You can get to Space Sciences Laboratory using a combination of public transportation options. BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) is the train system that connects the San Francisco Bay Area, including the Oakland and San Francisco International Airports, and fares run from just $1.50 for a few stops to $5.90 one-way from SFO. AC Transit is the Alameda County bus system that runs mostly on the East Bay with local fares of $1.75, and includes a Transbay bus to San Francisco for $3.50. Once you get into Berkeley there is the UC Berkeley campus shuttle that runs in the downtown Berkeley area, around campus, and up the hill to Lawrence Hall of Science and Space Sciences Laboratory. This shuttle is free for UC Berkeley faculty, staff, and students, and $1 for each shuttle for the general public.
All public transport options also allow bicycles, but each may have different rules applying. Please check their websites for details about bicycles.
If you are arriving at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), please visit http://www.bart.gov/guide/airport/inbound_sfo.aspx for directions to the BART station within the airport. Then follow the BART instructions below.
If you are arriving at Oakland International Airport (OAK), please visit http://www.bart.gov/guide/airport/inbound_oak.aspx for directions. You will have to take AirBART, a special BART bus, that will take you to the nearest BART station. AirBART fare is $3, exact change only. Then follow the BART instructions below.
By BART:
You will want to get to the Downtown Berkeley BART station. The Downtown Berkeley BART Station is on both the Richmond-Daly City/Colma (Red) and the Richmond-Fremont (Orange) BART lines. You may need to transfer onto the Red or Orange lines if you are starting from the Pittsburg (Yellow), Dublin/Pleasanton (Blue), or Daly City-Fremont (Green) lines.
Please visit www.bart.gov to find out more specific fare, schedule, and station information
Upon your exit of the BART terminal, you will be on Shattuck Avenue, on a brick plaza. Cross the street to the Bank of America on the east side of Shattuck so you are on the corner of Center Street and Shattuck Avenue. You can then take either the AC Transit #65 line or the UC Berkeley campus shuttle up to SSL.
BY AC Transit #65 line:
The #65 Eastbound bus leaves downtown Berkeley approximately at :10 and :40 every hour on weekdays, and only on :30 on the weekends. Check the terminal disply in front of Bank of America for accurate times. The fare is $1.75 for adults.
Also note that the #65 line does not take you directly to Space Sciences Laboratory! You may either exit at the Grizzly Peak Blvd. and Senior Avenue stop and walk south along Grizzly Peak Blvd towards SSL, or ask the driver to stop at the corner of Grizzly Peak and Centennial Drive (which is closer to SSL), or take the #65 to Lawrence Hall of Science and walk back up to SSL.
SSL is off of Centennial Drive just west (a right turn) of Grizzly Peak Blvd, then a left turn up a driveway. There is a small sign saying "Gauss Way" and "Space Sciences Laboratory", but they can be hard to see. If you choose to walk up from Lawrence Hall of Science, it is ~300 stairs up and takes about 10 minutes to walk up.
There are three buildings up in our complex: the brown building to your right if you walk up from Lawrence Hall of Science is MSRI (Math Sciences Research Institute). You will need to walk past that to the two Silver buildings, both of which are SSL. We are in the newer Addition) to your right, marked "8" above the double doors. If you cross a little bridge to enter the building, you're in the older Silver building! The perspective from the driveway whether you are driving or walking is that the newer Addition building will be to your left.
Please visit www.actransit.org for more specific fare and schedule information.
By UC Berkeley Campus Shuttle:
To catch the UC Berkeley Campus Shuttle bus to SSL, walk north on Shattuck, passing Bank of America on your right, to the corner Addison Street.
You'll want to catch the "P" or Perimeter Shuttle Bus, which departs every twelve minutes, at :12, :24, :36, and :48 every hour. The fare is $1.
Remain on the shuttle until you arrive at the Hearst Mining Circle on the UC campus. Get off the shuttle. The Hearst Circle is next to the tall Evans Hall Bldg. and a grassy glade with a circular founatin in it. The Hearst Mining Circle is a transfer point for catching different UC shuttles. Remain at the Mining Circle stop until the "H" Hill Shuttle arrives.
The Hill Shuttle ("H"), which generally departs at ten and forty minutes after the hour, will take you to SSL. The fare is $1. The ride is about 10 minutes till you get off. You can tell the driver you are going to SSL and they will let you know when to get off. (EXCEPTION: You may take the "H" shuttle direclty from downtown Berkeley at the corner of Shattuck and Addison at 7:35am ONLY. Otherwise you will have to take both the "P" and the "H" throughout the day.)
The "H" Shuttle will take you directly to the Space Sciences Lab (SSL is the last stop on the Hill Shuttle route -- where the bus turns around to head back down the hill to Mining Circle). Get off here.
The Center for Science Education at SSL is located in the newer building, on the second floor in Room # 233.
Please visit http://pt.berkeley.edu/around/transit/routes for more specific schedule information.
FOR WEEKEND VISITORS USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Please note that the UC Berkeley campus shuttle does not run on the weekends! THE ONLY EXCEPTION IS CAL DAY, April 18th, 2009, when the campus shuttles run a special schedule this Saturday and is FREE for everyone.
If you are visiting us on a weekend other than Cal Day, please plan to take the #65 AC Transit Bus ONLY and check for their weekend schedule.