Ride free Muni, Caltrain to sweep away 2016

As cash-paying Muni riders scramble to get a Clipper card because of a cash fare increase Jan. 1, passengers can still expect free rides on Muni during New Year’s Eve through the early New Year morning.

For the 17th consecutive year, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will offer free rides starting at 8 p.m. on Dec. 31 until 5 a.m. on Jan. 1 on all Muni lines.

Muni passengers should not tag their Clipper cards during the free ride period, or purchase a fare off the MuniMobile app. Muni Metro fare gates will open at 8 p.m., SFMTA officials said.

At midnight, The City as usual will welcome the New Year with fireworks along The Embarcadero near The Ferry Building. Motorists should expect traffic delays in the area from around 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. There are no expected street closures in the area.

The SFMTA will run extra trains inside the Muni Metro from West Portal to Embarcadero stations until 4 a.m. Train service to Fourth and King streets will run until 2:15 a.m.

From 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., there will be extra Owl service on the 5-Fulton, 14-Mission, 22-Fillmore, 24-Divisadero, 25-Treasure Island, 38 Geary, 44 O’Shaughnessy, 48-Quintara/24th and on the 90, 91, L and N Owl routes.

Buses will serve the cable car lines after 6 p.m. and service on the F-Market historic streetcar line will run on buses after about 9 p.m.

76 is sponsoring this year’s free Muni service.

BART service

BART officials said there will special service that starts at 8 p.m. until 3 a.m. for passengers spending New Year’s Eve in San Francisco.

There will be extra trains on standby in downtown San Francisco stations after the fireworks show. Trains will run every 20 minutes after midnight.

To reduce overcrowding on station platforms, BART will skip stops into and out of San Francisco.

The Pittsburgh/Bay Point and Richmond lines heading into The City will not stop at Embarcadero Station after 8 p.m. Instead, passengers heading the fireworks should get off at Montgomery Station.

Passengers on the Dublin/Pleasanton and Fremont lines will do the opposite and get off at Embarcadero Station as trains will not stop at Montgomery Station.

Millbrae and Daly City trains will stop at all San Francisco stations.

Passengers heading home after the fireworks show that need to board the Pittsburgh/Bay Point and Richmond lines should use the Montgomery Station to board trains. Passengers who need to board the Dublin/Pleasanton and Fremont lines must board at the Embarcadero Station.

The Dublin/Pleasanton and Fremont lines will not stop at the West Oakland Station, according to BART. The first East Bay stop is at the Lake Merritt Station.

Trains heading back to Millbrae and Daly City will be available at the Montgomery Station.

BART has posted a time-table schedule on its website.

SamTrans, Caltrain, AC Transit

SamTrans and Caltrain will offer free rides during New Year’s Eve until early morning on New Year’s Day from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

AC Transit will also offer free transit rides during the same as SamTrans.

Caltrain will run four trains after midnight at 12:45 a.m., 1:15 a.m., 1:45 a.m., and 2:15 a.m for those in The City watching the fireworks show.

Jerold Chinn

Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.