BART to begin Clipper-only sales at San Francisco International Airport Station
On Monday, June 1, 2020 BART will eliminate the sales of paper tickets at San Francisco International Airport Station as it expands the number of stations where the only fare product available for purchase is the reusable, reloadable and regionally accepted Clipper card. BART rolled out a 4-station pilot program in August and September of 2019 that phased out the sales of paper tickets at the 19th Street/Oakland, Embarcadero, Powell Street and Downtown Berkeley Stations. Since the pilot began, BART has seen systemwide Clipper usage rise from 86% to 91%.
While paper tickets will no longer be available for purchase at San Francisco International Airport, riders will still be able to use paper tickets to enter or exit through fare gates. Riders will also be able to add enough fare to a paper ticket to exit the station using add fare machines located inside the paid area.
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 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.
- Adult paper tickets have a 50 cents surcharge on every BART 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-cents 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 reusable and long-lasting, unlike paper tickets that get worn and tattered. Clipper cards can be purchased at every BART station and at many retail outlets throughout the region.
- 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. The tag in and out system allows Clipper card users to move through fare gates faster.
- 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 tickets in the BART system.
The BART to Antioch stations Pittsburg Center Station and Antioch Station never had vending machines that dispense paper tickets. They opened in May 2018 with machines that dispense Clipper cards only.
Customers can use Clipper anonymously. Clipper cards do not require registration. Registration is required for added benefits such as Autoload and balance protection.
To get Clipper online, find in-person locations, or details about obtaining a discount card for Senior, Disabled or Youth 18 and under, please go to www.clippercard.com
See answers to some of the frequently asked questions (FAQ) and the transition to Clipper-only sales here.
For more information, visit bart.gov/clipper
