Muni goes fare-free for New Year’s Eve

Those celebrating in San Francisco on New Year’s Eve will able to ride Muni for free from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. on New Year’s Day.

For the 15th year, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will provide complimentary free Muni service on all of its bus, rail and cable car service for riders who want stay out a little later to watch the fireworks along The Embarcadero.

COMPLETE MUNI COVERAGE From Jerold Chinn and SFBay.

The transit agency is reminding riders to not tag their Clipper card starting at 8 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 5 a.m. Jan. 1, 2015. The Clipper card machines will still deduct cash fares if riders tag their card.

Muni Metro service will extend until 4 a.m. while service to Fourth and King streets will continue to 2:15 a.m, the transit agency said. The SFMTA is only rerouting buses if necessary.

There will also be extra Owl service between 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. and extra 1-California service throughout the night.

BART is running a normal weekday evening service that will extend until 3 a.m. Trains will run every 20 minutes after the fireworks show.

To avoid crowding at BART station platforms, the transit agency is using a “skip-stop” train pattern.

Riders coming into San Francisco from Pittsburg/Bay Point and Richmond trains will have to get off at the Montgomery station. These trains will not stop at the Embarcadero station. The transit agency is also advising Millbrae/Daly City passengers to get off at the Montgomery station.

Dublin/ Pleasanton and Fremont trains will stop at the Embarcadero station, but not at the Montgomery station coming into San Francisco.

On the return trip back, passengers should head back to the Montgomery station to catch the Pittsburg/Bay Point and Richmond trains or the Embarcadero station to catch the Dublin/ Pleasanton and Fremont trains.

The first East Bay stop will be the Lake Merritt station. Trains will not stop at the West Oakland station, according to BART.

BART advises passengers to purchase round-trip tickets in advanced to avoid long lines at the ticket machines.

SamTrans will be providing free service on New Year’s Eve starting at 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. on New Year’s Day.

Caltrain will also be offering free service after 8 p.m. on New Year’s eve and extra service after midnight.