Do you need a physical Clipper card for BART?

There will be three different ways to pay for a normal fare. Riders will be able to use contactless debit or credit cards, as well as physical Clipper cards and mobile Clipper cards in an Apple or Google wallet that are already available. The latter option has skyrocketed in popularity since it debuted in April 2021.



No, as of 2026, you do not need a physical Clipper card to ride BART or any other Bay Area transit system. Following the full rollout of the "Next Generation Clipper" system in late 2025, riders can now use Clipper on their phone via Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, or simply use "Tap and Ride" with a contactless credit or debit card. This modernization effort was designed to eliminate the friction of purchasing plastic cards and waiting for funds to load. For those using the mobile Clipper app, value loads are now instantaneous, whereas historical plastic cards sometimes required a delay. While physical Clipper cards are still available for those who prefer them—and remain necessary for certain specialized "Youth" or "Senior" discount programs that require a registered photo ID—the vast majority of commuters in 2026 have transitioned to digital payments, making the physical card a legacy option for the tech-savvy San Francisco traveler.

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Soon, people using transit in the Bay Area will be able to pay using a credit card. Starting next year, Bay Area transit riders won't need a Clipper card to ride a train or ferry, and instead will be able to pass BART turnstiles or board Muni buses with the simple tap of a credit card.

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A simple tap of a credit card will soon carry you everywhere within the BART or Muni system that a Clipper card currently does. With just the tap of a contactless debit or credit card, riders will be able to breeze through barriers on the two transit systems by the summer of next year.

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Cards added using the Clipper app allows you to tag and pay with your phone. Value added to cards on your phone will be available to use immediately. You will be able to load value and transit passes to your card using the app, and then tag and pay with your plastic card.

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The Clipper card is a smart, contactless travel card that can be used all over the Sasn Francisco Bay Area. Travelers, both residents and tourists, can add value to their card either as they go or automatically, depending on what works best for them.

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The BART Board of Directors passed the proof of payment requirement on October 26, 2017, to deter fare evasion. The new ordinance took effect January 1, 2018. Any person inside the paid area of BART must be prepared to show a magnetic stripe ticket or Clipper card with valid fare.

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BART makes it extremely easy to get a ticket from the San Francisco airport to downtown San Francisco. All you need to do is use one of the ticket vending machines to buy a one-way ticket for each passenger, which costs about $10.15 per person for a one-way ticket and $20.30 for a round trip.

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Mask requirement ended 10/2/22; Masks now strongly recommended. As of October 2, 2022, masks are strongly recommended. Wearing a well fitted masks over your mouth and nose is encouraged. Masks are no longer mandatory.

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