Save Money with Clipper®

Golden Gate Transit and Ferry use cash value on your Clipper card for all fares. For a complete listing of pricing, please visit http://goldengatetransit.org/fareprograms. Golden Gate Transit and Ferry riders always receive the Ride Value and Frequent Ferry Rider discounts when using a Clipper card rather than cash -- a savings of 10-20% for local Marin and intercounty travel for bus riders and a savings of 37-46% for ferry riders. Discounted fares are not available on Golden Gate Transit when traveling within San Francisco or within Sonoma County.

Please note: In order to ensure that you are charged the correct fare on Golden Gate buses, you must "tag off" when exiting the bus. Otherwise, you may be charged the highest discounted fare in the Golden Gate Transit system.

How Fares Are Calculated

When riding Golden Gate Transit buses, Clipper deducts the maximum fare from your starting zone and then refunds the difference when you touch your card to the card reader upon exiting. This means you must touch your card to the card reader upon entering and exiting the bus to ensure you' re only charged for the distance you travel and that any appropriate discounted fares and transfers are applied.

For example:

A customer boards in San Francisco (Zone 1) for San Anselmo (Zone 3) with an appropriate discount fare of $4.04.

When that customer tags on, Clipper deducts the maximum fare from that zone (Zone 1 to Zone 6, for $7.76).

When the customer tags off in San Anselmo, Clipper calculates the Zone 1 to Zone 3 fare ($4.04) and gives the customer a refund of $3.72 ($7.76 - 4.04 = $3.72).

For transferring customers, Clipper automatically deducts the maximum fare when you tag on but credits the excess amount when you tag off as you disembark at the end of your ride.

Transfers to and from Golden Gate Transit and other transit services:

If you are transferring between Golden Gate Transit routes or Golden Gate Transit and other transit agencies such as AC Transit or Muni, the Clipper card automatically processes the transfer electronically and deducts the correct fare. When transferring between Golden Gate Transit buses, Clipper applies the highest discounted fare when tagging on the second bus but credits the full amount back when you tag off at the end of your ride.

Youth, senior and disabled fares:

Clipper can be used by adults, seniors (65+), youth (ages 6 to 18) and persons with disabilities. To obtain a senior or youth Clipper card, you must visit the Larkspur Ferry Terminal, San Francisco Ferry Terminal, Marin Senior Coordinating Council (aka Whistlestop Wheels, 930 Tamalpais Ave San Rafael for senior card only) or District Administrative Offices (1011 Andersen Dr., San Rafael) and must show proof of eligibility. Persons with disabilities will be asked to complete a Regional Transit Connection (RTC) Discount card application if they do not already have an RTC card.

Eligible passengers with disabilities and seniors requiring a photo identification card are invited to apply for a Regional Transit Connection (RTC) Discount/Clipper card. Customers need to complete an application and submit it in person to a location listed below. Applications are available by calling one of these locations:

Golden Gate Transit Administration Building
1011 Andersen Dr
San Rafael, CA 94901
415.257.4407 (711 TDD)
APPOINTMENT REQUIRED

Marin Senior Coordinating Council (Whistlestop Wheels)
930 Tamalpais Ave
San Rafael, CA 94901
415.456.9062 (711 TDD)
APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED MONDAY-THURSDAY, 10 am - 3 pm

If you are already enrolled in the RTC card program and wish to obtain an RTC Discount Clipper card, call one of the offices listed above to request a mail-in replacement card application. The replacement fee will be waived if the old RTC card is exchanged for the new card at GGT or Whistlestop Wheels. The processing agency will produce the RTC Discount Clipper card and return it to GGT or Whistlestop Wheels. You will then be called to schedule a pick-up appointment.

Employee Transit Benefits

Clipper works with a variety of transit benefit programs, including Commuter Check® and WageWorks®. Whether you receive paper vouchers or commuter debit cards, or you redeem your transit benefits online, you can use your benefits to add value to your Clipper card. Find out if your transit benefit program works with Clipper and how to apply your benefits to a Clipper card here.