BART extending train lengths in response to increasing ridership

BART today started running longer trains on most of its lines in response to a recent surge in ridership. All trains on the Yellow Line, which extends from Antioch to SFO, will be extended from eight cars to nine. The Yellow Line is BART's busiest.

BART is also extending some trains on the Red, Blue, and Green lines. Each line will now feature four eight-car trains in the AM and PM peak. The longer trains will expand capacity as more riders take BART. BART's ridership in August increased by 10% compared with a year ago. BART's strongest ridership days of 2025 have come this month including the highest daily total of the year when 219,918 riders took BART on September 10.

Ridership numbers are increasing as BART has delivered on a series of changes to improve safety, cleanliness, and the overall rider experience. Big wins for riders in 2025 include the earlier than promised installation of Next Generation Fare Gates at all 50 stations, a drop in BART's overall crime rate, an increased visible safety presence, a boost in cleaning for trains and stations, customer on-time performance increasing to 94% for the latest quarter, and BART becoming the first transit system in the Bay Area to offer riders the convenience of Tap and Ride.