BART launches free Wi-Fi at five stations in time for the Super Bowl

BART riders can now access free Wi-Fi 6E at five heavily travelled stations, ensuring seamless connectivity for fans and residents ahead of Super Bowl LX-related events.

The first five stations - San Francisco International Airport, West Oakland, Embarcadero, Civic Center, and Powell Street - are now live, providing station visitors with critical connectivity, especially during one of the busiest ridership weeks of the year.

This launch marks the first milestone in a comprehensive digital transformation project that will bring state-of-the-art Wi-Fi connectivity to all BART stations over the next couple of years, followed by onboard connectivity on all BART trains.

The Wi-Fi is powered by Boldyn Networks, a leading neutral host provider. BART riders will access the SSID network named "BART Wi-Fi," and no password or email is required. Sessions on the network will last 20 minutes, and users will be required to confirm they are still actively using the network beyond 20 minutes.

Once users select to join the BART Wi-Fi network, their device will present an option to connect automatically. If that option is selected, their device will remember the SSID. When within the coverage area of the network, their device will automatically join the SSID, and a captive portal page will be presented to ensure they are still active on the network.

"Offering high-quality Wi-Fi is being responsive to the needs of our riders and will enhance the customer experience by providing connectivity," said Ravi Misra, Assistant General Manager of Technology at BART. "Boldyn worked with us to deliver this initial phase as the Bay Area takes to the world stage for the Big Game, and more upgrades are slated in the months and years to come."  

SFO and Powell Street stations were prioritized as Super Bowl fans will be flying into San Francisco for the festivities, and families will be using Powell Street Station to access the official Super Bowl Experience and San Francisco Fan Zone by the station.

Travelers moving through these hubs can now access Wi-Fi 6E technology, which utilizes 6GHz spectrum to deliver reliable, blanket coverage of the stations.

Benefits of the new Wi-Fi service include:​

• Eases strain on cell network during high-density events.​
• Overall, phones perform better when connected to reliable Wi-Fi, especially in a congested area. It saves battery life too.
• Essential for international visitors to communicate without a U.S. roaming plan.​
• Ensures uninterrupted connectivity for medical/health monitoring devices.​
• Ensures riders can access digital fare payments and emergency communications.

After these initial five stations, BART plans to deploy Wi-Fi at 16th Street, 24th Street, Balboa Park, Glen Park, and Daly City stations by June. Remaining stations are expected to be completed by early 2028.

Free Wi-Fi comes at no cost to BART

Offering Wi-Fi to riders comes at no cost to BART because of our Licensing Agreement with Boldyn Networks (formerly Mobilitie LLC) that was entered into in 2020. The agreement allows Boldyn to use BART property to deploy cellular and fiber-optic infrastructure to enable:

• 5G cellular coverage in the SFMTA (Muni) underground
• New fiber-optic capacity through the Transbay Tube
• Multiple cellular installations around the Bay Area

This Agreement allows major service providers, like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Comcast, and many others, to deliver the connectivity people rely on. BART receives a share of telecom revenue generated on BART property-estimated at approximately $200 million over 20 years-along with ownership of several new assets. One of those assets is station Wi-Fi, which is provided to BART at no cost. Boldyn is responsible for the full cost of installing, operating, and maintaining the Wi-Fi system.