After MuniMobile stops selling single-ride tickets on September 1, 2026, tap a contactless bank card or phone wallet for a few full-fare adult rides, buy the $5.70 Muni Day Pass for a full day of buses, trains, and streetcars, or compare a Visitor Passport when your plans include $9 cable-car rides. Use Clipper instead of a bank card if you need a reduced fare or the $2.85 inter-agency transfer discount.
A MuniMobile single ride bought before the cutoff remains valid for 30 days from its individual purchase date. The whole app does not close on September 1; SFMTA expects to retire it completely by mid-2027. SFMTA announced the transition on August 13, 2026.
Enter paid Muni fare periods—not every boarding—and add current Passport prices to find the cheapest option.
The default models one day with two paid Muni fare periods, no cable cars, and no regional legs. Enter Passport prices from the current SFMTA offer if you want them included.
Optional Current Visitor Passport Prices
| Method | Default Calculation | Trip Total | Coverage And Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct bank card or phone wallet | 2 × $2.85 + 0 × $9 | $5.70 | Full adult Muni fare and separate cable-car fares. No Clipper inter-agency discount. |
| Clipper pay-as-you-go | 2 × $2.85 + 0 × $9 | $5.70 | Same listed Muni fare, with possible $2.85 discount for each qualifying inter-agency transfer. |
| Clipper Muni Day Pass strategy | 1 × $5.70 + 0 × $9 | $5.70 | Covers ordinary Muni for each selected day; cable cars remain separate. |
| 1-Day Visitor Passport | 1 required; price not entered | — | Covers eligible Muni and cable cars, not BART. |
| 3-Day Visitor Passport | 1 required; price not entered | — | Covers eligible Muni and cable cars, not BART. |
| 7-Day Visitor Passport | 1 required; price not entered | — | Covers eligible Muni and cable cars, not BART. |
Source: SFMTA published fares and MuniMobile retirement guidance supplied with this article. Figures used: $2.85 adult Clipper/direct fare, $5.70 Muni Day Pass, $9 cable-car ride, 120-minute travel period, and $2.85 qualifying Clipper inter-agency transfer discount. Passport and regional-operator fares are not supplied.
The Best Replacement Depends on the Day’s Route
For one or two paid Muni fare periods, direct contactless payment is usually the least complicated replacement. Tap an accepted contactless credit or debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay on the vehicle reader or at a Muni Metro fare gate. The listed adult fare is $2.85, including a 120-minute Muni travel period.
Two $2.85 fares equal the $5.70 Muni Day Pass price. At three or more separate fare periods in one day, the Day Pass costs less than buying each period individually. It covers Muni buses, light rail, historic streetcars, and other eligible Muni service, but it excludes cable cars.
Cable-car plans change the calculation because an adult cable-car ride costs $9. A Visitor Passport includes cable cars and covered Muni service, while a Muni Day Pass does not. The supplied fare information does not include current 1-, 3-, or 7-Day Visitor Passport prices, so those prices must be checked before purchase rather than inferred here.
Clipper becomes the better choice when the trip includes a qualifying transfer to or from BART, a ferry, or another Bay Area operator. The $2.85 inter-agency transfer discount applies through Clipper, not when a bank card is tapped directly. This distinction can make Clipper cheaper even when its ordinary Muni fare matches the direct-contactless fare.
| Trip Pattern | Best Starting Choice | Main Catch |
|---|---|---|
| One or two full-fare Muni periods | Contactless bank card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay | Each rider needs a separate payment credential |
| A bus-and-train day with three or more paid periods | $5.70 Muni Day Pass | Cable cars are excluded |
| A day that includes cable cars | Compare a Visitor Passport with separate $9 cable-car fares | Passport prices are not supplied here; check the current price |
| Muni plus BART, ferry, or another operator | Clipper | Transfer eligibility and timing rules still apply |
| Senior, disabled, Lifeline, or another reduced-fare rider | Appropriately configured Clipper | A direct bank-card tap charges the full adult fare |
| Youth age 18 or under | No fare on regular Muni service | Cable cars are excluded from the free-youth rule |
Direct Bank-Card Taps Replace Simple Adult Tickets
Direct tap-to-pay uses the same visible readers as Clipper, but the bank card does not become a Clipper card. It simply pays the full adult Muni fare using the selected credit card, debit card, Apple Pay card, or Google Pay card.
The fare is $2.85, the same listed adult single fare as Clipper. Muni’s 120-minute travel benefit applies, so a transfer or return boarding within that period does not necessarily require another fare. When estimating costs, count paid 120-minute fare periods rather than counting every vehicle boarded. SFMTA lists current fares and payment rules.
Take the intended card out of a wallet or purse before tapping. Presenting several contactless cards at once can cause the reader to detect a different card from the one intended. If paying from a phone wallet, select the correct wallet card before touching the reader. SFMTA’s tap-to-pay guidance explains the payment process.
Direct payment is individual. Three adults need three separate physical cards or separately backed wallet cards; repeatedly tapping one bank card does not pay for the entire group. A group can mix methods, such as one person using Clipper, another using Apple Pay, and an eligible youth riding regular Muni free.
Clipper Preserves Discounts And Regional Connections
Use a plastic or digital Clipper card when the fare depends on eligibility, a pass, or a qualifying connection between transit agencies. Clipper works across Bay Area transit, including Muni, BART, ferries, and other participating operators.
A direct bank-card tap does not recognize senior, disabled, Lifeline, youth, or other reduced-fare eligibility. It charges the full adult fare. Riders entitled to a reduced fare should use a Clipper card configured for that fare rather than expecting the bank reader to identify their eligibility.
Clipper also matters for the $2.85 inter-agency transfer discount. A tapped bank card receives Muni’s 120-minute travel benefit but not this Clipper-only regional discount. Travelers connecting between Muni and BART, a ferry, or another operator should use the same eligible Clipper credential throughout the qualifying trip.
Some existing Clipper cards may require an upgrade for newer features. Check the current card status before relying on an older plastic card for a time-sensitive connection.
The Day Pass Wins After Two Full-Priced Periods
The listed Muni Day Pass costs $5.70, exactly twice the $2.85 Clipper or direct-contactless fare. That creates a simple break point for an adult paying full fare:
| Separate Paid Muni Periods In One Day | Singles At $2.85 | $5.70 Day Pass | Lower Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.85 | $5.70 | Singles |
| 2 | $5.70 | $5.70 | Tie |
| 3 | $8.55 | $5.70 | Day Pass |
These are paid fare periods, not necessarily boardings. If two boardings fall within one 120-minute adult travel period, they may represent one fare rather than two.
The Day Pass excludes cable cars. A visitor spending the day on ordinary buses, Muni Metro, and historic streetcars can use it without paying for each period, but a cable-car itinerary needs separate cable-car fares or an eligible Visitor Passport.
Cable Cars Make The Visitor Passport Relevant
An adult cable-car ride costs $9, so even a small number of cable-car rides can dominate the day’s transit cost. Visitor Passports cover cable cars and eligible Muni service but do not cover BART.
The available figures do not establish current prices for the 1-, 3-, and 7-Day Visitor Passports. Enter the prices currently offered by SFMTA into the picker above. It will compare the required number of Passports with direct taps, Clipper fares, Day Passes, and separate cable-car fares.
Do not buy a Visitor Passport merely because it covers more modes. For a light day with one ordinary Muni fare and one cable-car ride, separate payment may still cost less. For repeated cable-car rides, the Passport may become the stronger option once its current purchase price is included.
Visitor Passports and Muni Day Passes remain temporarily available through MuniMobile after single-ride sales end. That temporary availability does not mean they will remain in the app until the final mid-2027 shutdown.
Cash And Ticket Machines Remain Fallbacks
Exact cash onboard and applicable Muni Metro ticket machines remain alternatives when a rider cannot use Clipper or direct contactless payment. The listed adult fare for either method is $3.00, compared with $2.85 for Clipper or a direct bank-card tap.
| Payment Method | Listed Adult Fare | Practical Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Clipper | $2.85 | Each rider needs an appropriate individual credential |
| Contactless bank card or phone wallet | $2.85 | Full adult fare only; no Clipper inter-agency discount |
| Exact cash onboard | $3.00 | Exact change is required |
| Metro ticket machine | $3.00 | Machines do not return cash change and may issue a voucher |
The available evidence does not provide a dependable station-by-station list of suitable ticket machines. Confirm machine availability at the station rather than making it the only payment plan.
International visitors should also carry a fallback. SFMTA documents account and foreign-card limitations affecting some MuniMobile customers, but that does not guarantee whether any particular foreign-issued card will work for direct tapping. Clipper or enough cash for the current fare provides another route if a card is declined.
Existing MuniMobile Tickets Keep Their Own Deadline
A single-ride ticket purchased before September 1 remains valid for 30 days from its purchase date. A ticket bought on August 31 may therefore remain available after the sales cutoff, provided it is still within its individual 30-day period.
That 30-day deadline is different from the 120-minute travel period:
| Time Limit | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 30 days from purchase | Period during which an eligible pre-cutoff MuniMobile ticket remains available |
| 120 minutes after fare use | Adult Muni travel period provided by a single fare |
The 30-day rule does not provide 30 days of unlimited travel. The ticket must be activated in MuniMobile when it is used. It cannot be tapped on a Clipper reader because MuniMobile and Clipper are separate fare systems.
Do not assume an expired unused ticket will be refunded. The transition guidance establishes its validity period but does not create a general refund right for tickets left unused beyond that deadline.
Several Products Remain In MuniMobile Temporarily
September 1 ends new MuniMobile single-ride sales, not the entire app. The products expected to remain temporarily available include:
- Muni-only Day Passes
- Cable-car tickets
- Lifeline passes
- 1-Day Visitor Passports
- 3-Day Visitor Passports
- 7-Day Visitor Passports
A product bought through MuniMobile remains an app product. It does not transfer to Clipper and cannot be tapped as though it were stored on a plastic or digital Clipper card.
SFMTA expects the standalone MuniMobile app to be fully retired by mid-2027, but the supplied guidance does not give a final removal date for every remaining product. Check the official transition announcement and fare page shortly before travel.
Payment Rules For Common Rider Situations
A full-fare adult making a simple trip can tap a bank card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. A senior, disabled, Lifeline, or other reduced-fare rider should use the appropriately configured Clipper card. Youth age 18 and under ride regular Muni free, although the rule does not include cable cars.
Each adult paying directly needs a separate card or separately backed wallet card. Cash users need exact change. Riders using a pre-cutoff MuniMobile ticket must activate it in the app rather than touch the phone to a Clipper reader.
Fare inspectors can verify a direct contactless payment using their inspection equipment. Keep the same physical card or device available throughout the trip so the paid credential can be checked if requested.