Navigating AC Transit: A Guide to Student Pass Requirements and Fare Options

AC Transit is committed to keeping the East Bay moving by providing accessible and affordable transportation options. This article focuses on student pass requirements and various fare options available to all riders.

Understanding AC Transit Fare Payment Options

AC Transit offers an array of methods to pay your fare, designed for convenience and accessibility. To maintain a fair and equitable bus system, fare payment is required to ride AC Transit.

Cash Payments

All AC Transit bus services accept cash payments. Exact change is required, as bus operators do not carry change or provide refunds.

Clipper Card

The Clipper card is a reloadable transit card that can be used on multiple transit systems in the Bay Area.

Mobile Payment

AC Transit provides a mobile payment platform for added convenience.

Contactless Bank Cards

You can pay adult fares with a contactless bank card.

Student Transit Pass: Free Rides for Eligible Students

The Student Transit Pass provides eligible 6th-12th grade students in Alameda County with free, unlimited rides on local AC Transit buses and discounts on regional transit. This pass is valid year-round for any trip, including school, work, and other activities, and remains valid until the student leaves high school. This program does not apply to Dumbarton Express.

Obtaining a Student Transit Pass

Students can pick up the pass from their school’s site administrator. Note that it may take 4-6 weeks or more to receive the pass, especially at the beginning of the school year.

Registering Your Student Transit Pass

When you receive your Student Transit Pass, call Clipper at (877) 878-8883 (TDD/TTY: 711 or (800) 735-2929) to register your Youth Clipper card and set up your online account.

Using Your Student Transit Pass

The Student Transit Pass provides free trips on local bus routes. It does not cover BART, Transbay routes, or routes provided by other transit agencies.

Read also: Student Transit & Community Impact

Important Note

The shift to next-generation Clipper is currently causing bugs that affect the Student Transit Pass.

Other Discount Programs

Youth, seniors, and riders with disabilities can receive discount fares and passes to ride AC Transit.

Clipper Access Card

The Clipper Access Card (formerly RTC) is available to persons with qualifying disabilities. You may use the card as proof of eligibility to receive discount fares on fixed-route, rail, and ferry systems throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Clipper START

Clipper START offers eligible low-income riders in the Bay Area 50 percent off of AC Transit Adult single ride cash fares.

Fare Capping and Pass Options

AC Transit offers fare capping and various pass options, including Day, Weekly, and Monthly passes.

Read also: Navigating State College

Fare Capping with Next-Generation Clipper

Fare capping is available with Next-Generation Clipper. Users can also take advantage of Day, Weekly, and Monthly passes through fare capping.

Day Pass

A Day Pass is available as a prepaid or fare capped option for unlimited local rides from the time issued until 3:00 am the next day. Riders paying with Clipper or AC Transit’s mobile payment platform don’t need to pre-pay for a Day Pass.

7-day Pass

A 7-day Pass is available via mobile fare payment as a prepaid or fare capped option for unlimited local ride for 7 consecutive days. Riders don’t need to pre-pay for a 7-day Pass. Riders who purchase enough single ride fares or Day Passes in a 7-day period are upgraded to a 7-day Pass automatically.

31-day Pass

Available on Clipper as a prepaid fare, a local 31-day Pass is valid for 31 consecutive days.

Transbay 31-day Pass

Available on Clipper as a prepaid fare for riders paying Adult fares, a Transbay 31-day Pass is valid for 31 consecutive days. Riders who purchase a Transbay 31-day Pass can take unlimited Transbay rides to and from the East Bay, as well as travel on all AC Transit local lines. Riders eligible for discount fares should use their 31-day Pass combined with a Local to Transbay Upgrade to ride Transbay lines. Riders paying with AC Transit’s mobile payment platform don't need to pre-pay for a 31-day Transbay Pass. Once their fare purchases reach the cost of the pass within a 30-day period, they will be upgraded to a 31-day Pass automatically.

Monthly Pass for Senior/Disabled Riders

Available on Clipper as a prepaid fare, this pass can only be purchased by Senior/Disabled riders and is valid at the beginning of the month. Riders who purchase this pass can take unlimited local rides. Riders can board Transbay routes by paying the Local to Transbay Upgrade fare. Eligible riders paying with AC Transit’s mobile payment platform don’t need to pre-pay for a Monthly Pass. Starting at the beginning of the month, once their fare purchases reach the cost of the pass, they will be upgraded to a Monthly Pass automatically.

Transfers

During the roll out of Next-Generation Clipper, AC Transit riders will receive one free local-to-local transfer within two hours of their first trip. Riders on local buses who need to transfer to a Transbay bus line pay this fare to upgrade their ticket or pass.

Token Transit

Token Transit users may continue to use the app to purchase single rides and calendar-based passes through fare capping. Token Transit users will not receive transfer benefits available through Next-Generation Clipper and contactless bank cards. AC Transit will discontinue support for Token Transit in the future.

All-Door Boarding

All-Door Boarding is on Line 6 and Line 51B only. Riders with Clipper can board at rear doors and tag at the Clipper reader to pay their fare. Riders using cash, paper pass, or mobile payment options will continue to board at the front.

Tempo Line 1T

Unlike other AC Transit bus lines, Tempo riders pay at the station before boarding. Tempo Line 1T riders can pay with any valid AC Transit ticket or pass. Riders using Clipper can tag the reader at the station. Riders can also purchase paper tickets at the ticket vending machine with cash, debit or credit, or Apple Pay and Google Pay. Mobile payments are also accepted on Tempo. The cost to ride Tempo is the same as AC Transit local fares. Riders must carry proof of payment while onboard.

EasyPass Program

The AC Transit EasyPass program is an annual group transit benefit for eligible organizations. This program is offered to employers, residential communities, and colleges or universities whose user group will consist of 100 or more people or residential units. AC Transit's EasyPass gives qualified institutions unlimited access to all AC Transit local and Transbay lines, all year long, for one low annual fee. With annual prices ranging from $221 to $59 per participant, the maximum annual price per EasyPass participant is about the same as a 31-day Transbay Pass.

Peralta Colleges EasyPass

All Spring Peralta Students taking 6 or more units are entitled to an EasyPass, which will take them anywhere AC Transit goes, anytime, including the AC Transit Transbay Service. If you’re enrolled in 6 units or more, yes! If you drop under 6 units, you will no longer qualify for EasyPass, and your card will be deactivated. You can reactivate it later if you enroll in the qualifying number of units and pay your Student Fees. You must also pay the $50 Transportation Fee to qualify for a card.

Registering Your EasyPass Card

When you first get your Student EasyPass, you need to register your card. You can register your EasyPass card at clippercard.com. Have your card number ready. You can do that by saving your Card number/keeping your Welcome Letter in case you lose your Card. Registering your Clipper card protects your card balance and allows you to set up an online account at clippercard.com.

Important Considerations for EasyPass Users

Keep your Card long-term. Keep your Card safe and secure. Caution: If you load your EasyPass onto your smartphone, it will cause the physical card to deactivate. Be careful storing your EasyPass card in your wallet - don’t let it touch other magnetized cards; it can cause your EasyPass to malfunction. Clipper charges a $3 Balance Transfer Fee to replace your EasyPass Card and to transfer cash or other agency value to your new EasyPass Card. After receiving your replacement card, be sure to go online to clippercard.com to check your Clipper Card account that an EasyPass is listed. Call Clipper Customer Service at (877) 878-8883 to request a replacement card. You’ll be charged a $3 fee (pay with a debit or credit card).

BayPass for UC Berkeley Students

The BayPass card is issued to all eligible UC Berkeley students via a clipper card provided in tandem with issuance of the Cal 1 Card. Eligibility criteria are determined by the Office of the Registrar. Graduate students: Incoming eligible graduate students will receive thei BayPass card in tandem with the Cal 1 Card, when attending their respective orientation / in-person welcome event. Otherwise, the BayPass card may be obtained along with the Cal 1 Card at the Cal 1 Card office on or after the first Monday in August.

Pass2Class Program

Pass2Class is an established program that offers one month free public transit passes at the beginning of the school year to students in West Contra Costa County to encourage the use of buses to and from school.

Important Note for WCCUSD High School Students

While Pass2Class only has funds to offer a single month pass to each student per year, West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) administers a program that provides passes every month of the entire school year to high schools students (grades 9 - 12) in WCCUSD who also qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch program. If you qualify, please apply to that program, not Pass2Class. Applications will be available online starting on July 1, and running until program funds are all used.

Benefits of Public Transportation

Taking transit is good for the environment. In California, the transportation sector accounts for about 50 percent of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing the number of vehicles on the road is critical to achieving climate change goals and clean air standards. Taking transit is linked to higher levels of physical activity. Studies have shown that people who use public transportation for any reason were less likely to be sedentary, taking 30% more steps and walking 8.3 more minutes per day than people who mostly drove.

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