Entering the Terminal / Boarding the Ferry
Golden Gate Ferry operates from four (4) locations - Larkspur, San Francisco, Sausalito, and Tiburon. Larkspur Ferry customers must pay when parking in the Larkspur Terminal lot on weekdays between 5:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. (read more on our Larkspur Ferry Parking page). The San Francisco, Sausalito, and Tiburon locations have paid parking lots nearby. Read more on our Terminals page.
Please have your fare payment ready as you approach the faregate. Ferry customers without tickets or a Clipper (card or mobile app) should arrive to the terminal at least 20 minutes prior to departure time to allow time to purchase tickets. Everyone needs to pay his/her fair share. Vouchers from other operators and tour/sightseeing companies are NOT acceptable on Golden Gate Ferry.
Boarding gates close exactly at posted time of departure (or earlier, when vessel reaches capacity) and do not reopen until the vessel has departed.
Luggage is permitted on board our vessels. Passengers are responsible for handling their own luggage and personal belongings. Luggage must be attended to at all times, must not block aisles or doorways, and may not be placed on seats or in wheelchair securement areas.
On the Ferry
Seat-saving for other passengers is not allowed. As a courtesy, please reserve seats identified for seniors or persons with disabilities.
Guide dogs and other working service animals are always permitted on Golden Gate Ferry. Other animals and pets are permitted aboard ferries provided they are in, and remain in, airline-approved hand-carried containers. Visit our Bringing Your Pet page for more information.
Smoking, including "vaping" or electronic cigarettes ("e-cigarettes"), is prohibited on board Golden Gate Ferries, in ferry terminal waiting areas, and ticket purchasing areas. Pursuant to California Penal Code Section 640, smoking in any of these areas is an infraction, punishable by a fine not to exceed $250 and by community service. Please help us create a welcoming and smoke-free environment by observing this regulation.
The use of cell phones is permitted on board our vessels and in our passenger waiting areas. When using a cell phone in an allowed area, please keep your voice low and your conversations to a minimum so as not disturb your fellow passengers. Please also minimize incoming calls when possible, use the silent/vibrate ringer option, and refrain from using cell phones in the voluntary "cell phone free" areas of the vessel. You may be asked to stop using your cell phone. Keep it short, keep it down, keep it quiet, or keep it off! Read more on our Cell Phone Tips page.
Take your belongings with you when walking about the vessel. All unattended items are subject to immediate disposal.
The use of personal media devices, radios, tape players, mini-televisions, or similar devices is permitted on ferries only with headphones or earphones and when other passengers are not disturbed.
Personal grooming is not permitted on vessels. This includes clipping fingernails and toenails, putting on perfume, combing hair, etc.
Do not act or make comments that could be perceived as threatening to other passengers or ferry personnel. Under the Patriot Act of 2001, violent acts against mass transportation workers, vehicles, and facilities are federal crimes. Restricted areas, including the pilothouse, navigator's bridge, and concession areas, are off-limits to passengers.
Disembarking the Ferry
Be prepared to disembark the vessel promptly upon arrival at the terminal. Customers with bicycles should be with your bike upon arriving at the terminal and follow special instructions for disembarking the ferry with your bike. This helps maintain an "on time" schedule. You can start gathering your belongings as soon as you hear the arrival announcement. If you lost or left an item on board, please read our Lost & Found page.
Please walk bikes and scooters when disembarking the vessel and in terminals.
General
When maritime security is heightened, passengers may be subject to screening. Mandatory search is required when security levels reach high alert (MARSEC III). Your cooperation is mandatory and it is appreciated if all carry on items are open and ready for inspection prior to entering the terminal waiting areas.
Passenger capacity varies from vessel to vessel. Read more about our vessels on our Fleet page.
We're In This Together.