How safe is BART in the Bay Area?

Question

I would like to take it into San Francisco from my hotel in Fremont. Since I'm not from the Bay Area, I was just wondering how safe the BART system is.

Answer 1

As some of the others have pointed out, the BART system is safe and efficient.

There are CCTV cameras and constant police patrols. And your fellow passengers are usually very vilgilant. It is not uncommon for tired commuters to dose off without any problem. If you end up in an empty car for some reason, simply walk upto the first car of the train. The conductor sits up there. Also, exercise some caution *after* you've left the station. Statistically, BART related assaults and muggings tend to happen on the street (or in parking lots). But again, BART is very safe compared to many transit systems.

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As for everything closing at 7 PM and the "bums" coming out. That's simply a ridiculous statement. Shows how much the clueless suburbanities know about this city. The Financial District (and ONLY the Financial District) empties out at 7 PM because all the office workers have gone home to the suburbs. But the rest of San Francisco doesn't stop working when they leave.

Department stores (Macys, Bloomingdales, Barneys) close at 9 PM. Then comes the bookstores and electronics stores (Borders, Virgin, Amoeba) at 10 PM - 11 PM. Most of the restaurants shut down at around the same time, although there are at least 200 "late night" eating establishments in the city. Jazz lounges and comedy clubs close at around Midnight. The bars don't close until 2 AM. And even then there are a few after-hours clubs and diners that remain open throughout the night.

As for the 30,000 homeless in San Francisco, they're always omnipresent because they live here. They don't have "mobile cloaking devices" to keep them invisible until 7 PM. And regardless of the hour, they're usually harmless. If you don't feel like giving them change, just give them the New York treatment. Pretend you didn't see or hear anything.

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Websites with entertainment and food listings:

http://www.sfstation.com/

http://www.sfbg.com/bob/2008/

http://www.sfweekly.com/

http://www.latenightfoodie.com/

Answer 2

Fremont to SF - pretty safe!  

If you want to feel safer ride the first car - that's where the driver is.  

Just be aware of your surroundings.  

And remember the time of the last train leaving to go back!

But I ride it all the time for work and on the weekends!  

Answer 3

I take BART often to go to San Francisco.  My view upon it, feels safer than MUNI.  I used to take MUNI when I lived in San Francisco as a kid, creepy people tend to show up every once in a while, depending on location.  My mom used to travel from Daly City to San Francisco and back everyday for work using BART.  She comes home late at night and nothing ever happened to her.  Since you are not from here, I'll just point out to you that most shops in San Francisco close around 7 PM, that's when people disappear and bums come out. Well, I hope I'm not exaggerating but It's only under my experience, it gets sort of frightening.  MUNI routes are sort of confusing and I assume you would have to take it once in a while to reach the nearest BART station to go back to your hotel, but MUNI only travels around the San Francisco area.  I think your route back to Fremont should be pretty safe.  I've never encountered any problems at BART, people are busy doing their own things, getting to their own places.  Like the previous response, take the first car with the driver or take a car that has a good number of people.  I hope you have a safe stay here and please feel free to ask questions if you have any more concerns.

Answer 4

It's really safe. There's surveillance cameras on each train and every station and police officers are taking care of passengers. But always is good to take common sense precautions, especially at night when trains go kinda empty. Also, when you go near  Oakland.

I'm not from the Bay Area as well, but I have taken BART a few times and I've felt safe on it. So don't worry

http://www.bart.gov/guide/safety/index.a...

Answer 5

i have always felt safe on the BART. There are all types of people so there are different people and homeless but i have always felt there were so many people no one was going to try and do anything.

Answer 6

It's very safe. I've taken all lines, at all times and I've never felt unsafe. I used to go to school and take BART at like 11 and if I can do that at that age then a grown man like yourself will be fine.

Answer 7

Well, thousands of people ride it daily...

Answer 8

BART trains and the platforms are quite safe usually.  Of course, the later it is the more "lonely" things get and if anyone was going to commit a crime that's when they'd probably do it.  BART parking lots sometimes get scary--cars get jacked, people get mugged walking to their cars, etc.