Next Generation Clipper to roll out to Bay Area agencies in December, making fare payment faster and more convenient

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BART joins the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and our regional transit partners in celebrating the forthcoming rollout of Next Generation Clipper this December. Clipper, the Bay Area’s electronic fare payment system, is administered by MTC.  

Starting Dec. 10, MTC will begin the eight- to 12-week process of transitioning Clipper card customers to the next generation. The date was set by the Clipper Executive Board, chaired by BART General Manager Bob Powers, at an Oct. 20 meeting.  

With Next Generation Clipper, the nearly two dozen Bay Area transit agencies that accept Clipper will join BART as Tap and Ride systems, meaning riders can pay adult fares using contactless credit and debit cards and mobile payment methods, in addition to Clipper cards. BART became the Bay Area’s first Tap and Ride system on Aug. 20, 2025.  

Other new and improved features, products, and services that will make fare payment faster and more convenient with the rollout of Next Generation Clipper include: 

  • Instant value: Clipper's transition to a cloud-based system allows for instant availability of added value or passes on plastic and mobile cards no matter how value is added — eliminating wait time. An improved auto-reload function allows customers to customize both the reloading amount and the schedule or reloading. 

  • Free and discounted transfers: Riders who use more than one transit agency in a single trip (e.g., BART to Muni) will only be charged full fare on the first operator. A transfer discount of up to $2.85 will apply on any additional transit agency the rider uses within a two-hour window. This feature will be immediately available for contactless bank cards. Clipper card users must wait for their cards to be upgraded to the new system for this feature to apply, a process customers can initiate (see below).  

  • Managing multiple accounts: Clipper's transition to a cloud-based system will enable families to manage multiple registered Clipper cards through the Clipper app. 

  • Apply for youth or senior cards online: The new Clipper system will give youth and senior riders the option to apply for their discount program online in addition to applying in person or by mail. 

Because of the eight- to 12-week transition period needed to upgrade individual Clipper cards to the next generation system, not all features will be immediately available to all customers. For faster transition to the new system, customers may initiate the upgrade by logging into the Clipper website, using the Clipper mobile app, or calling the Clipper customer service center to speak with an agent who can start the upgrade process. 

Tap and Ride means you can use mobile cards as well as traditional plastic credit or debit cards in the place of a Clipper card. Clipper will still be accepted regionwide.  

Customers who use a mobile card on an iPhone are advised to turn on the Express Transit feature, and those who use a plastic credit or debit card are advised to remove the card from their wallet or purse before tapping to avoid card clash.  

Since BART became the Bay Area’s first Tap and Ride system, usage of the innovative system has steadily grown. In September, Tap and Ride usage accounted for approximately 8% of total BART trips on weekdays and 12% on weekends, with SFO Station accounting for nearly 30% of all Tap and Ride and trips. 

 

Find BART’s guide to using Tap and Ride at bart.gov/tapandride.  

 

Clipper Customer Service 
Weekdays: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm 
Saturdays:7:00 am - 4:00 pm 

Email: [email protected] 
Phone:(877) 878- 8883 
TDD/TTY: 711 or 800.735.2929 

Web: clippercard.com