Transportation

BAY AREA AIRPORTS

OAKLAND AIRPORT (OAK)

Oakland International Airport is the closest airport to BADCamp. It is about 45 minutes away via public transit (BART), or 30 minutes by car or local shuttle service.

SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT (SFO)

San Francisco International Airport is across the bay from Berkeley and is an alternative airport to fly into. It is about 70 minutes away via public transit (BART), or 40 minutes to 2 hours (depending on traffic) by car or local shuttle service.

SAN JOSE AIRPORT (SJC)

The San Jose airport is the farthest away Bay Area airport. It is about 2 hours away via public transit (with several transfers) or 1 hour by car or local shuttle service.

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION

To plan a trip on multiple types of public transportation, go to 511.org

New bike share in Berkeley/Oakland/San Francisco!

BART - BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT

The Downtown Berkeley BART station is just a few blocks from the UC Berkeley campus. Use BART's trip planner to look up BART times and to download the printable version to take with you. You can also check the elevator status and other travel advisories for each station.

Note that BART stops running at midnight, and starts at 4 AM on weekdays, 6 AM on Saturdays, and 8 AM on Sundays.

BART FROM OAKLAND AIRPORT TO BERKELEY

We recommend taking BART from OAK airport to Berkeley, as it's the easiest and greenest way to get to Berkeley. Other transportation options from the Oakland airport include transit bus, car rental, limousine service, and shuttle van.

  • The Oakland Airport BART station is near the Terminal 1 baggage-claim area
  • Board the BART People Mover that goes from the Airport to the Coliseum BART station in 8 minutes
  • Transfer to a Richmond-bound BART train (the orange line on the BART map)
  • Get off at the Downtown Berkeley station
  • The UC Berkeley campus is a few blocks East (towards the hills)

BART FROM SFO AIRPORT TO BERKELEY

BART is the easiest, most affordable, and often the quickest way to get across the Bay. Other transportation options from the SF airport include car rental, limousine service, and shuttle vans.

  • The SFO BART Station is located in the International Terminal on the Departures/Ticketing level.
  • Board the Pittsburgh/Bay Point-bound train (yellow line on the BART map) and transfer to a Richmond-bound train (orange line on the BART map) at Oakland's 19th St. Station.
  • At the transfer stations, the trains run on opposite sides of the same platform, making it easy to transfer.
  • Exit at the Downtown Berkeley station.
  • The UC Berkeley campus is a few blocks East (towards the hills).
  • Sample schedule during weekday daytime.
  • Sample schedule evenings after 9 PM or all day weekends.

BY CAR

  • From San Francisco, Berkeley is a 15-minute drive (45 minutes during commute hours) east on Interstate 80 across the Bay Bridge and north to the University Avenue exit.
  • From Sacramento, Berkeley is a 90-minute drive west on Interstate 80.
  • From Los Angeles and Southern California, Berkeley is a 6-hour drive up Interstate 5, then west on Interstate 580.

If you do travel by car, please carpool and remember BADCamp is downtown, so parking is very limited. There is handicapped street parking on the corner by Dharma College and the Alston Garage has accessible parking and many reserved spots for vans with lifts.

The Alston Garage does offer daily rates and amenities include electic vehicle charging stations, bicycle cages, car-sharing (ZIP cars),  and Emergency battery jump-start and tire inflation. 

BY BUS

  • AC Transit provides local bus service in the East Bay. AC Transit also goes across the Bay Bridge from Berkeley to San Francisco, where you can pick up local SF Muni bus service.
  • Greyhound offers bus service between nearby Oakland and San Francisco.

BY AMTRAK TRAIN

  • Amtrak offers train service to the Berkeley station, Emeryville station, or Richmond station.
  • We recommend you take the Amtrak to the Richmond Station, then transfer to BART and get off at the downtown Berkeley station. The Berkeley Amtrak station, while physically closer, is on the far end of Berkeley, requiring an additional bus trip up to campus.

BY BOAT

  • Several ferry companies provide service to various points around the bay. Ferries are a scenic method of travel, and some locals use them for commuting.

BY BIKE

  • Berkeley is a bike-friendly town with plenty of bike lanes, including some new ones that are shielded from cars.
  • Be sure to lock your bike up when it's not in your hands.
  • You can safely store your bike free for the day or get a quick repair at the downtown Berkeley BART Bike Hub.
  • Didn't bring your bike? Try the new bike-sharing service with docking stations in Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco. Choose from a one-day or three-day pass for unlimited 30-minute trips or a single-ride pass for one 30-minute trip. Passes are available with the Ford GoBike app.