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Bay Area Bridge Tolls and BART Fares Rise Jan. 1 as New Carpool Rules Take Effect

Regional agencies say the increases will fund bridge maintenance to help close transit budget gaps.

Overview

  • Tolls on the seven state-owned Bay Area bridges increase by $0.50 at midnight to $8.50 for two-axle vehicles, with the Golden Gate Bridge excluded from this change.
  • The toll hike is the first of annual increases scheduled each January through 2030, with a tiered structure beginning in 2027 that favors FasTrak over license plate accounts and invoicing.
  • Updated carpool policies require three occupants for half-price tolls during weekday peak periods, with FasTrak Flex set to “3+” at most bridges and stricter lane rules on the Bay Bridge.
  • Vehicles with two occupants may use carpool lanes at six bridges without receiving the discount, while the Bay Bridge continues to require three or more people to use carpool lanes.
  • BART implements a 6.2% fare increase that lifts the average trip to $5.18 and raises station parking rates by 40 cents at most locations, as the agency projects $15.6 million in added revenue against a $376 million deficit for fiscal 2027.