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CLIPPER

All Your Transit in One Card

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Need help with your Clipper card? Visit the walk-in Clipper Customer Care Centers at San Francisco's Embarcadero BART station and the S.F. Ferry Building (in the Bay Crossings Store). You can exchange a damaged card, trade in your TransLink card for a Clipper card, and get a youth or senior card for most agencies. See hours and more information here.

Clipper is an all-in-one transit card that keeps track of passes, discount tickets, ride books and cash value that you load onto it, while recognizing and applying all applicable fares, discounts and transfer rules. It is now accepted on Muni, BART, AC Transit, Caltrain, Golden Gate Transit and Ferry, and SamTrans.

Named for the clipper ships whose speed revolutionized travel from the East Coast to Gold Rush-era California, the Clipper card gives you quick access to all major forms of Bay Area transit with one easy-to-use card.

Your Clipper Questions Answered

What is Clipper?

It’s a convenient and secure way to manage your Bay Area public transportation fares — in an easy-touse, all-in-one, reloadable card.

Where can I get a Clipper card?

I have my Clipper card. What’s my next step?

If you ordered your Clipper card online or over the phone, your card is already registered. If you received your card in person, protect your card and balance by registering it online at clippercard.com or by calling 877.878.8883.

What kind of value can I put on my Clipper card?

You can add passes, discounted tickets, ride books and cash value to your Clipper card. Any ticket or pass that you load onto a Clipper card has the same rules and functions as a paper version. Any cash value that you load works the same as cash, and can be used to pay your fare on every Clipper participating transit system. Plus Clipper makes your life easier by automatically applying applicable transfers and discounts and keeping track of your cash balance, so you don’t have to.

How do I add value to my Clipper card?

  • Online: at clippercard.com — value available within 3 days*
  • Over the phone: by calling 877.878.8883 — value available within 3 days*
  • In person: at a Clipper Add Value Machine, participating retail store or transit ticket office — value available immediately
  • At work: through your employee transit benefit program— if ordered online, value is available by the first day of the benefit month*
  • Automatically: by setting up Autoload* at clippercard.com

    *Value available after allotted time, but will not be reflected in your balance until you use your card.

How do I use my Clipper card?

To tag your card, locate the Clipper card reader at the entrance of the transit vehicle, fare gates or station and hold your card flat against the Clipper logo until you hear a beep or the gates open. This means that your fare has been charged or your pass has been recognized.

How do I use my Clipper card on BART, Caltrain or Golden Gate Transit buses?

To ensure that you are only charged for the distance you’ve traveled and all discounts are applied, make sure you use the card readers to tag on upon entering and tag off upon exiting.

How do I check my Clipper card’s value?

  • Online: by visiting clippercard.com (registered cards only)
  • Over the phone: by calling 877.878.8883
  • In person: at a Clipper Add Value Machine, participating retail store or transit ticket office
  • While using your card: each time you use a card reader to pay your fare, the card reader will show the amount being charged (like $2 for an adult Muni fare) or verify that you have a valid pass or transfer (like an AC Transit 31-day pass). It will also show the balance remaining on your card or the expiration date of your pass.

What do I do if my Clipper card is lost or stolen?

If your card is registered, you can replace your card and restore its balance for a small fee. Find out how by visiting clippercard.com or calling 877.878.8883.

Have questions?

Visit clippercard.com or call 877.878.8883.