Bay to Breakers 2025: These maps show race route, street closures and transit impacts

San Francisco Chronicle​

18-05-2025

Thousands of runners will crowd San Francisco streets in creative costumes Sunday for the Bay to Breakers race, wreaking havoc on traffic and public transportation as participants parade from the Embarcadero to Ocean Beach.
Runners reveling in the party-like atmosphere will depart at 8 a.m. Sunday from the downtown starting line at Howard and Main streets. The westward route cuts through SoMa, Hayes Valley and Haight-Ashbury before cruising through Golden Gate Park and ending at the coast with a view of crashing ocean waves.
Meanwhile, the 12-kilometer race will prompt street closures, bus reroutes and other service impacts that could snarl traffic and hinder anyone attempting to navigate San Francisco this weekend.
Bay Area public transit agencies, including Muni, BART and Caltrain, plan to provide extra service to help people get to, from and around the race.
Here's everything to know — for those trying to reach the race or avoid it altogether — about road closures and public transit service changes happening this weekend.
Getting to the race on public transportation
Four special BART trains running Sunday morning will drop riders off at Embarcadero Station about an hour ahead of the race, according to the agency.
People can board the limited-service trains at 16th Street Mission, Bay Fair, Daly City, El Cerrito del Norte, Dublin/Pleasanton, MacArthur, Millbrae, Pleasant Hill/City Center and West Oakland.
BART parking is free on Sundays.
Caltrain is also offering two pre-race trains that will deliver South Bay residents to downtown San Francisco ahead of the race. From the Caltrain station in San Francisco, people can either hop on the N-Judah train or walk 1.4 miles to the race start line.
The agency recommends that people purchase tickets ahead of time, expect large crowds and arrive 20 minutes before their departure time.
Muni will add service to and from the race on several bus routes, including the 5X, 5R, 28, N-Judah and S-Shuttle, which runs from West Portal to Embarcadero.
The Market Street subway will open at 6 a.m. Sunday for early service. Muni will also open the West Portal, Forest Hill, Castro, Church, Van Ness and Embarcadero stations at 6 a.m. Sunday.
The Civic Center, Powell and Montgomery stations, meanwhile, will open at 7:40 a.m. for normal weekend service starting at 8 a.m.
Other public transportation service changes
Muni encourages people not participating in the race to avoid impacted areas Sunday morning due to major reroutes and delays in train and bus service.
Routes that cross the race course will be split into two sections, with no service between them, according to Muni. Those bus routes include the 14, 14R, 19, 22, 24, 27, 33 and 43 lines. People can disembark from one section, walk across the race and catch the bus on the other side.
The 30 and 45 buses will not serve the South of Market neighborhood, and the 49 bus will not serve areas south of Van Ness Avenue and McAllister Street or anywhere north of Van Ness Avenue and Market Street.
Some bus routes on Market and Mission streets, including the 6, 7, 9, 14, 49 and KLM Owls, will end at Market, 10th or 11th streets, according to Muni.
Bus riders can cross Golden Gate Park on the 18, 28, 29 or 44 routes, although they should expect delays due to 'heavy ridership and traffic.'
Muni also warned that routes operating parallel to the course, including the N-Judah train and 5, 28, 29 and 31 buses, will probably experience crowding and delays.
Street closures
Some roads located near the start and finish lines will be closed Saturday night:
Howard Street between Embarcadero and Beale Street closed from 7 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday
Steuart Street south of Mission Street closed from 7 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday
Spear Street between Mission and Folsom streets closed from 7 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday
Main Street between Mission and Folsom streets closed from 7 p.m. Saturday to 5 p.m. Sunday
La Playa Street between Cabrillo and Fulton streets closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday
Westbound Fulton Street between the Great Highway and 46th Avenue closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday
Eastbound Fulton Street between the Great Highway and 48th Avenue closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday
Lincoln Way between the Great Highway and La Playa Street closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday
The Great Highway between Sloat Boulevard and John F. Kennedy Drive closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday
More roads located along the race route will close starting early Sunday: