Trouble making payment? If you experience difficulty making a payment through our parking software at the ferry terminal, please know that parking enforcement will be suspended during any confirmed system outage. We actively monitor real-time alerts to verify outages. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding.
Alameda is served by three SF Bay Ferry terminals, offering picturesque travel to San Francisco and Oakland, as well as one Park & Ride lot serving multiple AC Transit bus lines.
Direct weekday commute service between Alameda and downtown San Francisco. Information about how to bike, walk, or take the bus (0.4 miles away) to the terminal is on the Get Around Alameda page.
Parking lot: The lot has 400 spaces, including 10 with EV charging. A limited number of spaces designated for shoreline access have a posted 2-hour time limit. Park only in designated parking spaces; do not park on wood chips or dashed areas.
Paid parking: Paid parking is in effect Tu/We/Th only to open up spaces on on these busy days and to offset security costs. The rates are $0.75/hr or $3/day. Paid parking covers a 10-hour window between 6:00am and 4:00pm. You can pay via app, text, or pay station. A $0.35 Transaction Fee applies to mobile payments.
Security: An on-site security guard serves Seaplane Lagoon and Main Street ferry terminals.
EV charging: Ten spaces offer Level II EV charging. Vehicles in these spaces must be connected to the charging stations.
Restrooms: There are no public restrooms available at the ferry terminal, but the Seaplane Lagoon Promenade has public restrooms less than 800 feet north via the pedestrian path. The ferries also have restrooms.
Location: 1701 Ferry Point Road, Alameda
The Main Street Ferry Terminal serves the Oakland & Alameda route with service to Oakland’s Jack London Square, San Francisco, and South San Francisco. Find bus and bicycle route information on the Get Around Alameda page.
Parking lot: Parking for 324 cars is available in the ferry terminal parking lot at 2990 Main Street. Parking is free and paid parking is not planned for this ferry terminal due to low parking occupancy.
Security: An on-site security guard serves Seaplane Lagoon and Main Street ferry terminals.
Restrooms: Restrooms are available at the terminal (with limited hours) and on ferries.
Location: 2990 Main Street, Alameda
The Harbor Bay Ferry Route offers direct weekday commute service to San Francisco. Find bus and bicycle information on the Get Around Alameda page. AC Transit bus line 31 serves Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal and is free with a Clipper transfer to the ferry!
Parking lot: The ferry terminal parking lot holds 250 cars and two motorcycles. Nearby neighborhood streets are part of a preferential parking permit zone, with time limits for those without permits. Look for signs with posted time limits.
Paid parking: Paid parking is in effect Tu/We/Th only to open up spaces on on these busy days and to offset security costs. The rates are $0.75/hr or $3/day. Paid parking covers a 10-hour window between 6:00am and 4:00pm. You can pay via app, text, or pay station. A $0.35 Transaction Fee applies to mobile payments.
Security: An on-site security guard patrols this terminal.
Restrooms: Restrooms are available at the terminal (with limited hours) and on ferries.
Location: 215 Adelphian Way, Alameda
The Island Drive Park & Ride lot on Bay Farm is served by multiple AC Transit bus lines, including service to Oakland, San Francisco, BART, ferry, and Alameda middle and high schools.
Location: Island Drive between Doolittle Dr and Robert Davey Jr Dr
On February 3, 2026, dedicated security and midweek paid parking will launch at the Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal. Security and paid parking began in the Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal in 2025. Download the ParkSmarter app so you can pay after boarding your ferry!
For years, Alameda policy has called for paid parking at ferry terminals to ensure open parking spaces for people taking later ferries, and to encourage people to bike, walk, or ride the bus to the ferry if they are able. The City put this project on pause during the pandemic, then launched midweek paid parking with enhanced security at Harbor Bay in fall 2025 and Seaplane Lagoon in early 2026.
Ferry riders are able to use mobile payment to pay after boarding the ferry, or use pay stations in the lot. The City's Ferry Terminal Parking Pricing Strategy starts with a $3/day rate at the Seaplane Lagoon and Harbor Bay Ferry Terminals. Then, at limited intervals (no more often than quarterly) and with at least two weeks advance notice, the rate may rise by $1/day if the lot is consistently overfull, and reduce again by $1/day if the lot is consistently too empty. Revenues help pay for increased security.
Ferry Terminal Parking Pricing Strategy (October 2024)
Presentation slides (October 2024)
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Actions
- February 2026: Security and paid parking launching at the Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal. Press release.
- October 2025: Paid parking launched at the Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal. Press release.
- May 2025: A new security guard began work at the Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal. Press release.
- October 2024: The City Council approved a contract to purchase pay stations and launch mobile payment, and received an update on the Ferry Terminal Parking Pricing Strategy. Staff report.
- December 2022: The Transportation Commission endorsed the draft Ferry Terminal Parking Pricing Strategy with a few requested changes that were made in the final version. Staff report.
Plans Calling for Paid Parking at Ferry Terminals