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Buy a clipper and a day pass?

Hi helpful people,

Just after some clarification. We have 3 days in San Francisco. Not looking to use the app as I don't want to have to keep getting my phone out it will be locked away safe. We are planning to get a clipper at SFO BART Station and add BART fares to get us to downtown and back. We would also like to buy a $5 day pass each day to use to get around. Am I correct in my understanding that the day pass cannot be added to the clipper card? If that is the case do we just buy the day pass at the first bus/streetcar we get on each day?

TIA

Your understanding is mostly correct. The Clipper card is a reloadable transit card that can be used for BART, Muni buses, streetcars, and other Bay Area transit systems. You can load stored value or passes on it, but not all pass types are compatible in the way you might expect.

Specifically for Muni day passes:

  • The $5 Muni “Day Pass” (which allows unlimited rides on buses, trolleys, and streetcars within the city) cannot currently be added to a Clipper card. Muni passes like the monthly pass or Muni-only passes for multiple days can be loaded on Clipper, but the single-day $5 pass is not one of them.
  • Since you don’t want to use the app and plan to carry a Clipper card for BART, you will need to purchase the $5 Muni day pass separately each day.

How to buy the $5 day pass without using the app:

  • You can purchase it directly from the driver when boarding a Muni bus or streetcar. Cash is accepted, but exact change is preferred.
  • Alternatively, you can buy the day pass from ticket machines at certain Muni Metro stations or at the Powell Street, Civic Center, or other staffed Muni ticket locations.
  • Once purchased, the pass is valid for unlimited rides until the end of service that day.

For BART travel from SFO to downtown, loading the appropriate fare onto your Clipper card at the SFO station is straightforward and convenient. Then, for daily Muni travel, buy a separate $5 day pass each day as needed.

In summary, you’ll be using two methods: your Clipper card for BART fares and a separate daily $5 Muni day pass purchased at the start of each day for city transit. This approach is common for visitors who want to avoid relying on mobile apps.

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