BART to launch airport service for Thanksgiving

BART announced Friday its new automated train service from Coliseum Station to Oakland International Airport will open to riders in time for the Thanksgiving travel rush.

The transit agency said the driverless train service to OAK will open on Nov. 22. AirBART bus service to the airport will no longer run once the train service begins, said BART officials.

A train schedule and a sample cost for a one-way ride adult fare was also posted on BART’s website. The cost will vary depending on which station riders start their trip to the airport. It would cost about $10.05 if riders are coming from the San Francisco downtown stations, according to BART.

BART plans to run the trains from 5 a.m. to midnight on weekdays, running about every five minutes during the peak hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and weekends.

Service will start an hour later on Saturday and at 8 a.m. on Sundays and holidays.

A public celebration will be held on Nov. 21 where the public can test out the new train service to the airport for free. The celebration will take place at the Coliseum Station starting at 11 a.m. The free rides will start from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The project began construction in 2010 and cost $484 million.

Jerold Chinn

Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.