh why don't they have buses from Marin to the Civic Center? And I mean MARIN TO THE CIVIC CENTER, not Santa Rosa and/or Petaluma that happens to pass through Marin. I want a bus from Novato to the Civic Center in the morning. Luckily, in the afternoon, I have a Route 54 that takes me from the Civic Center to Novato and a few stops in San Rafael. Why oh why can't they do this in the reverse??? But even in the afternoon, there's only that one option to go straight through! More buses should be added to the schedule that are direct from Marin to the CC and back. Hence, the one star loss. Now, I won't punish GGT for some of the LOSER PEOPLE who ride the bus. Seriously. Some real LOSER, WENCHY, IGNORANT, MEAN-ASS PEOPLE ride this bus. Most are nice, but it's the LOSER, WENCHY, IGNORANT, MEAN-ASS, THINK-THEY-RULE-THE-WORLD people who can ruin an otherwise good ride. For example: Yesterday, I was riding on the bus chatting with my friend who was in the seat across the aisle. Yes, we were chatting across the 18" aisle. SAINTS PRESERVE US, IT'S THE WRECK OF THE HESPERS!!! That's how the LOSER, WENCHY, IGNORANT, MEAN-ASS BIATCH behind me made it seem. She said "DO YOU MIND SITTING TOGETHER NEXT TIME SO I DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOUR CONVERSATION?". Really?? You want me to sit somewhere else? You won't move your seat on a VERY UNCROWDED BUS, but you have the AUDACITY AND IGNORANCE to ask me to move?? I said "No". Plain and simple. NO, I'm NOT sitting together next time so you can't EAVESDROP. Because basically, she didn't say, ",,,HEAR YOUR CONVERSATION...", she said "LISTEN TO..", which not only makes her a LOSER, WENCHY, IGNORANT, MEAN-ASS BIATCH, but it also makes her A RUDE EAVESDROPPER as well, or just basically a DUMB-SHIAT. What gives people the right or audacity to tell others what to do??? You don't like it Lady??? MOVE!! This is PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, NOT A CHAUFFER DRIVEN LIMO! WHAT A SNOOTY BIATCH. And there are also people who treat the drivers so rudely! We had a guy today who chewed out the driver for almost passing him by when he was standing at the bus stop. This would-be passenger was wearing dark clothes and it was pitch black outside!! I couldn't even see him and I was looking out the window. What's wrong with these people??? Snooty biatches and a-holes ruin it for the others. But you know what?? They're not going to RUN ME. I'll continue to chat to my friend across the aisle, I'll continue to be my happy self. If they want to live in MISERY, they can surely do so. I won't ride that bus with them! read more

In the past, the Golden Gate Transit bus system was a bit confusing for me, searching for the different lines and schedules, and fear of getting stranded in the east bay if I missed a connection. It was easier to just drive to where I wanted to go. But eventually I got over that. In my experience, the GGT drivers seem a lot nicer than most of the Muni drivers in SF. And the buses are usually cleaner than Muni buses. So what's new with GGT? new confusing fareboxes! Great!! So I write this review in an effort to make GGT public transportation less confusing for others. Listen to the "hip" music in this "cool" video explanation about the New fareboxes on Golden Gate Transit buses: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d957D7yfLP8 The same video in Spanish (they mispelled "tarifa"): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7dsFzhyCqE In summary, each time you board a GGT bus you need to tell the driver: 1. Where are you going? (ie. Novato, Petaluma, etc. - 6 fare zones) 2. Apply a discounted fare rate? (for Youth/Senior/Disabled) 3. Do you need a transfer? yes/no (valid for 2 hours) Neat new feature: you can get change back (only if more than $1). Let's say that you only have a $5 bill to pay for a $2 fare, you get a paper ticket for the difference to use next time. No, you can't get cash back. Will this improve on time schedules? probably not (expect more delays). read more

It's the last train to Clarksville... It's a slow-mo trip from SF to northern parts of Marin, kids. Think turtles, snails, snail mail & dial up all rolled into one. It's a bring your headphones-read an entire book-take a nap-do your homework and your taxes-kind of ride. And the seats! You'll surely feel like its coach with a side of claustrophobia. The space in my frig is bigger than the space between seats. Yet again, it's the only public transit to the north bay. When is that light rail train being built? read more

For peeps that live in the area, and are sans car, this is really the only way to get to Marin without renting something. Because of that, they have a virtual strangle hold on the commuting masses. I've taken the bus and ferry for several months now, and I'm not impressed. During the work week the commute from Marin to SF isn't too bad. If you leave early you beat traffic and things are pretty standard. Same thing headed back to Marin; during the work week it's a normal game, and pretty reliable. My one complaint here is the crowding. I've had to stand all the way from San Francisco to San Rafael because of a lack of seats. The ferry is pretty awesome, I have to say. I'm kind of a boat guy, though, so that's full disclosure. What sucks about the ferry, though, is the lack of buses running to/from the terminal and San Rafael. The bus that does run by the ferry terminal takes FOREVER to get over the hill to San Rafael as it winds through the Canal District. Ugh. Basically, if you want to take the ferry you have to drive to it or be dropped off. You can bike if you live close, but I don't. Sucky. On the weekends, it's an entirely different affair. The 80/70/101 is the SF to Marin route, and it is nothing like its commuter cousin. You get all manner of weirdos on this bus, and the service is extremely slow. Be prepared to overhear/engage in some odd banter, and to possibly have a Texas Chainsaw Massacre/Zodiac extra sit next to you. I will say this, though. GG Transit is superior to CalTrain in that you don't get held up by suicides/accidents on the track every other week. read more