SFMTA to bring back F Market and Wharves historic streetcars
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is bringing back the F Market and Wharves historic streetcars May 15.
SFMTA staff worked closely with Castro Merchants, SF Travel, Community Benefit Districts including Mid Market, Yerba Buena, Fisherman’s Wharf, Castro Upper Market, as well as district supervisors and other key stakeholders in the effort to bring the F Market and Wharves back into service in time for the summer season. The F Market & Wharves is popular with tourists and visitors and is a priority for small businesses along Market Street and the Embarcadero.
With resources enabling a single daily shift, stakeholders were invited to select the specific hours of operation for the restored line. Based on their choice, trains from Castro to Fisherman’s Wharf will run from approximately 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Return trips from Fisherman’s Wharf to Castro will run from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
When Better Market Street begins construction, SFMTA plans to continue to run the F Market and Wharves full route as a combination of historic streetcar service and bus shuttle. The project team is exploring ways to limit construction impacts and will continue to work closely with businesses to support F Market & Wharves service.
Additional rail service returning
On May 15, SFMTA will also reopen all Muni Metro subway stations. Full rail service will be restored on the N Judah between Ocean Beach and Caltrain. The combined KT Ingleside-Third will operate between Sunnydale and Balboa Park, through West Portal.
With the restoration of the F Market & Wharves, N Judah and KT Ingleside-Third, the full Market Street corridor and several of the city’s major commercial hubs will have more service and connectivity. Since Jan. 23, 91 percent of San Franciscans are now within two to three blocks of a Muni stop. And this includes 100 percent of residents in San Francisco’s neighborhoods identified in the Muni Service Equity Strategy.
Along with the Muni service being restored in May, SFMTA expects to be able to expand service so that 98 percent of San Franciscans will have access to Muni within two to three blocks by the end of the summer. SFMTA says staff is working hard to support San Francisco’s economic recovery and reopening and the return of tourists, office workers and other visitors.
