# BART

23 Hacker News commenters recommended BART and 19 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 8 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Riders recommend it for fast trips around the Bay Area that avoid traffic; the most common caveat is poor reliability and cleanliness.

## Why people recommend it

- Fast trips that avoid traffic (5 comments): "There's no better way of getting out of Powell out of the traffic deadlock at 5 PM than BART." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48495195)) "Caltrain and BART can get you into SF quickly from quite a large area nearby" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46644062)) "It's great for going to a show and getting home without driving" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50203897))
- Unlimited trips, convenient for riders (2 comments): "for $104/mo I can take an unlimited number of trips, usually very conveniently." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48494521)) "I can take an unlimited number of trips, usually very conveniently." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48495466))
- Futuristic design, some beautiful older stations (2 comments): "BART was so state of the art when it was built, that it still feels like the future today." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45873472)) "Some of the older BART stations are hauntingly beautiful." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45878629))
- Convenient for daily life near stations (2 comments): "My feet, BART, and SFMuni are my primary methods of transportation" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48495117)) "I live and work around BART stations so it works well for me" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46652014))

## What people warn about

- Unreliable, often delayed or breaking down (2 comments): "You can't sit here and tell me the current system is working when BART is perpetually collapsing." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46922120)) "those systems were frequently delayed, full of drug addicts, and they lacked comprehensive service throughout SF" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46646761))
- Dirty, unpleasant, or unsafe at times (5 comments): "those systems were frequently delayed, full of drug addicts, and they lacked comprehensive service throughout SF" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46646761)) "The green vinyl seats are better than the old cloth ones but it's still pretty gross." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48496353)) "Loud, dirty, and stuck in a confined space with people doing acrobatics" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47469710))
- Limited network, poorly located stations (3 comments): "BART is ~fine; there's just not very much of it." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48944605)) "BART stations that look like abandoned parking lots surrounded by single family home sprawl" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46921241)) "Bart’s incredibly poorly located lifts at each end" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48497953))
- Poor value for fares (2 comments): "by getting off BART at the airport stop, you pay a premium fare of $11.80 per person" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49813046)) "BART taxpayers are getting an absolutely terrible value for their money." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49814677))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Caltrain](https://hackerapproved.com/p/caltrain.md): 19 recommend
- [NYC subway](https://hackerapproved.com/p/nyc-subway.md): 5 recommend
- [Elizabeth Line](https://hackerapproved.com/p/elizabeth-line.md): 5 recommend

## Where to get it

- [Visit the official site](https://www.bart.gov/)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "BART", https://hackerapproved.com/p/bart/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).