BART will raise fares by 6.2 percent on New Year’s Day, citing inflation and long-term financial pressures, even as ridership continues to rebound across much of the system.
The increase will push the average fare up about 30 cents, from $4.88 to $5.18, based on inflation recorded in 2023 and 2024. Short trips, such as Downtown Berkeley to 19th Street/Oakland, will rise by about 15 cents, while longer rides, including the Antioch-to-Montgomery Street trip, will cost roughly 55 cents more. BART estimates the hike will generate $15.6 million in 2026. Parking prices will also change Jan. 1, though details have not been released.
The fare hike comes as ridership shows steady gains. In November, BART recorded an 11.6 percent increase in overall ridership compared with a year earlier, with more than 4.4 million trips taken. Several stations posted double-digit growth, including Downtown Berkeley, 19th Street/Oakland, 12th Street/Oakland City Center, West Oakland, and Embarcadero. Weekend travel continues to lead the recovery, with Saturday ridership up 19 percent and Sunday ridership up 16 percent. Travel to San Francisco and Oakland airports around Thanksgiving rose 12 percent.
Transit officials attribute the gains to changing travel patterns, expanded fare programs, and improvements in safety and cleanliness. BART reports crime on the system is down 45 percent as of October, and customer satisfaction reached 88 percent in 2025. New payment options are also gaining traction, with Tap and Ride accounting for 11 percent of all trips in November, while Clipper BayPass usage surged 173 percent and Clipper START participation rose 37 percent.
Despite the rebound, BART says fares alone cannot solve its financial challenges. The agency projects a budget deficit of about $375 million and notes that ridership would need to more than double to close the gap. Forecasts show only a 4 percent ridership increase in 2026.
BART Board President Mark Foley said riders are being asked to contribute more as the agency seeks additional regional support and makes internal cuts. The 2026 budget includes $35 million in ongoing reductions, with another $108 million in savings and deferrals planned for 2027, including shorter trains, a hiring freeze, targeted service cuts, and renegotiated costs. Fare calculators and trip-planning tools have been updated to reflect the new prices.
thanks bart. I appreciate the fare hikes homeless on the trains, pan handlers at the stations, the smell of weed on the trains and stations.
i remember seeing a car window get smashed open while parked at the Concord station.
Time to boycott….I did
Bart is such a mess. Managment needs to be changed.
BART is so poorly managed. They raise rates for paying customers and won’t negotiate to make their employees pay their fair share of benefit costs like other public agencies.
Yes… and note their outlandish salaries also.
I just acquired my Seniors Clipper Card. Glad I got it1
Rates should go down , not up, based on inflation.
My cola could be exhausted just on Bart prices.
Bart is one of Gavin’s back-door funding rip-offs.
That’s why Bart is always broke and Gavin is always well-funded.
Someone needs to investigate Newsom.
He would never ever ride Bart. so what does he care about the little people.
It’s probably time to hire more sleeping janitors. As ridership decreases, BART headcount increases. At this rate, they’ll have no riders, but a robust and well-paid employee union. After PG&E, my least favorite California organization.
Bart is a Money Pit and always will be from janitors making up 250k a year in one case, just look at there salaries on there web site crazy No over site at all Now wiener wants more taxes to go into it! It will always be this way! The next one is the Bullet train to NOWHERE!