How To Get a Free Ride Home New Year’s Eve. December 31, 2015.
With all the “amateurs” on the road, NYE is the time to just say “no” to driving. Here are 7 ways to get a free ride home New Year’s Eve.
Bonus: this post also has information on extended hours on some low-cost public transit systems.
THE DEAL:
Too much partying New Year’s Eve? Want to get home safely (and cheaply)? We have you covered with these 7 ways to get a free ride home New Year’s Eve plus some cheap but not free public transit options.
Bonus Tips: Not to sound like your mother but there are a lot of options for avoiding drinking and driving. Like:
- Drive only if you are drug and alcohol-free.
- Plan ahead and designate a non-drinking driver before a celebration begins.
- Don’t let your friends drive impaired. Take their keys away.
- Never ride in a car with a tipsy driver.
- Driver impaired? Here are 7 ways to get a free ride home New Year’s Eve. Alternatively, spend the night at a friend’s house.
LOGISTICS:
This post is logistically dense. No need to read all the logistics – just skip to what is applicable to your preferred transportation mode.
7 WAYS TO GET A FREE RIDE HOME NEW YEAR’S EVE:
Ride Muni FREE from 8:00 pm December 31 , 2015 to 5:00 am on January 1, 2015. Do not tag your Clipper® card during the free service.
- Muni Metro service between West Portal and Embarcadero stations extended to 4 am and until 2:15 am to 4th and King street.
- After 4 pm service on the F Market historic streetcar line is by bus.
- After 8 pm service on the Cable Cars is by bus (boo).
- Extra Owl Service – 1 pm to 5 am: 5 Fulton, 14 Mission, 22 Fillmore, 24 Divisadero, 38 Geary, 90 and 91 Owl and the L and N Owl bus routes.
- Extra 1-California Route service between Drumm Street and Presidio Avenue from 6 pm to 2 am
- The subway is open for train service until 4 am.
Tip: Click here for Muni’s New Year’s Day schedule. Some lines are on a Sunday schedule and some are not running. No lines are on a weekday schedule.
Caltrain is free starting at 8 pm on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015. Plus, Caltrain has scheduled four extra southbound trains after midnight. The extra trains will leave the San Francisco station at 12:45 a.m., 1:15 a.m., 1:45 a.m. and 2:15 a.m., or when full, making all local stops to the San Jose Diridon station. The 2:15 a.m. train is expected to be crowded. Riders who are able to take an earlier train are advised to do so.
Tips: Caltrain will operate on a weekday schedule New Year’s eve (except as noted above); a Sunday schedule on New Year’s Day and business as usual after that (i.e. the day after New Year’s, Saturday, January 2, 2016 Caltrain will run a regular Saturday Schedule.)
SamTrans is free from 8 pm December 31 , 2015 to 5 am January 1, 2016.
Tip: SamTrans will run its regular, non-school day schedules on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2015, and run on their Sunday schedule on New Year’s Day.
4. Ride Downtown Oakland B Shuttle FREE
Downtown Oakland B Shuttle is free from 7 pm December 31 , 2015 to 1:00 am January 1, 2016. Hop on and hop off at any stop between Embarcadero West (Jack London Square) and 27th Street. Shuttles run every 15 minutes.
Tips: The Broadway Shuttle will not operate New Year’s Day. Get live schedule updates at NextFreeB.com.
All VTA service is FREE between 8 pm on New Year’s Eve and 5 am on New Year’s Day. Bonus: Both light rail and Express Bus 180/181 will also have more frequent service.
Tips: VTA will run its Sunday/Holiday service on New Year’s Day. The DASH will not operate on New Year’s Eve.
6. DRIVERS –Get a Free Tow Home with AAA FREE Tipsy Tow
AAA Tipsy Tow/ Holiday Safe Program: Free car tow. Call (800) 222-4357 (AAA-HELP) from 6 pm on Thursday December 31, 2015, through 6 am on Friday, January 1, 2016, and tell the operator “I need a Tipsy Tow.”
FINE PRINT:
AAA will offer a one-way tow home, up to ten-miles, for the driver and the vehicle. If there is room in the tow truck they will even transport your passengers. AAA membership NOT required. Sorry, no reservations!
7. FREE CAB RIDES:
“Safe and Sober FREE Cab Ride Home,” courtesy of Berg Injury Lawyers. And who said lawyers are all bad???
In San Francisco call Luxor Cab at (415) 282-4141 from 10 pm, Thursday, December 31, 2015 through 4 am, Friday, January 1, 2016, and tell the operator “the ride is on Berg Injury Lawyers”.
In Sacramento call Yellow Cab Company of Sacramento at (916) 444-2222 from 10 pm, Thursday, December 31, 2015 through 4 am, Friday, January 1, 2016, , and tell the operator “the ride is on Berg Injury Lawyers”.
FINE PRINT:
Berg Injury Lawyers will pick up the tab for the first $35 of the cab fare. If the fare exceeds $35, you have to make up the difference. Additional caveats: rides to residence only – not to another drinking spot (!), and drivers can refuse to accept a fare. Rides within city limits only – unfortunately the Safe and Sober Free Cab program is not valid in the East Bay. Only valid for called cabs, not if you hail one in the street.
Do not forget to tip the driver!
ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS – Not free but safe and way, way cheaper than a DUI.
BART: Extended service until 3:00 am but no special fares for New Year’s Eve. Sorry.
Tip: Avoid the lines and Purchase Round-trip Tickets or Load Cash Value on Clipper Card. You will thank me.
Important BART Information: “Skip Stop” Schedule beginning at 8 pm:
Going into San Francisco After 8 pm:
- Trains from the Pittsburg/Bay Point and Richmond lines heading into San Francisco will not stop at Embarcadero Station. The San Francisco stop closest to the fireworks show for customers on the Pittsburg/Bay Point and Richmond lines will be Montgomery Street Station.
- Trains from the Dublin/Pleasanton and Fremont lines will not stop at Montgomery Street Station but will stop at Embarcadero Station.
- Trains from Millbrae and Daly City will make all stops in San Francisco.
After the fireworks end:
- Passengers bound for Pittsburg/Bay Point and Richmond must use Montgomery Street Station. Trains on these lines will not stop at Embarcadero Station on their way out of San Francisco.
- Passengers on the Dublin/ Pleasanton and Fremont lines must use Embarcadero Station, as trains heading to Dublin/Pleasanton and Fremont will not stop at Montgomery Street Station. Dublin/Pleasanton and Fremont trains will not stop at West Oakland and will make their first East Bay stop at Lake Merritt.
- Daly City and Millbrae passengers should use Montgomery Street Station, which will be less crowded.
Stay Informed: Passengers can check Real Time Departures on their mobile phone (http://m.bart.gov) to see when the next train is leaving or text “BART go” to 468311.
AC Transit offers no special fares for New Year’s Eve other than the Free B Shuttle. AC Transit All Nighter bus lines includes lines 800, 801, 802, 805, 822, 840, and 851 to destinations from Richmond south to Fremont, including downtown Berkeley.
Tip: On New Year’s day all AC Transit local and transbay lines will run on Sunday schedules.
Golden Gate Transit Bus offers no special fares for New Year’s Eve.
Tip: Golden Gate Transit Bus will run on their Holiday schedule on New Year’s Day.
Golden Gate Ferry offers no special fares for New Year’s Eve. It will run on a holiday schedule on New Year’s Eve and will be closed on New Year’s Day.
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MY TAKE:
For many New Year’s Eve is synonymous with drinking. There are few combinations worse than drinking and driving so these 7 Ways to get a free ride home New Year’s Eve gets two enthusiastic thumbs up.
Good to know: The Tipsy Tow and Luxor Cab deals are popular. If you get aced on those deals you still have the free public transit options. If you want to take a cab, click here for a list of SF cab companies and phone numbers.
Bonus: Don’t forget about ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft. Just pay attention to their surge pricing.
Have a happy, safe New Year! Remember to not drink and drive.
P.S. Did I mention how expensive a DUI is? It will negate all the savings amassed from your 2015 deal tracking (and then some.) BTW, if you mess up and get a DUI, send me a note, I know a great criminal defense attorney (no, not me!)
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