Oakland Transit Guide: How to Get Around by Transit and on Foot

You can use BART for regional trips, AC Transit for local bus connections, and walking or driving for destinations around the city.

Oakland city centre is about 33 minutes on foot or 9 minutes by car from the inn. For a room at this two-star Oakland inn, choose from its available rooms; MacArthur station is about an 8-minute walk away.

For a visit that includes the airport, Metropolitan Oakland International Airport is about 20 minutes by car from the inn. BART connects the airport to Coliseum station, where you can transfer to trains for downtown Oakland, downtown San Francisco and other Bay Area destinations.

MacArthur is the closest BART station to the inn, while 12th Street/Oakland City Center is the main station for downtown. MacArthur is about 8 minutes on foot or 7 minutes by car from the inn. The MacArthur Station guide explains how to use this stop.

19th Street/Oakland is about 31 minutes on foot or 6 minutes by car from the inn. It serves Uptown, while Lake Merritt has its own BART station. BART connects the San Francisco Peninsula with East Bay and South Bay communities, so you can use it for trips beyond Oakland as well.

For fares, BART accepts contactless bank cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay and Clipper cards, including Clipper in a digital wallet. Each rider needs an individual card or device.

Fares vary by distance; a physical Clipper card has a one-time acquisition fee, while contactless payment and adding Clipper to a digital wallet have no fee. Children 4 and under ride free. Check current fare information with BART before travelling.

AC Transit runs buses in Oakland and nearby communities, including Berkeley, and most bus lines intersect downtown. You can use Clipper with AC Transit, including through a phone or mobile wallet. Its Day Pass covers unlimited local rides from the time it is issued until 3:00 a.m. the following day; it is available as a prepaid or pay-as-you-go fare.

The Broadway Shuttle, also called the Free B, connects BART with San Francisco Bay Ferry, Amtrak Capitol Corridor and downtown Oakland offices at no charge.

Look for stops marked with the green “B on Broadway” logo to board or leave the shuttle. The ferry connects Oakland with San Francisco and Alameda, with the crossing described as taking less than 20 minutes.

When planning a trip across more than one transit agency, check which payment methods each accepts. Contactless bank cards are not accepted by every Bay Area transit agency, so Clipper can be useful for connections.

BART’s Trip Planner and station schedules provide current train times; use BART’s official app or service-advisory page for service updates. Before you go, check the official site for current fares, routes and service information.

Downtown Oakland is a practical transit hub for linking BART and bus journeys with local destinations. The Paramount Theater is about 28 minutes on foot or 5 minutes by car from the inn, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland is about 31 minutes on foot or 6 minutes by car.

Other destinations have different travel times from the inn: Samuel Merritt University is about 24 minutes on foot or 4 minutes by car; Morcom Rose Garden is about 30 minutes on foot or 6 minutes by car; and The MADE is about 37 minutes on foot or 8 minutes by car.

The Women’s Athletic Club of Alameda County Building and Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts are each about 39 minutes on foot from the inn; by car, they take about 7 and 10 minutes respectively.

If you are organizing several stops in one day, use downtown as a connection point and group destinations by area. The one-day Oakland itinerary offers another way to arrange a city visit.

Which BART station is closest to the inn?

MacArthur is the closest station, about 8 minutes on foot from the inn. 19th Street/Oakland is about 31 minutes on foot from the inn.

Where should you get off BART for downtown Oakland?

Use 12th Street/Oakland City Center, downtown’s main BART stop. The Uptown district is served by 19th Street/Oakland.

Can you get from Oakland International Airport to downtown by BART?

Yes. BART connects Oakland International Airport with Coliseum station, where you can transfer to trains for downtown Oakland.

Does the Broadway Shuttle cost anything?

No. The Broadway Shuttle, also called the Free B, provides free connections between BART, San Francisco Bay Ferry, Amtrak Capitol Corridor and downtown Oakland offices.