TRANSPORT TO/FROM VESSEL

[DUTRAVEL]

13 hours ago, lost4sure said:

Hello Dutravel,

Thanks!

Is the Muni bus from the Embarcadero Bart station to the pier wheelchair and carry on luggage friendly?

 

 

Yes, the Muni Bus is accessible and you shouldn't have any problem with luggage for the short distance (as long as you are not going during commute hour).

 

You would take the "F" line - attached is a map of the accessible stops.

f_market_and_wharves_pdf_map_20210515.pdf

[Cruise Raider]

13 hours ago, lost4sure said:

Hello Dutravel,

Thanks!

Is the Muni bus from the Embarcadero Bart station to the pier wheelchair and carry on luggage friendly?

 

https://wheelchairtravel.org/san-francisco/

 

all BART trains and Muni busses are wheelchair accessible.  Plus, you can catch Muni right in the Embarcadero station so elevators won’t even be an issue.  You’re only hassles should be transferring from from train to train and then, train to bus.  But, you mentioned you pack light.  Sorry to hear the Princess transfers were not very accessible friendly.  

[lost4sure]

Cruise Raider and Dutravel,

Thank you for the valuable information.  Taking the Bart and the F line might be the best way to go and don't have to worry about SF traffic, weather and elevator malfunction.  The cruise is not till Nov 27, I have a lot of time to figure out the logistic.  Finger cross that the cruise will be a go!

 

Many thanks,

Grace

[sultan_sfo]

Just an attempt to add further "confusion" or "clarification" to excellent above posts?

 

I would definitely NOT rely on any info from ANY source whether BART LIFTS are working on

a particular date. Too often BART Lifts and Escalators are out of order.

 

BART Embarcadero Station is a subway station.

F-Line is an above surface historic "street car" (surface rails) line. Both are frequent.

But one HAS to go up by escalator or lift or stairs to connect from BART to F-Line for Pier 27.

 

For those with luggage, from SFO, I think to get to F-Line from BART,  taking the LIFT from BART station before Embarcadero (Montgomery?) takes you to an F-line stop just above.

Here the F-Line is not crowded. If BART Montgomery LIFT is out of order then re-board

BART and get off at Embarcadero and hope BART Lift at Embarcadero is working.

This approach doubles your chances. Reverse this option if coming from East Bay (Oakland).

 

Getting off at BART Embarcadero to F-Line will require walking across to Ferry Building (clock tower).

This is a 3-minute walk -- very pleasant -- with street vendors. With Roller Luggage, even

a carry-on plus regular luggage, walking from Ferry Bldg to Pier 27 is less than mile and

very pleasant. There will be many cruisers walking dragging their luggage.

 

As mentioned in other posts, F-Line stations are wheel chair accessible.

But often in tourist season, F-Line at Ferry Bldg is very crowded and  boarding with luggage

/ wheelchair is not comfortable. From Embarcadero / Ferry Bldg taking TAXI/UBER (if one can

get one) is about $6 for the short ride. But because of heavy cruise traffic jam, Taxis /

Uber do not want this short ride.

 

I suggest that it is best to Google to know the options and only rely on MUNI / BART websites to find what is most convenient for your specific need.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2021 by sultan_sfo

[DUTRAVEL]

5 hours ago, sultan_sfo said:

BART Embarcadero Station is a subway station.

F-Line is an above surface historic "street car" (surface rails) line. Both are frequent.

But one HAS to go up by escalator or lift or stairs to connect from BART to F-Line for Pier 27.

 

For those with luggage, from SFO, I think to get to F-Line from BART,  taking the LIFT from BART station before Embarcadero (Montgomery?) takes you to an F-line stop just above.

Here the F-Line is not crowded. If BART Montgomery LIFT is out of order then re-board

BART and get off at Embarcadero and hope BART Lift at Embarcadero is working.

This approach doubles your chances. Reverse this option if coming from East Bay (Oakland).

 

Getting off at BART Embarcadero to F-Line will require walking across to Ferry Building (clock tower).

This is a 3-minute walk -- very pleasant -- with street vendors. With Roller Luggage, even

a carry-on plus regular luggage, walking from Ferry Bldg to Pier 27 is less than mile and

very pleasant. There will be many cruisers walking dragging their luggage.

 

As mentioned in other posts, F-Line stations are wheel chair accessible.

But often in tourist season, F-Line at Ferry Bldg is very crowded and  boarding with luggage

/ wheelchair is not comfortable. From Embarcadero / Ferry Bldg taking TAXI/UBER (if one can

get one) is about $6 for the short ride. But because of heavy cruise traffic jam, Taxis /

Uber do not want this short ride.

 

You are correct that you need to take an elevator to street level to catch the F line.

 

However, you are directing the OP to the Montgomery BART station where the closest stops are not accessible. I also don't know why they would walk to the Ferry Building when the closest stop to Embarcadero BART is at Market and Main which is right at the Embarcadero Station stop. The accessible stops on the F line have raised platforms.

 

The whole point of the OP original post was the concern with not being able to get a wheelchair accessible taxi at SFO. It would be even more difficult to find an accessible taxi at the Embarcadero Station so the best option for a wheelchair user is to take the Muni.

[sultan_sfo]

Attached is map of Accessible stops for F-Line.

At most 1-block from "one" of the BART Montgomery Exits.

Caution: Montgomery BART station has many Exits.

[lost4sure]

sultan_sfo,

Thank you for the information.

Grace

[DUTRAVEL]

11 hours ago, lost4sure said:

sultan_sfo,

Thank you for the information.

Grace

I forgot to mention that Princess will have an accessible transfer from the airport if they are offering transport to other passengers from the airport to the pier. By law, in the US they have to offer accessible transport if they are providing transportation to the pier. Email the access department if you want to check in to this.

[sultan_sfo]

About wheel chair and elevators at BART station:.

 

After some reflection, another approach came to mind for best info re elevators at BART stations.

Most BART stations have an attendant near the entrance / ticket machines. I suggest

requesting that BART station attendant at your starting point to call the attendant at BART Embarcadero to confirm that the elevator at the Embarcadero BART is operational.

If he/she does that, then the most current and accurate info about the elevator status will be available.

[sultan_sfo]

MORE INFO FOR TOURISTS USING F-LINE / CABLE CAR:

 

This link (if CC does not delete it) gives better info and accessible stops of F-Line:

 

https://www.streetcar.org/rider-information-map-2/

 

From above:

The F-line streetcars rarely have long lines at the terminals. However, because the F-line is used by thousands of residents and workers as well as visitors, hopping on and off all along the six-mile route, the vintage streetcars can get crowded at any hour of the day or night at certain points along the line, especially near Pier 39 headed toward downtown, and near the Ferry Building.

 

 

[brisalta]

On 6/7/2021 at 11:40 PM, lost4sure said:

Hello Cruise Raider and Memoak,

Cruising on Ruby Princess in Nov 27, 2021, my Dad is in a wheelchair and was thinking of taking the BART to the pier.  Does the elevator breaks down often?  We only have 2 carry ons and 2 knapsacks so we travelled light.  I am concern about the broken elevator.  Only one elevator available?  It is so difficult to find a reasonable priced wheelchair accessible shuttle/taxi at SFO. How far a walk is from BART station to pier?  Is it a flat walk?

 

Grace

 

You can find wheelchair accessible taxis in San Francisco. You can check BART elevator status at:

https://www.bart.gov/stations/elevators  Here is the system map https://www.bart.gov/system-map

It is under a 2 mile walk from the Embarcadero Bart station to the Pier 27 cruise terminal. It is a flat surface with no hills.

 

At the bottom of https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/taxi/directory

 you will find a link to a page that has a pdf file that lists the companies with taxis with ramps.

 

Edited June 11, 2021 by brisalta

[brisalta]

On 6/9/2021 at 12:06 AM, 2 cruises a year said:

You have some good general questions, and some good general answers from the group.

I would recommend learning your way around that Google Maps link below.  Google is the what ever it is that I have a love hate relationship with.  They collect my information.  It is none of their business.  I avoided it for as long as I could.  My Daughter in Law says if you aren't doing anything wrong, so what?  I still hate it.  That being said, it is pretty fantastic.  The Maps link will tell you a lot.  You put in where you want to leave from, and where you want to go.  It will tell you how to get there by driving, public transport, walking, bicycle, Uber, Lyft, what day, what time of day, and even how as wheel chair accessible and the current traffic and future traffic.  Even a rough cost.  And while not perfect, it is pretty darned reliable.  I know driving around San Francisco like the back of my hand.  But I rarely use Public Transport.  So you can tap several of us for different aspects.

Use the map to try some of the suggestions so far, then come back and ask some specifics.  Like what kind of neighborhood, flat, or hilly, how far is the station from the airport etc.

We all want you to find the best way.

 

https://www.google.com/maps

 

 

Ha! Google maps will take you down wrong way streets the wrong way, direct you to private streets with no access, etc.

I prefer Here which actually is what the top vehicle manufacturers use in their GPS map systems.

They also have an app and a desktop version https://wego.here.com

[brisalta]

2 hours ago, sultan_sfo said:

MORE INFO FOR TOURISTS USING F-LINE / CABLE CAR:

 

This link (if CC does not delete it) gives better info and accessible stops of F-Line:

 

https://www.streetcar.org/rider-information-map-2/

 

From above:

The F-line streetcars rarely have long lines at the terminals. However, because the F-line is used by thousands of residents and workers as well as visitors, hopping on and off all along the six-mile route, the vintage streetcars can get crowded at any hour of the day or night at certain points along the line, especially near Pier 39 headed toward downtown, and near the Ferry Building.

 

 

 

It always amuses me when people use third party sites for information which may be dated when there are actual first party sites available with real time information.

 The official site https://www.sfmta.com/routes/f-market-wharves shows where the F cars are in real time.

 

[lost4sure]

9 hours ago, brisalta said:

 

You can find wheelchair accessible taxis in San Francisco. You can check BART elevator status at:

https://www.bart.gov/stations/elevators  Here is the system map https://www.bart.gov/system-map

It is under a 2 mile walk from the Embarcadero Bart station to the Pier 27 cruise terminal. It is a flat surface with no hills.

 

At the bottom of https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/taxi/directory

 you will find a link to a page that has a pdf file that lists the companies with taxis with ramps.

 

brisalta,

Thank you for all  your information especially the accessible taxi company and phone number.  

Grace