Golden Gate Ferry
Encyclopedia
Golden Gate Ferry is one of three transportation systems owned and operated by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District
. The other two are the Golden Gate Bridge
and Golden Gate Transit
bus service, which connects San Francisco to Marin County
. Funding for the ferry services is partially subsidized by bridge tolls, in addition to the traditional federal and state sources.
and Sausalito, California
in Marin County and the San Francisco Ferry Building
, providing fast ferry service.
baseball
, the annual Bay to Breakers
, and day after Thanksgiving (originating from Larkspur only).
.
The following table presents a summary of the number of ferry trips provided by Golden Gate Ferry:
Note: † - last trip serves via Sausalito
Buses also run to and from the ports.
To/From Larkspur (at E. Sir Francis Drake Blvd.):
To/From Sausalito:
Transfer details for Golden Gate Ferry are as follows:
Golden Gate Ferry has 3 Nickum & Spaulding monohulls and 2 catamarans in service today. The Spauldings are named M.S. Marin, M.S. Sonoma, and M.S. San Francisco, and carry 715 passengers each. They were purchased from Philip F. Spaulding & Associates in San Diego, California
in 1976-1977. Originally powered by gas turbine
water jet
s, they were converted to diesel engine
propeller drives in 1983-1985, with more efficient engines installed in 2001-2002.
The catamarans are M.V. Del Norte (purchased 1998, 390 passengers) and M.V. Mendocino (purchased 2001, 450 passengers). All of the ferries are wheelchair-accessible and can store a limited number of bicycles on board. On-board refreshments are served on all ferry routes, including a full bar with mixed drinks. In November 2006, the M.S. Marin underwent a complete refurbishment including all new seating, paint, deck covering and carpeting, ceilings and wall paneling, lighting, PA system, restrooms, refreshment stand, security cameras, windows, bicycle racks (accommodate at least 70 bicycles), modern handicap lift; generator and electrical systems. It re-entered service in July 2007.
In January, 2009 Golden Gate purchased two additional Catamarans, the M.V. Snohomish (renamed M.V. Napa) and the M.V. Chinook, from Washington State Ferries
. The Napa entered service in June (allowing the Del Norte to undergo engine replacement); the Chinook will undergo a major refitting starting in late 2009.
Transit Time
As of 2010, scheduled transit time from Larkspur to San Francisco is 40 minutes. The original planned transit time was approximately 20 minutes when the ferries were powered by the 3 gas turbine water jets. The Arab Oil Embargo hit and the standard operating procedure was changed from 3 to 2 turbines. In the mid 80's, the boats were modified to the slower but more fuel efficient diesel / prop engines.
Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District
The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District is a quasi-governmental corporation that owns and operates three regional transportation assets in the San Francisco Bay Area:* Golden Gate Bridge* Golden Gate Transit* Golden Gate Ferry...
. The other two are the Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. As part of both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1, the structure links the city of San Francisco, on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, to...
and Golden Gate Transit
Golden Gate Transit
Golden Gate Transit is a public transportation system serving the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in California, United States. It mainly serves Marin and Sonoma Counties, and also provides limited service to San Francisco and Contra Costa County.Golden Gate Transit is one of three...
bus service, which connects San Francisco to Marin County
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
. Funding for the ferry services is partially subsidized by bridge tolls, in addition to the traditional federal and state sources.
Cities Served
Golden Gate Ferry serves LarkspurLarkspur, California
Larkspur is a city in Marin County, California, United States. Larkspur is located south of San Rafael, at an elevation of . As of the 2010 Census, the city's population was 11,926. Larkspur is located north of San Francisco near Mount Tamalpais. Larkspur's Police Department is shared with that...
and Sausalito, California
Sausalito, California
Sausalito is a San Francisco Bay Area city, in Marin County, California, United States. Sausalito is south-southeast of San Rafael, at an elevation of 13 feet . The population was 7,061 as of the 2010 census. The community is situated near the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge, and prior to...
in Marin County and the San Francisco Ferry Building
Ferry Building
The San Francisco Ferry Building is a terminal for ferries that travel across the San Francisco Bay and a shopping center located on The Embarcadero in San Francisco, California. On top of the building is a large clock tower, which can be seen from Market Street, a main thoroughfare of the city...
, providing fast ferry service.
Types of Ferry Service
Golden Gate Ferry offers regular passenger ferry service, with limited weekend service between Marin County and San Francisco. It also provides special ferry service for events like select home games of San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, the annual Bay to Breakers
Bay to Breakers
The Bay to Breakers is an annual footrace which takes place in San Francisco, California on the third Sunday of May. The name reflects the fact that the race starts at the northeast end of the downtown area a few blocks from The Embarcadero and runs west through the city to finish at the Great...
, and day after Thanksgiving (originating from Larkspur only).
Days of Operation and Number of Trips
Golden Gate Ferry operates daily including limited holiday service. GGF does not operate on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's DayNew Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
.
The following table presents a summary of the number of ferry trips provided by Golden Gate Ferry:
| Origin | Number of trips and Schedules | Notes | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays to San Francisco | Weekdays from San Francisco | Weekends/Holidays to San Francisco | Weekends/Holidays from San Francisco | ||||||||||
| Number of trips | Depart first ferry | Depart last ferry | Number of trips | Depart first ferry | Depart last ferry | Number of trips | Depart first ferry | Depart last ferry | Number of trips | Depart first ferry | Depart last ferry | ||
| Larkspur | 20 | 5:50am | 8:50pm | 21 | 6:25am | 9:35pm | 5 | 9:40am | 5:30pm† | 4 | 12:40pm | 7:15pm | An Expanded Holiday Schedule operates on the Day after Thanksgiving and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. |
| Sausalito | 9 | 7:10am | 7:20pm | 9 | 7:40am | 7:55pm | 6 | 11:20am | 6:30pm | 6 | 10:40am | 6:30pm | |
Note: † - last trip serves via Sausalito
Buses also run to and from the ports.
To/From Larkspur (at E. Sir Francis Drake Blvd.):
- Two commute buses leave for the San Francisco Financial District:
- Route 24 at 4:51am arriving in San Francisco at 5:25am
- Route 97 at 5:22am arriving in San Francisco at 5:58am
- Route 29, operated by Marin Transit, provides local service (but stopping at Larkspur Landing, not at the terminal itself) for ferry passengers to and from San Rafael, Larkspur, Greenbrae, Kentfield, and San Anselmo. This route, however, does not operate on Sundays or holidays.
- Marin TransitMarin TransitMarin Transit is a public bus agency in Marin County, California, in the United States. Originally formed in 1964 as Marin County Transit District , it was rebranded as Marin Transit on 30 July 2007...
's Shuttle Route 221 serves the Larkspur Ferry Terminal during weekday peak periods only, with one trip mornings and two trips afternoons to serve ferry passengers heading to and coming from Larkspur, Corte Madera, Greenbrae, and Marin General Hospital. - For late night, Sunday, or holiday service to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal, passengers can use Routes 17, 70, 71, or 80, with the nearest bus stop being at the Lucky Drive Bus Pad (at Highway 101).
To/From Sausalito:
- Several bus routes pass by or close by the ferry terminal (Bay and Humboldt), including:
- 3 basic routes (Route 10 all day, Routes 70 and 80 late night, one Route 80 weekend early morning)
- 3 commute routes (Route 2, select morning and evening Route 4, Route 92)
- 1 local route (Route 22)
- West Marin Stagecoach Route 61 (South Route) provides service to and from the ferry terminal on weekends and holidays, connecting it to Marin City, Mill Valley, Stinson Beach, and Bolinas.
- Route 66, the Muir Woods Shuttle, serves the Sausalito Ferry and Marin City that connects ferry passengers from San Francisco to the famed Muir Woods in western Marin, and this route operates from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.
Fares and Transfers
Golden Gate Ferry provides different fares, depending on origin or destination in Marin County and method of payment.| Fare Category (one-way) | Origin/Destination | Cash Fare | Discounted Fare (Clipper card) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | Larkspur | US$8.75 | US$5.70 |
| Sausalito | US$9.25 | US$4.85 | |
| Youth (6-18), Seniors (65+), Disabled , or Medicare | Larkspur or Sausalito | US$4.25 | Not offered |
| Children under 5 years old (limit 2 per full-fare adult) | All ferry routes | Free | Free |
| SF Giants San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division.... Ferry |
Larkspur | $8.75 | Not offered |
Transfer details for Golden Gate Ferry are as follows:
- From Bus (Golden Gate TransitGolden Gate TransitGolden Gate Transit is a public transportation system serving the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in California, United States. It mainly serves Marin and Sonoma Counties, and also provides limited service to San Francisco and Contra Costa County.Golden Gate Transit is one of three...
) to Ferry: Pay full transbay (cross bay) ferry fare (see ferry fare table above; more details here) in farebox when boarding the bus, and the bus operator will issue a transbay transfer. If paying with a Translink (now Clipper) card, customers must tag off when getting off the bus, then riders must tag on upon entering the ferry gate to receive the appropriate discount. - From Ferry to Bus: Transfers are not issued if paying in cash: customers must pay their ferry fare when entering the ferry terminal and then their bus fare when boarding a bus. If using a Clipper card, customers must tag on upon entering the ferry gate, then tag on upon boarding a bus, and tag off when getting off the bus to get the appropriate discounted fare.
- Ferry to SF MUNI: Adult Translink customers transferring from Golden Gate Ferry to Muni will receive a $0.50 ($0.25 youth/senior/disabled) credit on their Muni Translink fare (excludes Muni Period Passes). Cash-paying passengers will not receive any transfer credits or discounts for continuing travel on Muni.
- SF MUNI to Ferry: Translink customers transferring from Muni to Golden Gate Ferry will receive a $0.50 credit on their Golden Gate Translink fare (includes adult, youth, senior, and disabled). Cash-paying passengers will not receive any transfer credits or discounts for continuing travel on GGF.
Fleet
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
in 1976-1977. Originally powered by gas turbine
Gas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal combustion engine. It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between....
water jet
Water jet
Water jet has several meanings including :* Water jet cutter, a tool for cutting virtually any material* Water jet cleaning and surface preparation, a tool for cleaning and surface preparation using ultra-high pressure waterjet...
s, they were converted to diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
propeller drives in 1983-1985, with more efficient engines installed in 2001-2002.
The catamarans are M.V. Del Norte (purchased 1998, 390 passengers) and M.V. Mendocino (purchased 2001, 450 passengers). All of the ferries are wheelchair-accessible and can store a limited number of bicycles on board. On-board refreshments are served on all ferry routes, including a full bar with mixed drinks. In November 2006, the M.S. Marin underwent a complete refurbishment including all new seating, paint, deck covering and carpeting, ceilings and wall paneling, lighting, PA system, restrooms, refreshment stand, security cameras, windows, bicycle racks (accommodate at least 70 bicycles), modern handicap lift; generator and electrical systems. It re-entered service in July 2007.
In January, 2009 Golden Gate purchased two additional Catamarans, the M.V. Snohomish (renamed M.V. Napa) and the M.V. Chinook, from Washington State Ferries
Washington State Ferries
Washington State Ferries is a passenger and automobile ferry service owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation that serves communities on Puget Sound and in the San Juan Islands. It is the most used ferry system in the world and the largest passenger and automobile...
. The Napa entered service in June (allowing the Del Norte to undergo engine replacement); the Chinook will undergo a major refitting starting in late 2009.
Transit Time
As of 2010, scheduled transit time from Larkspur to San Francisco is 40 minutes. The original planned transit time was approximately 20 minutes when the ferries were powered by the 3 gas turbine water jets. The Arab Oil Embargo hit and the standard operating procedure was changed from 3 to 2 turbines. In the mid 80's, the boats were modified to the slower but more fuel efficient diesel / prop engines.
See also
Golden Gate Ferry links with the following transit agencies in San Francisco and Marin County:- AC TransitAC TransitAC Transit is an Oakland-based regional public transit agency serving the western half of Alameda County and parts of western Contra Costa County in the western, Bay-side area of the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area...
- BART
- Marin TransitMarin TransitMarin Transit is a public bus agency in Marin County, California, in the United States. Originally formed in 1964 as Marin County Transit District , it was rebranded as Marin Transit on 30 July 2007...
- San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni)San Francisco Municipal RailwayThe San Francisco Municipal Railway is the public transit system for the city and county of San Francisco, California. In 2006, it served with an operating budget of about $700 million...
- Vallejo Transit
- Western Contra Costa Transit (WestCAT)WestCATWestCAT is a public transportation service in western Contra Costa County . It is a service of the Western Contra Costa Transit Authority....