Fare Types

The Summer Youth Pass is a great deal for passengers 18 years old or younger with the fare offering unlimited rides from June 1 to August 31 for just $40.  Please note the Summer Youth Pass for 2023 is canceled.  

Monthly passes are valid for unlimited rides, seven days a week during the month for which they are issued. Passes are valid for any route which has the same ride value or less as shown on the pass. The ride value of any pass may be applied to any route with a higher ride value by paying the difference in electronic cash from the Clipper card.  All Local Monthly passes may be used on any Express route by paying the upgrade fare using the Clipper cash value. 

Load Monthly passes on Clipper cards via the Clipper mobile app (available for download via the App Store or Google Play), Clipper retail outlets, online or at the SamTrans headquarters in San Carlos.

All Senior and Youth riders are required to complete an application to receive their Clipper card. 

Local Eligible Discount Pass ($27) - For use by senior, disabled and Medicare cardholder customers on any Local route at any time. Bus operator may ask for proof of age, disability or to see Medicare card.  

Local Youth Pass ($27) - For use by youth customers age 18 years and younger on any Local route at any time. Bus operator may ask for proof of age.  

Local Pass ($65.60) - For use by adult customers on any Local route at any time.  

Express Pass ($130) - For use by adult customers on any Local or Express route at any time.

Day passes allow SamTrans customers to ride Local routes all day using just one pass - an attractive choice for customers who ride more than one bus during the day.  Day passes are available for Youth, Eligible Discount and Adult customers and are valid on all fixed-route buses and Ride Plus until the end of the service day (2 a.m.) and carry a local-ride value.  The ride value may be applied to any route with a higher ride value by paying the difference in cash.

Day passes are purchased via the SamTrans mobile app from the App Store or Google Play, onboard the bus or directly from the farebox.  Customers should let the bus operator know they would like to purchase a Day Pass before inserting payment.  Customers may use cash purchase.  The farebox then will issue a magnetic Day Pass that customers will “swipe” at the farebox on future rides that day.

Day Pass Prices

• Eligible Discount - $2.00
• Youth - $2.00
• Adult - $4.50

Eligible Discount, Youth and Adult ticket packages are available at SamTrans headquarters in San Carlos, at most Safeway stores in San Mateo County and at the Safeway stores at 4950 Mission St. and 3350 Mission St. in San Francisco, and other SamTrans sales outlets.  The tickets may be used on all regular SamTrans bus routes and carry a local-ride value.  These are valid on all fixed-route buses and Ride Plus. Multiple tickets can be combined for higher-value routes, however, a reimbursement will not be issued.  The tickets may not be used to purchase Day passes and don't expire.

Ticket Package Prices (10 Local-ride tickets per package)

Eligible Discount - $11.00
Youth - $11.00
Adult - $22.50

The Clipper^® START program offers a 50% fare discount for adult low-income SamTrans riders. To learn more and apply for the discount, visit the Clipper® START website.

SamTrans offers a Monthly Parking Permit for its Colma Park and Ride customers.

Certain Bay Area transit passes are accepted on SamTrans fixed-route service as a local-fare credit.  Visit our Interagency Transfers page for participating agencies.

Travel together for field trips or with friends, visit our Group Travel page.

The SamTrans Way2Go program allows companies, residential complexes and educational institutions to purchase annual unlimited-ride passes for all eligible employees, residents and students.

Learn more about the Way2Go program.

Local and Express Bus fares are waived for the following categories of passengers with proper identification or fare media.

• Youth Unlimited.  In partnership with the San Mateo County Office of Education, SamTrans provides free bus fares for Socioeconomically Disadvantaged (SED) students, as defined by the California Department of Education by swiping their pass in the farebox.

• Peace Officers. Uniformed and non-uniformed, sworn peace officers showing proper identification that contains a color photo of the officer with printed description of his/her physical identifiers and a statement indicating the person is a peace officer – or has peace officer authority under a specific statute.

• Military Personnel. Active military personnel in uniform showing their non-expired military identification card.

• Employees/Retirees. San Mateo County Transit District employees, qualified retirees, spouses, domestic partners and dependent children under the age of eighteen (18) showing their employee identification badge or family transportation pass.

• Board of Directors and Citizens Advisory Committee Members. Board of Directors and Citizens Advisory Committee members showing their District identification.

• ADA Paratransit-eligible Passengers. Passengers certified for Redi-Wheels and RediCoast (ADA) paratransit, and their personal care attendants by swiping their valid Redi-Wheels or RediCoast magnetic stripe identification cards.