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Transportation to Bay Area Vaccination Sites
Bay Area public transportation providers are working hard to ensure coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine distribution locations are accessible. Many systems are offering free rides to vaccine distribution sites. And, some are establishing shuttle services to the vaccination locations for people without a car or those who need mobility assistance.
Our commitment to our customers remains strong during this time of significant service and budget challenges. Bay Area public transportation providers are proud to help connect people to the lifesaving vaccine. The following is a list of which sites are accessible by which transit systems.
Since the onset of the pandemic, Bay Area transit systems established health standards and have helped essential workers and transit-dependent riders reach their destinations Larger Bay Area transit systems with parking lots and plazas have offered locations to county officials, health care providers, and community groups to host vaccination sites and free COVID-19 testing. As the vaccine distribution continues, we expect additional transit-friendly locations will be announced.
Transit-friendly vaccination sites will help provide equitable access, especially for vulnerable Bay Area communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
Since the onset of the pandemic, Bay Area transit systems established health standards and have helped essential workers and transit-dependent riders reach their destinations Larger Bay Area transit systems with parking lots and plazas have offered locations to county officials, health care providers, and community groups to host vaccination sites and free COVID-19 testing. As the vaccine distribution continues, we expect additional transit-friendly locations will be announced.
Transit-friendly vaccination sites will help provide equitable access, especially for vulnerable Bay Area communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
BART
- Service: To Cal OES/FEMA site at the Oakland Coliseum. Appointments required. Operates 7 days a week.
- How to Ride/Locations: Coliseum Station riders can walk over the pedestrian bridge to the vaccination tent or can take a fare-free AC Transit shuttle from the station to the vaccination tent.
- Free Ride/Discounts: BART is providing a free ride home after getting a vaccine at the Coliseum site. Show your vaccination card to BART staff at the Coliseum station and you will be given a free $7 BART ticket. More details: CLICK HERE
- Other services: The following vaccination sites are also accessible by BART: Moscone Center South (exit Powell or Montgomery stations); Levi Stadium (exit at Milpitas BART station and connect to VTA to Great America Station).
VTA
- Service: To Levi’s Stadium mass vaccination site (California's largest). Currently, Santa Clara County has 20 County-run COVID-19 vaccine locations for people who are eligible. Many locations are in parts of the County hardest hit by the pandemic. View VTA’s interactive map to find a list of current VTA-accessible vaccine locations, with the bus or light rail routes to each site. Click on the vaccine location of your choice to find the most efficient transit route using the Google Maps trip planner. VTA is working with Santa Clara County to update its COVID-19 vaccine sites map each week, and mapping sites to transit routes that serve those locations.
- How to Ride/Locations: Light rail Orange and Green lines provide front-door service to Levi’s Stadium and the 55, 57 & 59 bus routes also serve the site. For routes to each of the 20 vaccination sites in Santa Clara County, CLICK HERE or on the interactive map below.
- Free Ride/Discounts: As of February 8, VTA suspended collecting fares systemwide. This is temporary but in place until further notice.
SFMTA
- Service: Trips to city-sponsored high-volume vaccine sites, hospitals or anywhere else that is offering vaccines.
- How to Ride/Locations: All routes/all stops.
- Free Ride/Discounts: As of February 22, FREE Muni and Paratransit in both directions -- all routes and stops. Added funds available for the Essential Trip Card that provides taxi discounts for older adults (65+) and people with disabilities.
- Program details: CLICK HERE
Golden Gate Transit and Ferry
- Service: Sonoma, Marin, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties.
- How to Ride/Locations: SMART, Marin Transit, and Golden Gate Transit and Ferry are providing free transit service on all lines in their respective service areas.
- Free Ride/Discounts: FREE rides the day a rider has a vaccination appointment scheduled with proof of appointment.
- Program details: CLICK HERE
SamTrans
- Service: Anyone living or working within San Mateo County.
- How to Ride/Locations: All existing bus service, including Redi-Wheels and Redicoast paratransit service.
- Free Ride/Discounts: As of February 25, FREE rides to vaccination sites within San Mateo County with proof of vaccination appointment or vaccination card.
Caltrain
- Service: Anyone living or working along the corridor within San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
- How to Ride/Locations: All existing train service.
- Free Ride/Discounts: As of March 22, FREE Caltrain rides to vaccination sites with proof of vaccination appointment or vaccination card, until further notice.
County Connection
- Service: In early February 2021, County Connection reached out to John Muir Health and other community partners to offer bus service to vulnerable populations that have COVID-19 vaccine appointments yet are unable to get to them.
- John Muir Health offers a mobile clinic providing COVID-19 vaccinations in various locations across Contra Costa County, including neighborhoods where transportation is a barrier. In collaboration, County Connection has dedicated staff and two paratransit vehicles to assist in the transportation of individuals who need to travel to a vaccine appointment. The Authority obtains a list from John Muir Health to schedule a ride in advance, similar to a paratransit trip. Our drivers will pick up the passenger, wait with them during their appointment, and provide transportation back home. There is no cost to the passenger for this service.
- County Connection is also currently working with Mary Bruns, Chair of the Senior Mobility Action Council, to provide transportation to the vulnerable senior citizen population. Similar to John Muir Health, the Council identified the need for additional transportation resources to COVID vaccine appointments as they experienced a shortage of volunteer drivers. The passenger pays the paratransit fare for this service.
FAST (Fairfield and Suisun Transit)
- Service: FAST will be providing FREE rides to vaccination sites served by its local routes within Fairfield and Suisun and to other locations as directed by, and coordinated with Solano County Department of Public Health
Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority / Tri-Valley Wheels
- Service: To any vaccination site offering walk-in appointments in Livermore, Pleasanton and Dublin
- How to Ride/Locations: All existing bus service, including Dial-A-Ride paratransit service.
- Free Ride/Discounts: As of March 1, FREE rides to vaccination sites on any fixed route or paratransit service with physical or digital proof of vaccination appointment.
Marin Transit
- Service/Free Rides: Starting February 24, 2021, Marin Transit, SMART, and Golden Gate Transit and Ferry began providing FREE transit trips to and from vaccination sites for community members with appointments. .
- Free Ride/Discounts: All three agencies are offering FREE rides by bus, train, and boat in both directions to mass vaccination sites, hospitals, or anywhere else that is offering vaccinations.
NVTA (Napa Valley Transit Authority)
- Service: Napa Vine is providing FREE rides to the following locations: County of Napa, Health & Human Services, Kaiser (Napa and Vallejo), Ole Health-both Napa locations, St. Helena Hospital-St. Helena. And, NVTA has also provuded FREE rides to a number of event spaces that have had vaccines drives for seniors.
Petaluma Transit
- Service: Trips to all official vaccine clinics, hospitals or anywhere else that is offering vaccines within the City of Petaluma. For a full list of locations visit CLICK HERE.
- How to Ride/Locations: Free for all fixed route and paratransit services.
- Free Ride/Discounts: FREE rides to/from vaccination site with proof of a vaccine appointment.
Sonoma County Transit and Santa Rosa Transit
- Service: If you're using local transit services to travel to a COVID-19 vaccination center in Sonoma County, ride free by showing your driver any form of documentation that indicates the day and location of your appointment. This offer is good on Sonoma County Transit and Santa Rosa CityBus and their respective paratransit services.
- Shuttle: For a limited time, Santa Rosa CityBus is offering a shuttle between the Santa Rosa Transit Mall and the County Fairgrounds, where vaccinations are offered at the Grace Pavilion. The CityBus Shuttle operates Monday thru Friday and provides an easy connection for passengers traveling into the Santa Rosa Transit Mall from various locations in the County.
- Program Details: CLICK HERE
- Vaccination Center Locations in Sonoma County: CLICK HERE
Vacaville City Coach
- Service: Providing free public transit trips to vaccine sites.
WestCAT
- Service: Providing transportation to the Richmond High School vaccination site, starting Saturday, March 13. WestCAT is coordinating this with the Contra Costa Health Department, and will serve other sites as they are scheduled and opened.
- Free Ride/Discounts: WestCAT is not charging for this service, and serving neighborhoods in West County outside of the WestCAT boundaries.