BART Fares
I travel from Fremont to Pleasanton. I have to change Bart at Bayfair.
Fare from Fremont to Bayfair = 1.40
Bay fair to Pleasnaton = 1.40
Total should be 2.80$
Wrong. When you go from Fremont to Pleasnaton is 3.90$. Why?????
So not to get penalised by 1.10$ twice daily; I have to go down at Bayfair get my ticket out pass it thro (for out) the machine & again pass it thro (for In) the machine.
Why this extra hassle. Why can't Bart make it straight as 2.80$ for fare from Fremont to Pleasanton??????
That's a good question. I'm
That's a good question. I'm lucky enough to take the sfo/millbrae train to Montgomery and don't have to transfer. I read a long time ago in the Chronicle that every city along the way to my destination gets a percentage of the ticket sale. I don't know if this is still true or not. I currently pay $3.50 each way. Your question about the $2.80 thing might be because we don't have "smart" tickets...yet. The ticket doesn't know that you need to transfer everyday to get to your destination. Looking at the Bart map at Bart.gov - it seems you are going from either the green and orange line to the blue line (a totally different line - I know you know this already). A smart ticket would know that you take the same route everyday and would account for your transfer. Thus making the ticket price a lot lower. We should really have someone in Management go to Hong Kong and learn their ways of commuting by train.
Taken from wikipedia...not a
Taken from wikipedia...not a complete explanation but it's something
"There are various quirks in the fare system due to a subsidy being provided to riders traveling between some outlying stations. For example, for a trip from Dublin/Pleasanton to Fremont, it is less expensive to exit the station at the transfer point, Bay Fair, and re-enter the station, instead of staying on the platform, because you would get charged two US$1.40 base fares instead of a US$3.90 fare from end to end."
Also, the transfer is
Also, the transfer is unreliable. It's a real bummer waiting 14.5 minutes for the next train, and it happens far too often.
Those are the days I go downstairs and get my $1.10 discount.
first, smart cards have no
first, smart cards have no effect, the issue is mgmt/BOD's convoluted fare structure.
second, since you refer to Bayfair, time to say they totally misdesigned it. Instead of the mini yard south of the station Bayfair should have become a 3 track/2 plarform or better full four track a la Macarthur station. With that format, transfers could be timed as they are there.
third, most times of the week Dublin should be a shuttle from Bayfair account low ridership.
Seems like BART has a base
Seems like BART has a base fare for a certain distance away from a station, and then charges by distance (and other formulas).. Where Dublin to Bayfair is within that distance, therefore 1.40, and Bay Fair is that distance from Fremont to be only $1.40..
But if you think of Dublin to Fremont, you fall out of the formula that keeps it at 1.40 and you start getting charged by the distance (etc) you travel.. So you end up benefiting from a loop in the formula if you notice it..
...
In the past there was a way to save 5 cents if you entered at Walnut Creek, exited at Orinda, Entered at Orinda then went to RockRidge..
Of course no one would do this, but I was looking for another wierd fare after I found I could save money at Bayfair.. My buddy said it has something to do with a surcharge through the caldecott tunnel you pay from WC but not Orinda to Rockridge.