# Purple Line (BART)

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Former rapid transit shuttle service in the San Francisco Bay Area, California

SFO–Millbrae line SFO–Millbrae line train at SFO station in February 2019 Overview Locale San Francisco Peninsula Termini San Francisco International Airport Millbrae Service Type Rapid transit System Bay Area Rapid Transit Operator San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District History First period of operation June 22, 2003 (2003-06-22)–February 9, 2004 Second period of operation February 11, 2019–August 2, 2021 Technical Line length 1.7 mi (2.7 km) Track gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) Electrification Third rail, 1 kV DC Route map SFO–Millbrae line highlighted in purple Show interactive map Legend S.F. Int'l Airport US 101 to San Bruno Caltrain to San Francisco Millbrae Caltrain to Tamien & San Jose All stations are accessible This diagram: view talk edit Show route diagram

The **SFO–Millbrae line** (also known as the **SFO–Millbrae shuttle**) was a [Bay Area Rapid Transit](/source/Bay_Area_Rapid_Transit) (BART) [shuttle](/source/Shuttle_train) line in the [San Francisco Bay Area](/source/San_Francisco_Bay_Area) that ran between [Millbrae station](/source/Millbrae_station) and [San Francisco International Airport station](/source/San_Francisco_International_Airport_station) (SFO). The line was colored purple on maps, and BART sometimes called it the **Purple Line**.[1] The line was a shuttle service with no intermediate stops; it shared tracks with two of the five other mainline BART services. The service operated from June 2003 to February 2004 and from February 2019 to August 2021.

## Service history

### 2003–2004 service

Detail from 2003 BART map showing the SFO-Millbrae shuttle service

When the [BART-SFO Extension](/source/History_of_Bay_Area_Rapid_Transit#San_Francisco_International_Airport_extension_(1984–2003)) opened on June 22, 2003, the [Pittsburg/Bay Point line](/source/Yellow_Line_(BART)) (Yellow Line) was extended to [Millbrae station](/source/Millbrae_station), while the [Dublin/Pleasanton line](/source/Blue_Line_(BART)) (Blue Line) was extended to [San Francisco International Airport station](/source/San_Francisco_International_Airport_station). Service between the SFO and Millbrae terminals was provided by this line, which operated every 20 minutes.[2] The line was discontinued on February 9, 2004 during the first of several service changes on the extension.[3]

For the next several years, direct service between SFO and Millbrae was provided by other BART lines. Between February 2004 and September 2005, the [Richmond line](/source/Red_Line_(BART)) (Red Line) connected the stations on weekdays and Pittsburg/Bay Point line (Yellow Line) connected the stations on nights and weekends. Between September 2005 and January 2008, the Dublin/Pleasanton line (Blue Line) provided the connection at all times.[3][4]

On January 1, 2008, direct service between Millbrae and the airport was discontinued and passengers connecting between SFO and Millbrae needed to transfer at [San Bruno station](/source/San_Bruno_station_(BART)).[5] Direct service between the stations was restored on September 14, 2009 during nights and weekends as an extension of the Pittsburg/Bay Point line.[6]

### 2019–2021 service

A shuttle train at Millbrae in February 2019

On June 24, 2018, [SamTrans](/source/SamTrans) began operating route SFO, a dedicated bus service between the two stations. Unlike BART service, the bus route operates on irregular headways timed to meet certain [Caltrain](/source/Caltrain) trains at Millbrae.[7]

On February 11, 2019, BART resumed direct SFO–Millbrae service at all times. On weekdays until 9 pm and on Sundays, a dedicated shuttle train operated between the two stations, with timed transfers to [Antioch line](/source/Yellow_Line_(BART)) (Yellow Line) trains at SFO. The Antioch line continued to run between SFO and Millbrae on weeknights and Saturdays.[1] On February 10, 2020, BART began listing the SFO–Millbrae line as operating at all times, with the Antioch line terminating at SFO at all times.[8] The service was operated with a dedicated shuttle train on weekdays and Saturdays, with timed transfers to Antioch line (Yellow Line) trains at SFO. On weeknights and Sundays, the two services were interlined, with no transfer required at SFO.[9]

Beginning on March 22, 2021, the shuttle was interlined with the Richmond line on weekdays, and with the Antioch line on weekends.[10] The shuttle was eliminated effective August 2, 2021; it was replaced by an extension of the Richmond line to SFO on weekdays and Saturdays, and by an extension of the Antioch line to Millbrae evenings and Sundays.[11]

On March 6, 2022, a break in a power cable near Berkeley caused SFO–Richmond service to be temporarily discontinued. On March 8, a shuttle service began operating between SFO and Millbrae.[12] Red Line service resumed on March 22, with the shuttle discontinued.[13] A similar cable break near Richmond on June 17, 2022, resulted in SFO–Millbrae shuttle service being used to supplement limited Red Line service beginning on June 20.[14]

On January 13, 2025, a shuttle train began operating between SFO and Millbrae between 9 pm and midnight due to the installation of [Communications Based Train Control](/source/Communications_Based_Train_Control) equipment near Millbrae. It is signed as part of the Yellow Line.[15]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-impacts_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-impacts_1-1) ["February 11 schedule change impacts weekdays and Sundays"](https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2019/news20190115) (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. January 15, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Cabanatuan, Michael (April 18, 2003). ["BART to link to SFO June 22 / After many delays, latest date is firm, transit officials say"](http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/BART-to-link-to-SFO-June-22-After-many-delays-2654540.php). *San Francisco Chronicle*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-feb2004_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-feb2004_3-1) Cabanatuan, Michael (February 7, 2004). ["BART changing schedule so more go to SFO / Peninsula ridership below expectations, needs a boost"](http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/BART-changing-schedule-so-more-go-to-SFO-2800214.php). *San Francisco Chronicle*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Murphy, Dave (August 11, 2005). ["PENINSULA / BART to airport to be cut / Weekend trains to be kept on Peninsula"](http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/PENINSULA-BART-to-airport-to-be-cut-Weekend-2648564.php). *San Francisco Chronicle*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Gordon, Rachel (December 9, 2007). ["BART to raise fares, increase train frequency starting Jan. 1"](http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/BART-to-raise-fares-increase-train-frequency-3233521.php). *San Francisco Chronicle*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Off-peak service reductions began Monday, September 14th"](https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2009/news20090901a) (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. September 15, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["SamTrans Launches ECR Rapid, Route SFO"](http://www.samtrans.com/about/MediaRelations/news/SamTrans_Launches_ECR_Rapid__Route_SFO.html) (Press release). San Mateo County Transit District. June 19, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Weekday Schedule as of February 10, 2020"](https://www.bart.gov/sites/default/files/docs/February%202020%20BART%20Public%20Timetable%20Weekday%20Final%20all%20Lines.pdf) (PDF). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["BART schedule change begins February 10, 2020"](https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2020/news20200131-0) (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. January 31, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["BART schedule change begins March 22, 2021"](https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2021/news20210316) (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. March 16, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["BART returns to near-regular service starting 8/2/21"](https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2021/news20210726-0) (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. July 26, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Orange Line only between Richmond and MacArthur, Red line suspended (transfers available)"](https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2022/news20220308) (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. March 8, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Red line service now restored with 5-car trains"](https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2022/news20220308) (Press release). Bay Area Rapid Transit District. March 21, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Red line service (Richmond to Millbrae) impacted by power cable issue"](https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2022/news20220619) (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. June 19, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["BART's schedule will change on January 13, 2025, to launch construction of a modern train control system"](https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2024/news20241216-0) (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. December 16, 2024.

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v t e Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Current lines Rapid transit Blue Line Green Line Orange Line Red Line Yellow Line Hybrid rail Yellow Line (eBART) Automated guideway transit Oakland Airport Connector Stations Alameda County Oakland 12th Street Oakland City Center 19th Street Oakland Coliseum Fruitvale Lake Merritt MacArthur Oakland International Airport Rockridge West Oakland Ashby Bay Fair Castro Valley Downtown Berkeley Dublin/​Pleasanton Fremont Hayward North Berkeley San Leandro South Hayward Union City Warm Springs/​South Fremont West Dublin/​Pleasanton Planned (2031) Irvington Contra Costa County Antioch Concord El Cerrito del Norte El Cerrito Plaza Lafayette North Concord/​Martinez Orinda Pittsburg/​Bay Point Pittsburg Center Pleasant Hill/​Contra Costa Centre Richmond Walnut Creek San Francisco 16th Street Mission 24th Street Mission Balboa Park Civic Center/​UN Plaza Embarcadero Glen Park Montgomery Street Powell Street San Mateo County Colma Daly City Millbrae San Bruno San Francisco International Airport South San Francisco Santa Clara County Berryessa/​North San José Milpitas Planned (2036) 28th Street/​Little Portugal Diridon Downtown San José Santa Clara Infrastructure Berkeley Hills Tunnel Doolittle Maintenance and Storage Facility Market Street subway Oakland Wye Ohlone Greenway Transbay Tube History Planned expansion Silicon Valley extension Purple Line General managers B. R. Stokes (1963–1974) Larry Dahms (Acting) Frank Herringer Keith Bernard Frank Wilson (1989–1994) Richard A. White (1994–1996) Thomas Margro (1996–2007) Dorothy Dugger (2007–2011) Grace Crunican (2011–2019) Bob Powers (2019–present) Other Rolling stock BART Police Killing of Oscar Grant Bay Area Rapid Transit District Clipper card Library-A-Go-Go Valley Link Other related articles Planned stations are in italics

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Purple Line (BART)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Line_(BART)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Line_(BART)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.