BART is moving away from paper tickets to Clipper. Here’s what you need to know if you are an RTC cardholder who uses red tickets or a senior who uses green tickets:
- Red tickets (for individuals with disabilities) and green tickets (for seniors) will continue to be sold but only at nine locations.
- BART faregates will always accept red and green tickets.
- Clipper is the most convenient way to pay discount fares.
- The RTC Discount Card is also a Clipper card so if you have one you’re ready to make the move now!
Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see that paying by RTC/Clipper or Senior Clipper card is easier than dealing with red or green tickets. And, of course, you’ll get the 62.5% discount each time you take a trip!
Here’s how to use the RTC/Clipper and Senior Clipper card:
First, you need to load money on your RTC Discount Card or Senior Clipper card. Use cash or credit or debit card.
- You can do this at ticket vending machines in all BART stations.
- Or, you can call or go online to Clipper Customer Service.
Now, you’re ready to use your RTC Discount or Senior Clipper card to pay your fare.
- As you enter and exit, touch your card to the Clipper disk on the faregate. It’s the raised round blue disk on top. If you’re using the accessible gate, you’ll find the disk to your right on the side of the faregate.
- As you exit, check the faregate display. You’ll see the discount fare paid and your card balance.
What you’ll love best about using your RTC or Senior Clipper Card:
- You can put money on your card in BART stations. No more searching for a vendor that sells red or green BART tickets before you make a trip.
- You can add whatever amount works best for you instead of being limited to a set denomination red or green BART ticket. And, you can use cash or credit or debit card and order by phone or online, too.
- You’ll never have to deal with leftover tickets again.
- You can check the card balance at any ticket vending machine before you start the trip and add money if you don’t have enough.
- You’ll know the true fare for each trip you take since your card will be charged the 62.5% discount fare as you exit.
You can get in-station help from a BART station agent or you can call the BART Transit Information Center (510-465-2278) or Clipper Customer Service (877-878-8883), or go online to http://bart.gov/ or https://clippercard.com.
RTC Discount Cards are issued to individuals with qualifying disabilities. Call your local transit agency for an application.
You can apply for a Senior Clipper card at one of BART’s outreach events, at the Lake Merritt BART station or at any other local transit agency.
Dear Cherie Colmenares,
“•Red tickets (for individuals with disabilities) and green tickets (for seniors) will continue to be sold but only at nine locations”,
it sounds great, but, please, provide the list of these nine locations.
Yours,
Lev Komraz
BART provided us with this information. Additional details procured from their website include the following:
The My Transit Plus locations in BART’s Embarcadero, Montgomery, Powell St, Civic Center, Bayfair, Walnut Creek, Richmond and Coliseum stations will continue selling red and green tickets indefinitely. Guests coming in through the San Francisco Airport can buy red and green tickets from the ticket retailer in front of the SFO BART Station or take the Airtrain to “International G”. The Customer Services Center at Lake Merritt will also have red and green tickets for purchase in-person or by mail.
I got one of those clipper cards and it works only one in three tries. When I touch it to the fare gate, a loud tone sounds and stops me. When there is a BART employee available he/she checks my card and verifies that it is good and lets me through. I do not recommend a clipper card. Now I simply use the traditional magnetic stripe tickets.
If you haven’t tried it already, you might try holding your card to the target pad for 2 to 3 seconds instead of just tapping it quickly. I’ve found it doesn’t register well if done quickly.
I have a green senior card,
purchased at Safeway can I still use this at all Bart stations,
thank you