May 2026 posts top 4 ridership days, highest weekday average since pandemic

Whether it's a concert, festival, sporting event, parade, or now the FIFA World Cup, BART continues to be the Bay Area's transportation backbone for the region's biggest happenings.

May 2026 ridership was 12% above May 2025, continuing a strong growth trend across the system. Average weekday ridership reached 202,650 trips, the highest monthly weekday average since the pandemic.

The month also included four of BART's busiest ridership days since the pandemic, underscoring the growing role transit plays in moving large crowds efficiently throughout the region. While weekday ridership is growing, some of the most notable growth occurred on weekends.

Average Sunday ridership in May was 18% higher than April, driven by major events including Bay to Breakers, Carnaval San Francisco, multiple BTS concerts at Stanford Stadium, and a busy calendar of Giants, Valkyries, Roots, and Ballers games. On Bay to Breakers weekend alone, exits at Embarcadero and Montgomery stations surged as tens of thousands of participants and spectators used BART to travel to and from the event.

Growth was widespread across the system. Nearly every station recorded double-digit gains compared to last year, with some of the strongest increases occurring at SFO, South San Francisco, **Berryessa/North San Jose, Milpitas, and Antioch stations.

The positive ridership trends come as the Bay Area hosts major events this year. FIFA World Cup activities have now begun across the region, with BART and transit partners playing a critical role in moving fans to matches, watch parties, and other events as it did for the Super Bowl in February.

Ridership continues to move in the right direction, but growth alone is not enough to close BART's structural funding gap. The Bay Area's high rates of remote and hybrid work have fundamentally changed travel patterns, reducing the fare revenue that historically funded a large share of BART operations. BART has already implemented hundreds of millions of dollars in cost-saving measures while preserving service, but long-term financial stability will require additional operating funding alongside continued ridership growth.

Find more insights on May ridership in the monthly ridership snapshot. Learn more about BART's finances at bart.gov/financials.