Alcatraz Island: Tickets and Ferry Planning from San Francisco

Alcatraz ferries leave from Alcatraz Landing at Pier 33, near the intersection of The Embarcadero and Bay Street. The terminal sits on the San Francisco waterfront, so plan your journey to Pier 33 rather than looking for a departure point on the island.

All access to Alcatraz is by ferry. Private vessels cannot dock on the island, so a ticket with the official ferry operator is essential for a visit.

If you are building a waterfront day around your trip, the Ferry Building is another nearby landmark and transit stop; a guide to the Ferry Building and its waterfront setting can help you plan what to combine.

Alcatraz City Cruises LLC is the private ferry company under contract with the National Park Service, and Alcatraz City Cruises is the official ferry service provider to the island. The National Park Service recommends buying tickets before the day of your visit. Summer and holiday-weekend sailings may sell out several weeks in advance.

Ticket prices depend on the tour package. You can buy tickets online, by telephone at (415) 981-7625, or in person at the Pier 33 ticket office. For current schedules, prices and advance purchases, check the official site before you go.

San Francisco departures begin at 8:45 a.m., with ferries running approximately every 30 to 40 minutes. You can return on any ferry, subject to the day’s service and island closing time. The crossing takes about 12–15 minutes each way.

Allow at least two to three hours for the island, as the National Park Service recommends. You can stay longer, but your visit needs to fit the island’s closing time and ferry service. The island closes at 6:30 p.m. in summer and 4:30 p.m. in fall, winter and spring.

The Cellhouse audio tour is included with the ferry ticket and takes 45–60 minutes. You can also explore island exhibits or join free talks and tours; daily ranger-program details are posted at the dock.

The Cellhouse and island landscape make a natural sequence: take in the setting, then leave time for the audio tour and any programs that fit your schedule.

Public transportation is the National Park Service’s recommendation for reaching Pier 33, and the historic Muni F Line streetcars run past Alcatraz Landing. From Bay Hotel, Civic Center is about five minutes on foot; plan your onward transit to the waterfront from there.

There is no parking at Alcatraz Landing. Commercial parking lots are nearby, but spaces are not provided at the terminal; public transportation avoids the need to park at the pier.

If you are staying around Civic Center, the trip to the waterfront is one part of a wider city route. A practical look at getting around San Francisco from the Civic Center area can help you connect the waterfront with other stops.

Alcatraz involves steep walking routes, but accessible services are available. The route from the dock to the Cellhouse is about 0.2 miles, with a 130-foot elevation change; most island roads and walking routes have extreme slopes.

The accessible S.E.A.T. electric shuttle transports visitors with mobility impairments between the dock and Cellhouse, running approximately every half hour in each direction. Other features include an elevator to the Cellhouse second story, accessible restrooms, assistive listening devices, open captioning, Braille materials, and audio-described and American Sign Language tour options.

Alcatraz Landing is fully accessible. Limited accessible parking is available there on a first-come, first-served basis for visitors displaying a disabled placard.

Food on the island is limited to dry snacks and candy sold at the bookstore. Bring a light jacket or sweater, since island weather can change unexpectedly. Alcatraz closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, and may close rarely because of extreme weather.