Bay to Breakers 2008 Service Updates

Well, it’s that time of year again! A time in which a San Franciscan sort of frivolity stretches from the Bay to the Sea — and also a time in which more or less every Muni line goes to hell in a handbasket. The route runs along Howard (from Steuart to 9th), 9th (from Howard to Market), Hayes (from Market to Divisadero), jogs over to Fell (from Divisadero to Golden Gate Park), and follows JFK Drive thereafter to the Great Highway. Nice options that do not require Muni include: (1) enjoying the race — interpret that however you like; (2) walking or biking; and (3) not going anywhere. But just in case you were planning to ride Muni on Sunday and didn’t want to wade through the really long long list of service updates, here they are, after the jump, clarified and condensed. (Also, BART is running extra service two hours early to accommodate people traveling to the race, as is Caltrain.)

Race Express Service: If you happen to land on an a special race express bus or train, the ride will cost more: $7 for adults and $5 for youth and seniors. If you have any Muni pass or passport, the fare is only $3. Normal fares apply for the regular local buses.

Express Service Before the Race (approx 5:45 am to 8:00 am)

• Along the 5-Fulton, from 47th Ave/Fulton to Transbay Terminal, making all stops west of Fulton/Masonic, with no stops between Masonic and Transbay.
• Along the N-Judah, from 19th Avenue to Embarcadero, making all stops west of Van Ness Station, with no stops in the subway between Van Ness and Embarcadero.
• Express Metro subway service from West Portal to Embarcadero. Trains will stop at Castro, Church, and Van Ness Stations, with no stops between Van Ness and Embarcadero.

Express Service After the Race (approx 10:00 am to 2:30 pm):

• Express bus service from Golden Gate Park to Downtown — purchase a special fare sticker or ticket before boarding the bus. Stops are: MLK Jr. Drive/Sunset, Turk/Masonic, Golden Gate/Fillmore, Golden Gate/Van Ness, Market/Powell, and the Transbay Terminal.
• Additional local N-Judah service (at the standard fare) will be added between 34th Ave/Judah and 4th/King.

Eastern half of route.

Service Changes affecting Downtown:

• Expect delays on local routes parallel to and near the race path: 5, 31, 38, 71, N.
• Some lines that run on Market or Mission downtown (6, 9, 14, 26, 49, 71, and Metro owl) will run no further than 10th/11th Streets. Before 8:00 am, the closest lines running on Market to take are the 5 and 21. Closer to downtown, other routes like the 31 will also run on Market. After 8:00 am, use BART or the Metro subway.
• The 21 will operate on the 5-Fulton route west of Market and will end at the Transbay Terminal (not Ferry Building). The 14 and 31 will also terminate at Transbay, rather than the Ferry Building.
• F-Market & Wharves: Except for the first few runs of the day, service will be split, with one branch from the Ferry Building to Fisherman’s Wharf, and another branch from Van Ness/Market to Castro/Market. Recommended to use either BART or Metro subway.

Western half of the route.

Citywide Service Changes on North-South Routes:

• Many routes (18, 19, 22, 24, 27, 33, 43, and 47) will be split in half by the race, so walking is best to bridge the service gap. For the 18, there is no service between Cabrillo and Judah. For the 19 and 27, there is no service between Mission and Harrison. For the 22, 24, and 33, there is no service between Fulton or McAllister and Haight. For the 43, there is no service between Hayes and Oak. And for the 47, there is no service between McAllister and Market.
• The 9X and 10 will reroute around the race, using the stops along the 12 line between Folsom/Fremont and the Ferry Building, and then proceeding onto The Embarcadero.
• The 30 and 45 will not run south of Mission Street. For Caltrain access, use the N-Judah. For more access to SoMa from Market Street, use the southern half of the 47.
• The 47 will serve Van Ness, north of McAllister, but the 49 will only run south of Mission/Van Ness.
• The 28, 29, and 44 lines will provide the usual Golden Gate Park crossings.

For more specifics, and info on how the north-south routes are divided into two sections around the race, check out the full details at the SFMTA page. Enjoy the race!

Route maps courtesy ING Bay to Breakers.