The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system sent its first trains rumbling under the streets of San Francisco and neighboring Berkeley in 1972. Ever since, BART trains have served as an essential link between the major cities of the Bay Area, and provided reliable, passenger-friendly transport among them (in 2004, BART was named the best American transit system by the American Public Transportation Association).

BART serves three separate stations within the city of Berkeley—Ashby (at Ashby Ave. and Adeline St. in southern Berkeley), Downtown Berkeley (on Shattuck Ave., the busiest of the stations) and North Berkeley (near Sacramento St. and Virginia St.). All three stations are accessible via both the red (Richmond-Daly City) and orange (Richmond-Fremont) BART lines, and you can catch connections to the AC Transit bus service at both the Downtown and North Berkeley Stations.

Be aware, service generally shuts down at midnight and fares on the BART vary according to the distance of your trip. Though it is still generally reasonable (the most expensive fare is still well under $10), BART can be pricier than many metros. For example, to go from the Downtown Berkeley station to Powell St. in downtown San Francisco will cost $3.25.