All BART Valet and Self-Park Bike Stations are Open
Our staffed facilities at Downtown Berkeley, Fruitvale, and 19th Street Oakland are open for parking and retail/maintenance services. Pleasant Hill retail remains closed, but the BikeLink self-serve parking there and at all other locations is open. Details can be found here.
Thanks for riding and parking your bike with us!
Taking Bikes on BART Trains
Please observe all bike rules if you plan on taking a bike on a train. Although bikes are allowed on all trains at all times, there are some important exceptions:
- Bikes are never allowed on crowded cars (there must be enough room to comfortably accommodate you and your bicycle)
- Bikes are never allowed on the first car of any train
As of January 1, 2024 bikes are allowed on most escalators. Bicyclists must yield to other passengers and not block aisles or doors. If you are taking your bike on BART, it's your responsibility to know and follow all bike rules; please read them.
Bay Wheels and other shared micromobility devices such as dockless scooters should be left in the appropriate locations outside BART stations and not brought onboard trains. Most BART stations in San Francisco and Oakland will have a Bay Wheels station and numerous electric scooters available for short term rental at the end of your BART ride.
To assist BART riders who wish to bring the growing number of larger, heavier cargo and electric assist bikes with them on BART, we are publicizing the dimensions BART elevators in this BART Elevator Dimension Guide.
Taking Bikes on Escalators
Bikes are allowed on escalators throughout the BART system with the exception of ten narrow escalators located at the following three stations: 19th Street Oakland, Antioch and Oakland Airport Connector.
Please see the video below for tips on how to safely bring bikes on BART escalators.
Bike + Transit Trips
BART's Trip Planner offers multi-modal, end-to-end itineraries for bike + transit trips. It features customizable bike speed options including an option for e-bikes (select the settings/tool icon to customize your options). BART's Trip Planner includes results for more than 30 transit systems in the Bay Area such as bus service, ferries, cable cars, and regional train systems.
BART's Trip Planner is available on web, mobile, and the official BART app. The BART app also offers station information, including information on secured bike parking.
Elevator Dimension Guide
BART understands that many bikes these days are big. In recent years, longer and heavier bicycles, such as e-bikes and cargo bikes, have soared in popularity. We have created this Elevator Dimension Guide to assist cyclists in navigating BART elevators. It outlines the dimensions of each elevator in the system including measurements of the door, width, length, and diagonal space across the floor. As always, use your best judgment when utilizing system elevators because individual bikes and elevators vary in size.
Bicycle Stairway Channels
New bicycle stairway channels were recently installed at 19th Street Oakland, 12th Street Oakland, Coliseum, and Walnut Creek stations and are in the works for four more stations: Lake Merritt, Embarcadero, Civic Center, and 24th Street Mission. Bicycles stairway channels allow cyclists to push, rather than carry, their bikes up and down stairs to access BART stations. The stairways are selected to create preferred paths of travel for cyclists leading primarily to bike parking, making it easier to access BART by bike and reducing bicycles on escalators and more crowded stairways.
Bikes at BART Basics
More BART riders are biking to and from stations every day. It’s a healthy alternative and like walking it’s easy on the environment. Almost all BART stations have bike racks, and most BART stations have secure bike lockers and/or BART Bike Stations. Details are included below and on each station page on bart.gov.
If you are leaving your bike at a BART station make sure it is locked well. Whether you’re taking your bike on board or parking it at a station, make sure you record your bike’s serial number along with a description of the bike. This will greatly increase your chance of recovery if it is stolen. Also check out the San Francisco Bike Coalition's excellent video on how to lock your bike properly.
Bike Space on New Trains
Based on user feedback, the "clamper" bike racks on new trains have been phased out and replaced with a configuration similar to that on BART's legacy fleet. Please click through to this article for details.
Abandoned Bicycles—Removal Policy
The intent of the abandoned bike removal policy is to ensure that parking areas remain available for the parking of bicycles that are being actively used by BART riders. Bicycles which appear to be abandoned on BART property as evidenced by signs of disuse or neglect will be impounded.
A bicycle can appear abandoned for the following types of reasons:
- Non-working condition as evidenced by uninflated tires, bent wheels, broken frame, chain off or missing essential parts
- Bicycle covered with dust, rust, cobwebs, etc.
- Bicycle observed as unused over prolonged period
When a bicycle appears to be abandoned, a 72 hour notice will be placed on the bicycle. If the bicycle is not removed within 72 hours, it will be impounded.
Impounded bikes will be stored for only 90 days. If you believe your bike has been impounded contact BART Lost and Found at (510) 464-7090 or visit the BART Lost and Found website with your bike's serial number, registration, receipt, photograph or detailed description.
2012 BART Bicycle Plan
The BART Bicycle Plan and Appendices outline specific strategies to implement over the next ten years to make it easier to use a bicycle to get to and from BART. The plan's goal is to double the percentage of passengers who access BART by bicycle from approximately 4% to 8% by 2022. The strategies within the plan are organized into five areas: cyclist circulation, plentiful parking, beyond BART boundaries, bikes on BART and persuasive programs. The plan also includes a model that can be used to predict the benefit of different types of bike access improvements.
2017 Bike Program Capital Plan
The Bike Program Capital Plan includes conceptual plans for additional secure bike parking to meet projected 2022 demand. It also describes an effort to link BART's eLockers to the internet for operation with Clipper (among other benefits), an analysis of where bicycle stair channel are needed, and a prioritized list of fare gate arrays that would benefit from additional wide/accessible fare gates.
Questions about the plans can be directed to Heath Maddox, [email protected].
Caltrans Peak Period Bike Shuttle
During peak periods as an alternative to bringing your bike on BART, Caltrans operates a bike shuttle between MacArthur BART and downtown San Francisco (corner of Folsom and Main Street). For the schedule and additional information visit: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist4/shuttle.htm
Motorized Scooters, Motorcycles, Motor-Driven Cycles and Mopeds
BART does not permit motorcycles, motor-driven cycles or mopeds, which are classified as vehicles and defined in the California Vehicle Code (CVC; info here), to be brought onboard trains. Individuals bringing any of these vehicles on a BART train may be cited for an infraction, as violating section 21113 of the Vehicle Code. Under CVC Section 670, a "vehicle" is "any device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or drawn on a highway, excepting a device moved by exclusively human power…."
Motorized scooters, including electric-assist scooters, are also considered vehicles and are prohibited inside BART stations and onboard BART trains unless they can be folded and carried. No special permit is required from BART for folding electric scooters, but they must remain folded and may not be ridden when inside BART stations and trains. Shared use, app-based electric rental scooters (e.g. Lime, Spin, Veo) may not be brought inside stations or onboard trains and must be parked appropriately outside the paid area.
Trip Ideas
BARTable offers detailed bike routes from our stations that make it easy to explore new areas and trails. From an adventurous ride to the top of Mt. Diablo to casual cruises around fun neighborhoods, our guide has you covered.
BART’s Trip Planner on our website and official app lets you select bicycling as a segment of your trip and offers end-to-end directions including how long the trip will take. Under options, turn on “bicycle transport.” You can even select various cycling speed to adjust travel time predictions.