Fare Types

SamTrans offers a variety of fare products for youth, seniors, customers with disabilities and adult customers.

Summer Youth Pass
The Summer Youth Pass allows unlimited rides on all SamTrans routes from June 1 - Aug. 31 and is available to kids 18 and younger.  The pass costs only $40 and goes on sale May 21! 

Monthly Pass
Monthly passes are valid for unlimited rides, seven days a week during the month for which they are issued. Passes are valid for any route which has the same ride value or less as shown on the pass. The ride value of any pass may be applied to any route with a higher ride value by paying the difference in electronic cash from the Clipper card.  Load Monthly passes on Clipper cards at Clipper retail outlets, online or at the SamTrans headquarters in San Carlos.

All Senior and Youth riders are required to complete an application to receive their Clipper card. 

Eligible Discount Pass ($27) - For use by senior, disabled and Medicare cardholder customers on any Local or Express route at any time. Bus operator may ask for proof of age, disability or to see Medicare card.

Youth Pass ($27) - For use by youth customers age 18 years and younger on any Local or Express route at any time. Bus operator may ask for proof of age.

Local Pass ($65.60) - For use by adult customers on any Local route at any time and on Routes KX, ECR, 292 and 397 within San Mateo County and to Palo Alto.

Local/SF Pass ($96) - For use by adult customers on any Local route and on Routes KX, 292 and 397 when traveling out of San Francisco.

Day Pass
Day passes allow SamTrans customers to ride Local routes all day using just one pass - an attractive choice for customers who ride more than one bus during the day.  Day passes are available for Youth, Eligible Discount and Adult customers and are valid on all fixed-route buses until the end of the service day (2 a.m.) and carry a local-ride value.  The ride value may be applied to any route with a higher ride value by paying the difference in cash, tokens, Change cards or Local-ride value tickets.

Day passes are purchased onboard the bus, directly from the farebox.  Customers should let the bus operator know they would like to purchase a Day Pass before inserting payment.  Customers may use cash or Change cards to purchase.  The farebox then will issue a magnetic Day Pass that customers will “swipe” at the farebox on future rides that day.

 
Tokens
Discounted tokens are available at SamTrans headquarters in San Carlos, at most Safeway stores in San Mateo County and at the Safeway stores at 4950 Mission St. and 3350 Mission St. in San Francisco, and other SamTrans sales outlets.  The tokens may be used on all regular SamTrans bus routes and carry a local-ride value.  Tokens may not be used to purchase Day passes.

Tokens have several advantages over cash fares, such as:

• Eliminate the need for exact change. Each token is good for one local ride. If multiple tokens are used for a higher-value route, a Change Card isn’t issued.
• Sold at a discount: adult tokens cost $18 for 10 and youth tokens cost $10 for 10. Tokens are sold in packages of 10.
• Do not expire, allowing riders to purchase them in advance and use them over an extended period.

Local-ride Tickets
Local-ride value tickets are sold at SamTrans headquarters in San Carlos in packages of 50 for $112.50.  Each ticket is valid for a local ride.

Interagency Transfers
Certain Bay Area transit passes are accepted on SamTrans fixed-route service as a local-fare credit.  Click here to see the list of participating transit agencies.

Change Cards for Cash Customers
If a customer inserts more cash in the farebox than is needed, the farebox will issue a stored-value Change Card.  The remaining value is printed on the back and may be used toward the cost of future bus rides by dipping it into the farebox, which will deduct the appropriate fare and issue it back showing the remaining balance. If there's not enough value on the card to pay the required fare, the customer will need to put additional cash or insert another Change Card(s) into the farebox.

Change cards may not be purchased.  They may not be redeemed for cash, exchanged or refunded. Change cards expire one year from date of issue.

Multiple Change cards may be exchanged for one single Change Card.  Please fill out the Change Card Consolidation Request Form and mail it to SamTrans.  Cash cannot be added when consolidating Change cards.  Change cards that have expired or aren't readable are not eligible for exchange or consolidation.

Group Travel
Travel together for field trips or with a big group of friends at a 20 percent discount over regular fares.  Click here for information.

Way2Go Annual Pass Program
The SamTrans Way2Go program allows companies and residential complexes to purchase annual unlimited-ride passes for all eligible employees or residents. Click here for information.

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Refund Policy:  There are no refunds, exchanges or replacements on SamTrans tickets. However, if your magnetic ticket stops working, please fill out the Request for Replacement Form. Replacements may not be granted for tickets that cannot be verified due to the ticket being damaged, torn or bent.

4/21/16  mw