If you live near Richmond and your workplace is in San Francisco, here’s a good question:
The Richmond ferry is back in service, and if your workplace is San Francisco it’s a great way to get to there. Regular riders talk about the comfort, convenience, and calming atmosphere of the ferry, so we took a trip on the recently reopened Richmond ferry. Below we share our experience, including photos from the trip:
Safe, Clean, and Plenty of Space
Health and safety are a key concern for commuters right now, and the Richmond ferry definitely feels safe and clean. The effects of their six-point Passenger and Crew Safety Plan were obvious when looking around the ship. All passengers and crew had masks, alternate rows of seats were taped off to ensure social distancing, hand sanitizer stations were available to passengers, and we saw surfaces being sanitized during our trip.
Quick, Pleasant Trip and Cheaper with Clipper
The trip between San Francisico and Richmond took 35 minutes from gate to gate, and it was nice to have both legroom and the ability to get up and walk around (as well as free WiFi). We didn’t visit the snack bar, but we could see the benefit of being able to grab a morning cup of coffee or evening snack.
We used our Clipper cards to pay for our trip, which meant we didn’t have to buy a ticket in advance and automatically received the Adult Clipper card fare ($7) which is a substantial savings over the cash fare ($9.30).
Getting to the Richmond Ferry Terminal
The Richmond Ferry Terminal is on the Bay Trail (1453 Harbour Way South), so you can get there easily by bike or scooter. If you don’t want to bring your bike on the ferry, there are 20 BikeLink electronic lockers available in addition to bike racks. AC Transit Line 74 can also get you to the ferry, connecting from central Richmond and the Richmond BART station.
Free parking is available for ferry customers, with 362 spaces, and spots are available on a first come, first served basis. The lot is unattended and there’s no way to find out in advance if the lot is full or near full, so keep that in mind.
Bring Your Bike, Board, or Scooter with You
We didn’t bring a bike on board this time, but it’s a great option to have. Covering that first mile/last mile between the ferry terminal and your destination is snap when you have your bike, e-bike, scooter, or e-scooter with you (which are all allowed on board). We were told that space may be limited on some departures for these vehicles, so just be sure to arrive early.
More Information
We loved taking the Richmond ferry and we think you will too. If you need more information, check out SF Bay Ferry’s Rider Quick Start Guide or visit the schedule page for the Richmond Ferry.
