Bay Crossings

Bay Crossings operates a retail space in the Ferry building and a counter in the Embarcadero BART Station. I’m uncertain of all they do as they also write a magazine for commuters which I have never read.
I’ve used the Ferry Building location without problems my review concerns the counter they operate on the lobby level of the Embarcadero BART Station. It is located just west of the easterly BART Station Agent’s Booth (on the South Side of the station).
The positives for this service are many. If you need a clipper card you can get one or even the Senior Clipper Card with proof of your age immediately at this location. This is a lot easier than going to the SFMTA office on South Van Ness but I note Bay Crossings cannot enroll you in the SFMTA Free MUNI service.
To get free MUNI service (SF Residents who are qualified seniors with proof of residence) you need to already have a Senior Clipper Card and then need to fill out a SFMTA form on line or drop off a form at SFMTA Customer Service on South Van Ness and wait two weeks for them to activate the service. I was wrongly informed by a BART agent I could do all of this at Bay Crossings but only could get the Senior Clipper and then had to do the extra footwork to get the free MUNI option.
I should note to anyone who goes for free MUNI — get the Senior Clipper at Bay Crossings then do the SFMTA form on line and wait two weeks for your approval letter to arrive in the mail. This is the fastest route… I also note to Seniors SFTMA has granted access to some San Francisco Seniors. The Senior pass DOES NOT INCLUDE Cable Car Service which is charged at standard rates (i guess they figure SF Seniors are smart enough not to bother using crowded cable cars full of tourists) or SFMTA just wants to keep senior off of the cars.
The Embarcadero counter was very helpful and professional in my dealings when I got my Senior Clipper Card 6 months ago. The counter was at that time staffed by polite young women who had great customer service skills.
Then
I had to use the counter recently and it was staffed by three meat head guys were were more interested in Bssing with themselves than waiting on anyone in line. I had to run to an appointment and just thought I would go back later. About 10 days later I tried and only two of the meat heads were there ignoring their customers so I just gave up.
If you want service from guys who act like frat boys at a bar then waste your time go here otherwise avoid the place. In theory this place saves people a lot of time and hassle — but only when it is staffed by customer service oriented people. If you own this place dump the dummy guys and get the polite gals back…

Bay crossing is a mixed purpose retail storefront inside the ferry building. If you need anything public transit related this the spot. You can get tickets and other general information on just about any public transportation that San Francisco offers here. Most notably the ferry’s. Note that it helps if you have an idea of where/​what you want to do and go. The staff may or may not be fully able to answer a question like «what should I do in the city?» but there’s a ton of city guides available here as well to help you with that.
Bay Crossing also has a variety of retail items available. They focus on local artists/​products and tend to be better quality then the more common touristy ticky tacky found around the city.
The handbags for example are both artistically pleasing and functional.
You can find cheaper items for sure, but those cheap items won’t hold up if you actually try to use them. Not so at Bay Crossings.
This location can make a day out and about more pleasant, as not only is the ferry building a fairly stress free location, but you can avoid the scrum of trying to get a ticket while boarding a bus/​trolley/​cable car/​train/​ferry.

Not much to say about Bay Crossings, other than if you’re a commuter, this definitely needs to be your one stop shop for all your Clipper, MTA, Ferry, and other public transportation needs. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, quick to serve, and even quicker to offer advice as to get to your destination in the fastest, and cheapest way.
Of course it’s also a retail establishment, so you have your Clipper card covers, bags, totes, SF memorabilia and other such trinkets to add to your commuting value, but as far as taking care of you when you need it most, this place has it all for the countless commuters in and around SF.
Plus, what better location than in the famous Ferry Building Marketplace?

Needed a replacement clipper card cuz mine broke. Was told to come here. Claim they open at 6:45 but it’s 7:03 and the moody and late chick just walked in to open. I ask how long it’s gonna take her to open and she barked out ‘a few minutes’. Guess I gotta wait for her to get off the phone first. Very unprofessional to be more than 15mins late and then have the nerves to have an attitude. Then when she finally opens (@ 7:10) instead of apologizing, she says well they’ve been open at the Bart station since 6am. Wait? What??? Yeah and u are SUPPOSED to be open at 645 moron!

This store invented the Hook and Go shopping cart caddy. It helps you to carry up to 12 plastic shopping bags from you car to the kitchen. It is also great for Farmers Markets so you don’t have to schlep all of your bags.
My father bought one of these about 10 years ago and it just broke. So I called the phone number on their website. The owner answered at 6pm on a Saturday night while he was out to dinner and took care of my father on that phone call.
I wish I could give 10 stars.
This is the epitome of Customer Service.

I love the Baylink!!! The ride to Vallejo from SF Ferry building always runs like clockwork (uh oh no jinxing…) Who can go wrong with a beer on the ferry and plenty of space? Get there early though if you are going at a peak time like 5:15pm because it is first come first serve. The one way trip from pier to pier will cost you about 13 bucks. What a great way to travel!

I’ve been buying my Vallejo Baylink ferry pass here for years now. Yesterday, I find out they no longer take American Express. WTF? I know I’m probably overreacting but it totally pisses me off! Now there’s absolutely no incentive for me to buy my pass here instead of at the Vallejo ferry terminal. Thankfully, my days of riding the ferry are numbered as I’ll be moving to Walnut Creek next month. Nevertheless, are you seriously telling me that paying 2% on a transaction instead of 1% is that big a fucking deal?

I don’t know if this is as good as it gets but I have no complaints except one (later). This little shop is just a kiosk like all the others in the Ferry Bldg. and this is where you buy your ferry tickets. I’ve never had any problems, the sellers don’t have an attitude or anything, they get you your ticket and off you go. But, today I need a map (or many maps) and Unilocal tells me this is where I can probably get them – and it’s within walking distance of work so I’m going to peruse their local maps. My onliest complaint is that I wish this shop were on the Bay side of the building so they could sell tickets to the ferries through a little window or at least so it’d be more convenient for those people who don’t know to buy their ticket in advance who try to board the ferry (maybe thinking they pay onboard) who then have to run and find the kiosk while we wait. Or maybe someday the ferry board will figure out how to have machines that will sell you a ferry ticket (like, right near the various ferry entrances?). Swipe your card or shove your crumpled dollars in and out pops a ticket. Oh, one more complaint (little one), I take the ferry to go see my mom and I am usually carrying a dufflebag and sometimes shopping bags (if I’m dragging things for holiday gatherings or if mom wanted something or if I found stuff I want to give her) and the aisle in the kiosk are narrow and hard to manuever if you’re practicing your beast of burden routine. Maybe they could move the checkout counter to the outer side of the shop.

Good place to get discount BART tix…

A quaint little kiosk, staffed with friendly and helpful peeps.
Tickets for the ferry, maps for the tourists, water and snacks and an interesting collection of San Francisco souvenirs.
All part of what makes the Ferry Building so unique!

so if you were going to buy a ferry ticket, where would you go to buy it?
a. at fisherman’s wharf cuz you like to stand in line with the hordes of people wearing hooters t-​shirt.
b. at the ferry plaza farmers market cuz you like to stroll through the shops and restaurants with the frisco elites.
c. both a and b.
d. none of the above. i don’t do ferry.
if you pick ‘a’, you are a masochist.
if you pick ‘b’, you are an elitist.
if you pick ‘c’, you are an elite masochist.
if you pick ‘d’, what the fug is wrong with you?
i pick ‘b’…cuz i would rather be an elitist than a masochist, but not an elite masochist.

Bobby and the crew… keep doin’ it! It gets better every year…

An odd little shop, but kudos to the Port of San Francisco for selling maps, mags, souveneer items, ferry tickets here. The building and the ferries outside are the crown jewel of a big beurocracy, a good argument for what local government can do right.

A trip to Sausalito or Tiberon
$ 6 one way ticket
$ 5 beer (on the ferry)
$ 8 disposable camera
$ 18 lunch
$ 0 art gallery
Total = priceless!
*see pics