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Fare increase January 1, 2020

A 5.4% inflation-based fare increase will take effect on January 1, 2020 as part of a program first approved by the BART Board in 2003 and renewed for a second series in 2013.

For a short trip like Downtown Berkeley to 19th St./Oakland, the Clipper fare will increase by 10 cents, and a longer trip like Antioch to Montgomery will increase by 40 cents.

View the new fare chart. The Trip Planner and Fare Calculator will be updated with these new fares before December 13, 2019. The fare charts at stations will be swapped out just prior to January 1.

Paper ticket fares will continue to have a 50 cent per trip surcharge. Riders are encouraged to use Clipper and save.

All new revenue from this fare increase goes to BART's highest priority capital needs including new rail cars, a new train control system to provide more frequent service and an expanded maintenance facility. 

Fare Increase is Based on Inflation

To help fund the BART system's extensive capital needs, BART has an inflation-based fare increase program adopted by the Board of Directors that raises fares every other year at a rate .5% less than inflation for the previous 2-year period.   

It is important fares keep up with inflation because BART is not heavily subsidized by the government and we rely on fares for two-thirds of our operating budget.   We are working very hard to improve the rider experience with stepped up cleaning efforts, additional police presence to keep you safe, and new solutions to address the Bay Area’s homeless crisis and the impact on our system.  

This is the last of four biennial fare increases called for under the 2013 series. The BART Board has approved a third series of inflation-based fare increases that will go into effect in 2022, 2024 and 2026.  This latest series will follow the same inflation-based formula as the previous increases.

Means-Based Fare Discount Pilot

BART will participate in the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Regional Means-Based Fare Discount Pilot Program expected to begin in early 2020. The program will offer a 20% discount per trip to adult riders earning 200% or less of the federal poverty level.

Get Clipper

Clipper has many advantages over paper tickets:  

BART is working to move toward a Clipper-only fare payment system because the region has prioritized the use of Clipper as the Bay Area’s all-in-one transit card administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Clipper has many advantages over paper tickets:

  • Clipper saves money. Adult paper tickets have a 50 cents surcharge on every trip, which equals $1.00 per round trip. With a one-time acquisition fee of $3.00 for a Clipper card, it pays for itself in just 3 roundtrips.
  • In addition to the 50-cent per trip savings on BART, customers who use Clipper also pay less on Muni, Golden Gate Transit buses and ferries, San Francisco Bay Ferry, AC Transit and Caltrain.
  • Clipper is tourist-friendly as it offers discounts on various transit agencies while eliminating the need to purchase and carry multiple fare products from different agencies.
  • Clipper is reusable and long-lasting, unlike paper tickets that get worn and tattered.
  • Clipper is accepted by nearly all transit agencies in the region. Many other agencies offer discounted fares when using Clipper.
  • Riders can set up their Clipper card account to reload automatically so they won’t have to wait in line.
  • The loaded value on the Clipper card is secure when it’s registered. If you lose the card, the balance can be replaced for a nominal fee.
  • Your Clipper card can be linked to your BART EZ Rider parking account for a fast and easy way to pay for BART parking. Once you have Clipper, go to https://ezrider.bart.gov/ezrider/ and follow the instructions to link the card to our parking program and then simply tap your Clipper at parking validation machines.
  • The tag in and out system allows Clipper card users to move through fare gates faster.
  • Clipper cards can be purchased at every BART station and at many retail outlets throughout the region.
  • Paper tickets can jam our fare gates, so Clipper usage means more open fare gates, shorter lines and less fare gate maintenance.
  • Clipper usage reduces the paper waste of the magstripe tickets in the BART system.