Oakland Alameda Water Shuttle on July 17, 2024

Thanks to the City of Alameda, San Francisco Bay Ferry, and the Port of Oakland, there’s a new, fun (and free) way to commute between Oakland and Alameda!

The long awaited Oakland Alameda Water Shuttle recently made her maiden voyage and I was on it!

My younger daughter and I got on the very first trip out of Alameda on July 17, 2024. We boarded a little after 7 a.m. and the 45-foot-long yellow pontoon named “Woodstock” departed promptly at 7:15 a.m.

I even got to talk with reporter, Allie Rasmus of local news station, KTVU, based in Jack London Square.

I told the reporter that I was “excited to have an alternative to driving” between the two East Bay cities

About the Oakland Alameda Water Shuttle

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • It can carry 31 passengers and 14 bicycles
  • Free – no cost to passengers (The Water Shuttle is a two-year pilot service provided by a public-private partnership and supported by a growing team of agencies and organizations)
  • It runs Wednesday through Sunday from 7 am to about 8 pm (visit the City of Alameda website for current Service Schedules)
  • Pets in enclosed carriers are allowed

It’s advertised as a 10-minute ride, but that includes the time it takes to board the shuttle and leave the dock. The actual time it takes to cross the estuary is only about two minutes.

Bohol Circle Immigrant Park in Alameda

The Alameda stop is located in Bohol Circle Immigrant Park, which is walking distance to restaurants and shops at Alameda Landing, like In-N-Out, Safeway, Target, and more.

Jack London Square in Oakland

The Oakland stop is located at Jack London Square, where there is a movie theater, an indoor/outdoor entertainment venue with bocce, bowling, and arcade; shops and restaurants, including a French bistro.

currently, there are 37 scheduled trips per day
on the way to Jack London Square
Woodstock is operated by San Francisco Bay Ferry pilots
riders were given swag (like this leather key ring and cute rubber ducky) on the water shuttle’s first day of operation (July 17, 2024)

A new way to get around the Bay and beyond

I’m excited that locals and visitors alike have another way to get around the Bay Area without driving!

For example, upon arriving in Jack London Square from Alameda by water shuttle, you can walk or ride your bike a few short blocks to the 12th Street BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) station, where you can catch BART to San Francisco or pretty much anywhere in the Bay Area.

If you want to venture further afield, you can catch an Amtrak train from the nearby Oakland Jack London Square (OKJ) station. You can go north to Sacramento, the state capital, or south to Santa Clara (GAC) station to attend a concert or watch a game at Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers.