Learn about the top seven best Transit Apps for navigating public transportation in the Bay Area.

With BART, commuter and light rail, regional bus systems, and ferries crisscrossing its nine counties, the San Francisco Bay Area is packed with public transportation options. But making connections between transit lines and keeping track of departure and arrival times can be challenging, with nearly two dozen different public transportation services.

While the major public transit apps (including the aptly named Transit) all can do a fine job of getting you around the Bay Area, a handful of free regional transportation apps for iPhone and Android focus specifically on getting you around the San Francisco Bay Area and offer routes, schedules, transit maps, and real-time departure times for the bus, train, and ferry services that cover the region.

How Do I Use a Public Transit App?

Public transportation apps all work in the same way: Enter your current location, set your destination, choose a departure time, and hit "Go." Some will give the option of selecting a transportation service, such as bus or subway. The app will then show you step-by-step instructions, including travel times. Some will also alert you when you need to make a transfer.

Do any Bay Area Regional Services Have Their Own Official Apps?

Different local transit authorities take different approaches to apps. BART, for example, supports third-party developers and doesn't have an official app. MUNI takes another approach, offering an official app that helps you buy tickets and plan trips on its train, bus, and cable-car lines.

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