A T-Third train pulls away from the UCSF/Chase Centerstop. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle
Muni
It may take until February -- possibly longer -- for the first Central Subway trains to roll from Chinatown to Fourth and King streets. In the meantime, Muni will provide two express bus shuttles from downtown -- the 78X, which will run from 16th Street and Mission Station, and the 79X along Van Ness Avenue. Both will start service 2½ hours before Chase Center events, and end 30 minutes after events wrap up. Additionally, Muni bus routes 55, 48 and 22 will serve the arena, as will the T-Third and S shuttle light rail. Muni officials have widened the platform at the UCSF/Chase Center stop to accommodate crowds on game days.
BART
Although the nearest BART Station -- Powell Street -- is more than a mile and a half from the new arena, the region’s backbone rail may still be the best option for fans traveling from the East Bay, Silicon Valley or up the Peninsula. Get off at Embarcadero Station and transfer to Muni’s T-Third train or take the S shuttle train to the UCSF/Chase Center platform. Or take BART to 16th Street Station and ride Muni’s 55, 78X or 79X buses to Chase Center.
After special events, the last BART trains to the East Bay depart 16th and Mission at 12:19 a.m. and Embarcadero at 12:26 a.m. The last trains heading to the Peninsula and South Bay leave Embarcadero at 1:02 a.m. and 16th Street at 1:09 a.m.
Ferries
Ferries already carry baseball fans across the choppy waters of the bay to watch the Giants play at Oracle Park -- $14 for a one-way ticket -- and officials are planning a similar service to Warriors games at Chase Center. Golden Gate Ferry will run a special events service from the Larkspur Terminal to a temporary landing south of Mission Creek, called Pier 48½. Eventually, Port of San Francisco hopes to build a permanent Mission Bay Ferry Terminal, a key point of entry to a flourishing waterfront neighborhood.
Waterborne transit will likely be the quickest, most convenient option for sports fans coming from the North Bay, and eventually, the East Bay terminals in Oakland and Alameda, which are operated by Water Emergency Transportation Authority. More info: GoldenGateFerry.org
There will be 300 valet bicycle parking spaces at Chase Center. Noah Berger/Special To The Chronicle
Biking
Bicycling to major sporting events has become a much more attractive option in San Francisco, with a new fleet of electric bikes available on city streets, along with a rapidly expanding network of bike lanes. This summer the city added a two-way cycle track between Mission Rock and Mariposa Street, adjacent to the arena. The developer of a mega project on Mission Rock will also design and build a two-way bicycle path to link Mission Rock and Third Street. Rental bike docks are scattered throughout the area, including one on Fourth Street at Mission Bay Boulevard, another at China Basin Street and Third Street, and a third at Fourth and 16th streets.
The city will provide 300 valet bicycle parking spaces at Chase Center, located on the 16th Street side. Riders may also locktheir bikes at any of 58 racks and 100 temporary corrals at Chase Center Plaza and Terry A. Francois Boulevard.
Walking
Crowds of people often trek from San Francisco’s downtown BART stations to Oracle Park for Giants games, a journey of roughly a mile along a bustling spine of the city. The walk to Chase Center from downtown is more winding and convoluted, and a bit farther at 1.7 miles. Other transit modes also require a short walk: 10 to 15 minutes from the ferry landing at Pier 48½, five minutes from the Route 91 Third Street/19th Ave. Muni bus stop, and15-20 minutes from the Caltrain Station at Fourth and King streets.
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will try to make the streets safe for pedestrians, dispatching up to 26 parking control officers and one or two supervisors to direct traffic during games and big events.
Caltrain
The Peninsula’s commuter rail system stops at Fourth and King streets, less than a mile from the arena. From there, fans can catch an already packed T-Third Muni Metro train, or walk down Fourth Street, turn left onto Mission Rock Street and right onto Terry A. Francois Boulevard -- a journey of between 15 and 20 minutes. Caltrain is contemplating extra service during Warriors games, though officials haven’t committed to anything yet.
Driving pickup/drop-off
Motorists braving San Francisco’s clogged freeways can take several exits to Chase Center -- the Fremont/Harrison, Fifth Street or Eighth Street exits from Interstate 80, or the Cesar Chavez and Mariposa Street exit for those heading north on Interstate 280. From there, drivers face challenges. Most streets in the blocks surrounding the 18,000-seat arena will be shut off to private vehicles, and parking will be limited, with 950 parking spaces in the garage, plus an estimated 2,000 spaces in the vicinity. SFMTA will charge $7 an hour at nearby meters, a special event fee meant to discourage people from circling the block in search of free parking.
SFMTA has designated pickup and drop-off zones for taxis and paratransit vehicles on Terry A. Francois Boulevard, east of Chase Center. Ridersof ride-hail vehicles can choose a passenger pickup zone on their smartphones, then walk to the loading zone on Terry A. Francois Boulevard. Ride-hail pickups are barred from 16th Street, Third Street and Warriors Way.
A man rides a scooter in the Mission Bay neighborhood near the Chase Center. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle
Scooters
More of these devices may be popping up on city streets, now that SFMTA has reopened its scooter application process and removed a 2,500-device cap. The agency has yet to determine limitations for its new annual e-scooter permitting program. Scooting will be among the most convenient and scenic ways to get to the waterfront venue, and riders can avail themselves of the same parking available to cyclists at Chase Center Plaza and Terry A. Francois Boulevard.
