AC Transit

AC Transit provides bus service for trips within Alameda County, across the East Bay, and across the Bay to other destinations. This article explains how to choose a route, read schedules and arrival predictions, pay the correct fare, identify available discounts, and reach the office responsible for your question. It also covers school service, late-night travel, Tempo boarding procedures, and the differences between AC Transit customer assistance and Clipper account support.

AC Transit in Alameda County

AC Transit is the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District. Its services include local bus lines, Transbay routes, Tempo, supplementary service to schools, and All Nighter routes. The district also identifies Dumbarton Express and paratransit among its service offerings. For riders, the first practical distinction is the type of trip: a local journey, a bridge-crossing trip, a school-day trip, or travel during overnight hours.

The official AC Transit website brings together the trip planner, maps and schedules, ACT RealTime, fares, customer contacts, and district updates. These tools serve different purposes. A trip planner helps identify a journey between locations; a line schedule explains a particular route; real-time predictions help assess approaching buses; and service alerts identify disruptions that may change where you board.

Customer Service handles travel assistance and rider feedback. The AC Transit & Clipper Customer Service Center provides in-person fare and card services. Clipper account problems, including certain billing issues and refunds, have a separate support channel. Choosing the appropriate service helps avoid a visit or call to an office that cannot complete the requested transaction.

Routes, Schedules, and Trip Planning

Choosing a Line and Direction

The Maps & Schedules directory organizes service into local, school, Transbay, All Nighter, and Early Bird lines. Riders can search by line ID and filter by cities served, line type, or center served. Each listed line has a map and schedule, making the directory useful when you already know a route number or want to examine service in a particular area.

Examples of local service include Line 51A, identified as Broadway–Santa Clara; Line 51B, University–College–Rockridge; Line 40, Foothill–Bancroft–Bay Fair; and Line 97, Hesperian–Alvarado–Decoto. Fremont-area entries include Lines 200, 210, 211, 216, 231, and 239. These route descriptions help identify a corridor, but the individual map and timetable provide the information needed to plan the actual ride.

Keep the full line identifier when searching. Letter suffixes distinguish routes such as 51A and 51B, and 72, 72L, and 72M appear as separate entries. A similar number or shared street name does not make two lines interchangeable. Match the route and direction to your destination before choosing a departure.

Planning Between Two Locations

The ACT Trip Planner provides journey-planning tools with date, departure, and transit-preference options. The homepage planner also includes start and end fields and date and time controls. Enter the locations for the actual trip and select the intended travel time rather than relying on the default “leave now” setting for a journey planned later.

When requesting help from Customer Service, have your starting location, destination, travel date, and intended time ready. If you already have a possible route, identify its full line number or letter. These details give the representative a specific journey to address instead of a general question about service somewhere in the county.

All lines have printable timetables available online. Timetables can also be requested at the Customer Service Center. A printed schedule can help with advance planning, while arrival predictions and alerts address conditions closer to departure.

Holiday Schedule Differences

AC Transit uses Sunday schedules on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. A holiday that falls on a weekday therefore requires the Sunday timetable rather than the ordinary weekday schedule.

This distinction matters for work trips, appointments, and connections. Select the actual travel date in the planner and consult the applicable schedule. School-day service has additional operating restrictions, so it should not be treated as a substitute for regular service during school breaks.

Arrival Predictions and Stop Closures

ACT RealTime accepts a stop ID or a selection of line type, line, direction, and stop. Its map can display stops and buses, and an address search with a search radius helps locate nearby stops. Clicking a stop provides prediction information; clicking a bus provides vehicle information.

A stop ID identifies a boarding location, while a line ID identifies a route. Keep those numbers distinct when searching or describing a problem. If a route serves several nearby stops, the prediction for one stop does not identify the boarding location for another.

AC Transit cautions that digital signs and audio boxes at stops do not use its latest prediction engine and may display different information. Riders comparing those displays with ACT RealTime should recognize that the systems can produce different predictions.

The Service Alerts page publishes notices about affected lines, closed stops, effective dates, and alternative boarding locations. It directs riders to ACT RealTime for the latest alerts. Read the direction as well as the line number: a notice may concern buses traveling toward one destination rather than every trip on that line.

Some closures have an ending date or time, while others remain effective until further notice. Before leaving, compare the notice with your travel date and stop ID. When an alternative stop is provided, use that location rather than assuming the bus will continue boarding at the closed stop.

Fares and Payment Choices

Local and Transbay Fare Differences

The AC Transit fare schedule identifies rates effective July 1, 2026. For adults ages 19–64, a local single ride costs $2.75 with Clipper or a contactless bank card and $3.00 with cash. An adult Transbay single ride costs $6.50 with either payment method.

A local single ride is a one-way trip on a local line. A Transbay single ride crosses a major Bay Area bridge on a Transbay line. Riders with a local ticket, transfer, or pass pay a local-to-Transbay upgrade when boarding for a Transbay trip. The adult upgrade is $3.75 with Clipper or contactless payment and $3.50 with cash.

Discounted local single rides are $1.37 with a discount Clipper card or Clipper mobile payment and $1.50 with cash. Discounted Transbay single rides are $3.25. The discounted local-to-Transbay upgrade is $1.88 with Clipper and $1.75 with cash. Eligibility and the payment method must both be appropriate for the discount.

Transfers and Automatic Fare Maximums

The fare page provides unlimited free local transfers within two hours of the first ride when using Next-Generation Clipper or contactless payments. For interagency transfers, it describes a credit equal to the last fare paid, up to $2.85. Riders must use the same card or account throughout the trips to receive the applicable benefits.

Fare maximums automatically apply certain passes after eligible spending reaches the pass cost within the calendar period. Adult local maximums are $6.00 for a day, $27.50 for a week, and $99.00 for a calendar month. The adult Transbay monthly maximum is $234.00. Weekly and monthly fare maximums require Next-Generation Clipper or contactless bank-card payment.

A local day pass provides unlimited local rides until 3:00 a.m. the next day. The automatically applied weekly pass covers the balance of a Sunday–Saturday week. An automatically applied monthly pass follows the calendar month; a prepaid monthly/31-day pass instead covers 31 consecutive days. These periods are different, so a weekly maximum should not be understood as seven days beginning with any purchase date.

A cash local day pass costs $6.50 for adults and $3.25 for eligible discounted riders. Discounted Clipper fare maximums are $3.00 daily, $13.75 weekly, and $41.50 monthly for local service. Fare payment is required, and riders who fail to pay may receive a citation.

Contactless Cards and Mobile Payments

AC Transit accepts contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover credit or debit cards, including supported cards stored in a mobile wallet. Each rider must use their own card or mobile device. One contactless bank card cannot pay for multiple riders.

Contactless bank cards charge adult fares. Youth, senior, Clipper Access, and Clipper START riders must use their program’s plastic or mobile Clipper card to receive the corresponding discount. A bank card can receive applicable adult transfer benefits and fare maximums, but it does not establish discount eligibility.

Remove a physical payment card from your wallet before tapping so the reader charges the intended card. With a mobile wallet, select the intended payment card before presenting the device. Continue using the same card for journeys where transfer credits or fare maximums apply.

Clipper Cards and Discount Programs

Card Upgrades and Balance Access

The district’s Clipper information page explains card purchases, reloads, Next-Generation features, and account assistance. Registered cardholders can initiate a Next-Generation upgrade through their Clipper account or app. Unregistered cardholders can request assistance from Clipper Customer Service.

A customer-initiated upgrade takes 24 hours to process. The rider then taps the plastic or mobile card on a Clipper reader the following day to complete conversion. That first tap may take a few seconds longer than usual. An upgraded reader transaction displays “Travel OK” without showing the card balance.

Balances can be checked through a registered Clipper account or app, a mobile wallet for a mobile card, a ticket machine, or Clipper Customer Service. A balance no longer appearing on the bus reader does not, by itself, indicate that the card has failed.

Youth, Senior, and Disability Discounts

The discount fare information identifies youth eligibility as ages 5–18 and senior eligibility as age 65 or older. Children under five ride free. Riders paying eligible discounted cash fares should be prepared to show valid identification.

Qualifying riders with disabilities can use a Clipper Access card, formerly known as RTC, for discounted fixed-route fares. The program does not apply to paratransit services. Existing cards continue to work despite the program’s name change, so the new name alone does not require a replacement card.

Clipper START provides eligible low-income riders with a personalized discount card. The application process includes proof of identity and income, approval, and receipt of the card by mail. Riders should use that personalized card for their discount rather than paying with an ordinary contactless bank card.

Student and Group Transit Benefits

Eligible sixth- through twelfth-grade students in Alameda County can receive a Student Transit Pass for free, unlimited local AC Transit rides and discounts on regional transit. It is valid year-round for school, work, activities, and other trips, and remains valid until the student leaves high school. The program does not apply to Dumbarton Express.

EasyPass is an annual group transit benefit for eligible employers, residential communities, and colleges or universities. The participating group must consist of at least 100 people or residential units. The sponsoring organization pays an annual fee for its group, providing participants with unlimited bus rides throughout the year. This organizational program is distinct from an individual student or discount-card application.

Tempo Station Payment Procedures

Tempo Line 1T uses a different payment arrangement from other AC Transit lines: riders pay at the station before boarding. Its fare is the same as the local AC Transit fare. A Clipper rider tags the station reader rather than waiting to pay aboard the bus.

Station ticket vending machines sell paper tickets using cash, debit or credit cards, and supported mobile-wallet payments. Valid AC Transit tickets and passes, as well as accepted mobile payments, can also be used. Riders must carry proof of payment onboard; failing to show it may result in a citation.

The practical distinction is payment location. Preparing a fare is not enough if the required station transaction has not been completed. Complete the payment or validation step before boarding and retain the proof needed during the ride.

Transbay Trips and Local Riding Restrictions

AC Transit’s Transbay service information describes 14 lines crossing two Bay Area bridges. At the Salesforce Transit Center, AC Transit uses the Level 3 Bus Deck, with designated bays for its lines except Line 800. Line 800 serves the stop at First and Mission streets.

Local riders are permitted on Transbay Lines E, F, NL, O, and 800, but not on the other Transbay lines. Before paying for an eligible local trip, tell the operator that you are riding locally. Wait for the operator to reset the farebox or Clipper reader, then tap your card or insert cash. Paying first can deduct the Transbay fare rather than the intended local amount.

For riders driving to a bus connection, Ardenwood Park & Ride in Fremont serves Lines U and DB. First-come parking is free, while reserved spaces cost $50 per month. AC Transit states that all reserved spaces have been claimed and there is no waitlist. Parking conditions, costs, and rules can change, and the location has no public restrooms.

Some other East Bay park-and-ride lots are served by AC Transit but are not operated or controlled by the district. Their fees must be checked at the selected lot. A bus serving a parking location does not make AC Transit responsible for that location’s parking policies.

School-Day and Overnight Bus Service

Supplementary Routes to Schools

The Supplementary Service to Schools page organizes schools by city and distinguishes supplementary routes from regular lines serving the area. For example, Alameda High School has supplementary Lines 631 and 663, while American High School in Fremont has supplementary Line 621. Select the school and then consult the appropriate line timetable.

Lines 600–699 operate on school days only and are suspended during summer. Departure times can vary by day to accommodate school bell schedules. This service is available to everyone at regular fares; riding a supplementary school line does not itself establish eligibility for free student travel.

When a bus reaches its capacity threshold, the operator changes the external destination sign to “Drop-Off Only.” The bus will likely bypass waiting riders while continuing to let onboard passengers exit. Families planning school travel should recognize this sign as a capacity restriction rather than assume that every approaching bus will board additional passengers.

All Nighter Routes and Connections

All Nighter service operates from midnight to 7:00 a.m. across the East Bay and into San Francisco. Its seven routes are 1T, 800, 801, 802, 805, 840, and 851. The All Nighter Transfer Hub is on Broadway in Oakland between 13th and 15th streets.

Line 801 connects San Leandro BART and Fremont BART through corridors including East 14th Street, Mission Boulevard, and Decoto Road. Line 805 connects Uptown Oakland with Oakland Airport, and Line 840 connects Uptown Oakland with Eastmont Transit Center. Line 800 provides service between Richmond BART and San Francisco.

Plan overnight travel using the relevant All Nighter route and direction. A regular daytime route should not be assumed to provide the same overnight journey. The route map, timetable, and arrival predictions address different parts of that planning process.

Customer Assistance and In-Person Services

Travel Questions and Rider Feedback

Customer Service agents assist with travel planning and receive feedback seven days a week. Telephone hours are Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Customer Service is reached through option 2.

AC Transit’s online contact categories distinguish operator concerns, ride or service concerns, buses, stops or shelters, app and website issues, compliments, and other topics. Select the category matching the issue and describe the relevant trip or location. For an immediate safety incident, call 911.

Website information can be requested in an alternative format through Customer Service, including by written request. AC Transit states that it will do its best to provide the requested format within a reasonable time.

Customer Service Center Transactions

The AC Transit & Clipper Customer Service Center operates Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, from 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. It closes on the third Tuesday of every month from 2:00–3:00 p.m. These in-person hours differ from the longer telephone assistance hours.

The center provides fare sales, maps and schedules, lost-and-found retrieval, RTC processing, and Clipper services. It can issue or replace adult, youth, senior, and RTC cards; process and register card applications; load cash or passes; and replace defective, lost, or stolen cards while transferring value to a new card.

The center cannot issue Clipper refunds, unblock cards, research billing or charge errors, or correct cash-value or pass errors. Those issues require Clipper Customer Service. Lost or stolen cards should also be reported to Clipper to block further use. Before choosing an in-person visit, identify whether you need a replacement or reload transaction, or an account investigation handled through Clipper support.

AC Transit Offices and Contacts

Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District — 1600 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA 94612 — (510) 891-4777, option 2

AC Transit & Clipper Customer Service Center — 1600 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA — (877) 878-8883

AC Transit FAQs

How do I connect to Transbay bus Wi-Fi?

Look for the “Wi-Fi On Board” decal before boarding. Wi-Fi is free and requires no registration, but an equipped bus is not guaranteed on every Transbay trip. On green Gillig buses and double-decker coaches, select the network beginning with “AC_FreeWiFi” followed by the vehicle number. On MCI commuter coaches, select “ac_transit_wifi_bus.” Open your browser to reach the welcome page. The onboard Wi-Fi instructions explain the available networks and connection steps.

Why did the bus Wi-Fi stop working?

The bus engine must be running for Wi-Fi to operate; shutting off the engine disconnects the service. Cellular coverage can also cause interruptions, and connection speed may decrease when more passengers are online. If you cannot reconnect, report the problem through AC Transit’s customer feedback form. Operators cannot troubleshoot internet connections or keep the engine running at a passenger’s request. AC Transit provides internet access without security or technical support services.

How can parents receive school-route updates?

The school service updates page includes a sign-up link for line-specific email notifications. Subscribe to the line your student actually rides to receive notices about changes that could affect that trip. Check the page for planned updates as well, particularly before a new semester, when schedules may change to match school bell times.

How do I file an AC Transit damage claim?

If you allege that an AC Transit employee or district action negligently caused damage, the published procedure requires a Claim for Damages Form filed with the District Secretary’s Office. The claims and public records options provide the starting point for that process. A routine rider complaint serves a different purpose from a formal damage claim. The same page offers a separate public records request option if you are seeking district records.