Sausalito is a charming little town just a short trip north across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. If you’re heading from San Francisco to Sausalito, you can hop on a bus (or taxi) that crosses the bridge or take a ferry from Ferry Building, and you’ll be there in under 30 minutes, no matter what you choose.
In the US, using a transit card rarely gets you discounts, but ferries are a delightful exception with a significant discount. This is thanks to those who commute between Sausalito or Tiburon and San Francisco daily. If you’re just visiting for a day or two, it’s unlikely you’ll be loading a Clipper Card (San Francisco’s transit card) for public transportation.
After wandering around San Francisco’s downtown, the realm of the homeless, my heart felt worn out. I feared that without a break, I’d want to head back home before finding a place to stay. So, today, I decided on a little getaway to Sausalito. After a lazy morning search, I found a bus stop near my hotel that could take me there. Discount or not, the bus it is! (I get seasick easily.)
Post-breakfast, I strolled out to the bus stop I looked up earlier. As usual, the streets were bustling. With narrow roads, steep hills, and mostly one-way streets, driving or walking in San Francisco isn’t much different. Drivers are laid-back and yield to pedestrians everywhere—be it a crosswalk or the middle of the road—making the streets perpetually busy. Initially, I was baffled by drivers stopping just because I hesitated near a crosswalk.
‘Why are they letting me cross on a red light? Are they trying to run me over?’
Probably not. Also, despite being a tech hub, San Francisco’s public transit feels outdated. Signs are often missing, making bus stops hard to find, and even when you do, buses rarely show up. There’s no digital signboard, but folks just stand patiently, never complaining, waiting for the bus to arrive.
To reach Sausalito, you must cross the Golden Gate, which means taking the Golden Gate Transit Bus, not the usual city bus (Muni). My transit app said the stop was right by the hotel, but I couldn’t spot it anywhere. While city bus stops usually have signs, intercity bus stops like Golden Gate Transit are signless. I waited near where the map suggested, and after over 30 minutes, a bus that looked different from the usual city buses – likely the Golden Gate Transit – appeared. It zoomed past without noticing me, and knowing I might wait another hour, I waved frantically. The bus stopped 150 meters ahead. Not a distance I could run, so I stayed put, and surprisingly, the bus lingered there for over a minute. Was it waiting for me? I dashed to the bus, boarded with an apologetic look, and saw the passengers unbothered by the delay, as if this was just another day on the Golden Gate Transit.
“It’s $5.25,” the driver kindly informed me, and I handed over the fare I had prepared. He gave me a thin plastic pass and explained its usage.
“If you need to get off before reaching Sausalito, maybe for a restroom break, just show this pass when you reboard. No need to pay twice…(yada yada)…”
With the seriousness of a detective reading Miranda rights, the driver continued his spiel. Feeling guilty for the passengers, I thought,
“Please, get moving already…”
Finally underway, I began to relax until the next stop when a woman hopped on, showing a Muni transfer to the driver.
“This isn’t a Muni bus,” the driver said.
“Why not?” she asked, curious why this bus wasn’t part of the city system.
The driver paused, unable to find a suitable explanation, and finally said, “Anyway, that ticket won’t work.”
With the passenger stumped, the driver inquired about her destination, and she said she was heading to Sausalito.
“Then that’ll be $5.25,” he stated.
Neither of them pursued the matter further.
“Okay, here’s the five bucks. Hang on a sec. Here’s the remaining 25 cents,” she handed over the fare.
“Alright, take this,” the driver said, handing her a thin plastic pass and continuing.
“If you need to get off before Sausalito, like for a restroom, just show this pass when you reboard. No need to pay twice…(yada yada)…”
At the next stop, an elderly gentleman boarded, brandishing a Muni transfer.
“This isn’t a Muni bus,” the driver remarked.
“Why?” The gentleman seemed equally curious why this bus didn’t accept his transfer.
“Anyway, that ticket won’t work.”
Next time, seasickness be damned, I’m taking the ferry.
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