Back in the day traveling from Dublin to MacArthur station and back I could always count on the most randos getting on here and typically causing problems. I typically transferred from blue line to orange line at Bay Fair. One time this guy got on singing along with his boom box about a gun in his pocket and taking out people he doesn't like while slapping his pocket. The guy was nuts and the car immediately cleared out. Massive exit to the next car. Cops showed up at Lake Merrit station and pulled him off. I decided riding BART just wasn't worth the risk and adjusted my hours and started driving. PIn later years when I lived closer and didn't need to commute I would access Bart at Fruitvale since it was the closest station. Easy to get to via Uber or a number of bus lines. Again, back in the day you really had to pay attention to the crowd around. People getting mugged constantly and/or just harassed. Present day. I have recently started using Bart from Fruitvale again to get to Oakland, Berkeley and Lafayette when I'm meeting up with my partner and don't want to have 2 cars out and both of us driving home in two separate cars or when I drop off cars at our mechanics for service that takes a couple of days. I have to say I am pleasantly surprised, and that is not an easy feat with me after so many bad experiences. In recent trips i have not seen any rando characters. No one has asked me for money. No one hanging out with a sign asking for money while pimping out their kid. People were well dressed and polite. I know call me f'ing crazy. This is Fruitvale BART. The place was actually clean. Not sure if the new fair jumping gates helped or just BART realized the issues and worked to clean it up. Back in the day I would have given it a minus 5 stars but today it's going to 3 in the positive. As I use it more I may up the rating. read more

Great parking garage with plenty of room to catch the train for any activity you got planned.

Quality of this bart station is what you would expect. Lower expectations. Lots of blue collar hard working people during the commute hours - after hours can get some more off. Oscar Grant and NYE feels like yesterday. Very tragic event. There is a memorial for him - can't imagine what his mom and family went and is going through. Advice for dealing with police and bart police - don't tempt them or surprise them. You don't ever want to do this with people who carry - police or not. I will always remember Pastor Mark who said the most dangerous people are the small ones who carry. They will be quick to use.... Anything that makes police feel uncomfortable is something to be aware of. Tinted windows is one example. I do have one car that I chose to tint but I avoid driving that car at night. The problem is - if you ever get pulled over you have no idea how a police will react to that. At nights in off neighborhoods I drive a stock car with stock wheels and no tint. Moms need to teach their kids how to deal with police. My mom always told me 'you don't have to do anything a teacher tells you to do... but you always have to do as a police officer says.' I think that was great advice. As a young kid it lets you know that not all authority figures are equal. When you teach your kids how to drive - a big part of that should be how to deal with the situation of getting pulled over. Police traps - on ramp off ramp highway patrol hiding. read more

See all

2ish is definitely an off hour. a 10 car train rolled in here virtually empty. Fruitvale station is one of the smaller stops in the entire system. no problem getting onto a train. didn't need to find parking. doesn't look like a lot in the building. glad i don't have to come here often. it isn't the area, it'll be very uncomfy, cramped during busy times. doubt bathrooms are open these days. plan accordingly. 3.5 stars. read more

BART - Fruitvale Station - Inside station. - Train Stations Near Me - Oakland, California

Some may not realize it but Fruitvale BART is your direct ticket to Dia De Los Muertos every year along with being a direct line to other important businesses within the Fruitvale neighborhood. If you walk down International Blvd you will find great eats such as La Mexicana and good bakeries such as Pena. Just a heads up that Pena Bakery has very limited hours for their opening. The neighborhood is generally safe to walk in during the day. read more

This is mainly a commuter station as with all bart stations. It's super busy during commute times. It's also has a bus hub to pick and and drop off passengers who connect to bart. I wouldn't say it's the safest area to hangout around the station, but over the years it has gotten better. It's cute they have farmers market stands on tues n thurs. Makes it convenient to pick up random fresh veggies on the way home or if you are lazy you can definitely grab a couple of tacos and call it dinner :) Given that the area is a little rough, I wouldn't completely stay away. Being afraid doesn't create change. Be aware of your surroundings because if you look around most of the people here are all just trying to get to work. You can tell there are occasional security guards patrolling the area at random times. The dedicated parking structure is well lit so during those late night hours you do feel safe going to your car at the structure. I don't know how early people get here, but even when I drive in around 6am the 4th floor parking spots are almost taken. I wouldn't recommend parking your car across the street in the open lot. I've seen many cars come back to broken windows. The hoodlums didn't take anything just wanted to break some windows, which ruin it for everyone else. read more

I inadvertently ended up at Fruitvale station after accidentally hopping on a train bound for Dublin/Pleasanton instead of Pittsburgh/Bay Point. I was heading from San Francisco into Oakland. By the time I realized I was on the wrong line, the train I was riding had just departed from Lake Merritt station. Fruitvale was the next stop, so I switched trains here. Fruitvale station is an elevated, above-ground station. It's a pretty basic BART station with two platforms (side platforms), one for north/westbound trains heading into San Francisco and another heading south/eastbound towards Oakland Coliseum and Oracle Arena (next stop), home of the 2014-15 defending NBA world champion Golden State Warriors. I switched platforms and, while waiting for the next north/eastbound train, hung out with other waiting riders looking over the ledge of the platform. What I saw was a relatively nice looking, small, mixed-use development called Fruitvale Village. This "tropical" looking center, with wide walkways, palm trees, and a working fountain, looked somewhat lively. Turns out there's a little bit of everything here including a high school, public library, grocery store, market, health clinic, optometrist, a Western Union, Wells Fargo ATMs, and various shops and restaurants. There are chains like Papa John's and Subway, lots of Hispanic restaurants (e.g. taquerias, tortas) and some Asian (e.g. Chinese, Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches) places. It's neat all this stuff is located directly outside the train station. The station was satisfactorily clean (for a BART station) and I felt safe enough on the platforms in the middle of a sunny weekday afternoon. When I first arrived at the station, I thought of the movie Fruitvale Station (2013), which has the same name. At the time, all I remembered about the movie was that it was critically acclaimed. I never got around to watching it. It turns out the movie is named after this very BART station, based on a shooting that occurred here in 2009. The movie was written and directed by Ryan Coogler, who is from Oakland and who also wrote and directed the seventh Rocky film Creed (2015). I loved Creed, so now I want to see Fruitvale Station. Along with having the same writer and director, both movies also have the same star: Michael B. Jordan. Fruitvale Station was filmed here as well. A ride from Fruitvale to the Coliseum station is $1.95. A ride from Fruitvale into San Francisco is $3.85. A ride from Fruitvale to the San Francisco airport is $9.50. read more

BART - Fruitvale Station - Outside. Platform for trains heading northbound. - Train Stations Near Me - Oakland, California

At least the trash is being kinda picked up, the benches are nasty and trashy. I can see why folks avoid this system.

I grew up around the Fruitvale area, so I used to ride Bart from Fruitvale Bart Station. Nestled in the Barrio Latino of Oakland, Fruitvale Bart Station was and still is one of the safer Bart Stations in Oakland, even with the most recent 2009 New Year's Police shooting. As others have stated in their reviews, there sometimes are some seedy individuals lurking around, usually at night. But usually these people mind their own business and don't bother you. Fruitvale Bart is connected on three Bart lines: Fremont-Daly City, Fremont-Richmond, Dublin-Daly City, so it's definitely well connected (the only line it's not connected to is Pittsburg/Bay Point-SFO Airport). If you need to get to SFO from Fruitvale, all you need to do is take a SF-bound train and then transfer to an SFO airport bound train at Balboa Park -- simple as that. Getting to Oakland Airport is even easier -- just one stop away from Fruitvale, plus an AirBart bus ride (soon to be tram ride). Parking ($2.50 on weekdays before 3PM) here can be kind of tough, especially if you want to park in a spot close by to the station. The 35th Ave lot and main parking structure lot get full by 7:30AM, so anyone who needs to park after that time will likely need to park at the outside Fruitvale at East 12th St lot (next to a Mexican restaurant). While Fruitvale Bart does get a pretty bad rep, it's still a convenient public transportation hub for locals in Oakland/Alameda area, which connects them to all corners of the Bay Area. read more

I like it during the day. Nice cafes and restaurants and farmers market on Thursdays. Enough parking because of all the business and because I take AC Transit, there are SO many bus lines here its great! But um I wouldnt be caught here at night. No way, Jose. read more

A couple of months ago I had an unknown woman, who supposedly worked as a BART employee; assault me by stepping on me, twice, for my music being too loud... This woman, (who was white and blonde), told me that I should, "turn my music down," as she was on her phone having a loud conversation. As the ride continued, I proceeded to mind my own business until I felt someone step on my foot. Believing that it was just because of BART being unsteady, I ignored it. As the train continued on and we were arriving at the Montgomery Station, I felt another step on my foot, but this time it felt intentional. I turned around to see who might have accidentally stepped on me, to which it appeared to be the same woman who told me to turn down my music. I then asked this "BART employee" what her problem was, to which she got really upset/loud and said, "IF YOU WANNA LISTEN TO YOUR MUSIC, GET SOME 'BEAT' HEADPHONES..." I told her that because BART is so loud, I couldn't hear/understand how loud my music might have been and that if she had that much of an issue with my music volume, she could/should of, moved to a different area of the train. As we stopped at the Montgomery Station, she proceeded to shout out loud so that the whole train would pay attention, that she "asked" me if I could turn my music down. However, this was false. I simply reminded her that, "you didn't ask me anything, you demanded. But you could have asked politely." As the BART doors opened and everyone was exiting, I got a handful of praises /acknowledgments from other by-standers who witnessed everything that took place (thanks yall). I say all this to say that the lack of human to human contact through verbally present communication, is lost. I'm a native to the Bay Area and the lack of humanity here is becoming extinct. All I'm saying is just be more mindful/kind to people and communicate to others how you'd want to be communicated to in return. And to that "BART employee" who felt so very entitled, take a chill pill... You're supposed to be a representation of BART as a company instead of keeping up with the stigma of failure. P.S., I just bought some BEAT headphones :) read more

I've never been a fan of public transportation, and would normally down rate any sort of public transportation, but as this Bart location has served me for close to a year, I've definitely become accustomed to everything about this particular station and would actually go on to say that it's better than most. Station agents here are pretty friendly, parking is plentiful until about 7:30am (dollar parking!), and the trains going to SF are pretty frequent. The reason why I wouldn't go on to say this is a five star, or even four star location, is simply because of the crime in the area, and just how dirty the place feels (eg. gum and spit on the ground, people smoking everywhere, bike racks with half stolen bicycle frames locked on, etc). read more

Bart is my jam if I needa hit the city up 4 a real life.. all my peeps b hooding up ther.. marina.. Hayes.. mission.. and I'm like ugh I don't wanna go back 2 fraternities.. mayb only uci pike and my ksig sweetheart read more

I am giving this BART station a 4 because I parked my car there on the street on Friday night and came back to retrieve it Saturday evening and it was still there. From all the horror stories I hear about Oakland and any streets with numbers on it I was so anxious. I was expecting the worse like not only my car being broken into but just not being there! I drive a pretty decent car and I was like OMG please don't let someone steal it. The parking lot was pretty much deserted so not sure if they even charge for parking. There was a sign that said 4.00 but there is plenty of parking on the street. It was a convenient location because my boyfriend and I went to a Giants game (got off on Embarcadero) and wanted to avoid the Friday traffic and parking situation. It worked out perfectly. When I was walking from the BART station to my car Saturday afternoon yes I did get hollered at TWICE in the mere 1 block walk but hey I should be flattered right? I say if you mind your own business and don't go during the NIGHT if you are by yourself or a GIRL then you'll be fine. I was SOO anxious having my car there though so not sure if I would be going to this station anytime soon. read more

Dollar parking, free after 3 It is what it is, not too much funding is put into public transportation and especially keeping it sanitary and looking super super clean, but then again the Bart is made for the transportation aspect and it works totally fine. Plenty of places to eat around this station, and its connected to every bus line you would need to get around Oakland/alameda. Free bus ticket if you're coming out of the bart station read more

BART - Fruitvale Station - Train Stations Near Me - Oakland, California

The one star is not for the Fruitvale BART station in general, but it is for the damn stinkin', nasty restroom. I hate it when I'm standing on the platform, waiting for a Fremont train heading to Union City, and then all of a sudden...nature is calling...stomach is rumbling...and y'all know what that means. I head down to the first level...#1 restroom is out of service; #2 restroom is available for use. I step in and WTF...there ain't no friggin toilet paper...hey with men it's okay cuz ya can shake it off, but us women we cain't do that. Ugh, ugh, ugh and y'all know what a #2 is...yep I had to use some friggin toilet paper liners (two sheets) to wipe my you-know-what. I went to wash my hands...ugh...cold water and soap...WTF again...the apparatus for drying my hands doesn't work...no warm air...nothing...and I gotta use them friggin toilet paper liners to dry my hands...ewww...totally gross. I unlock the door and used my foot to kick that door open. As I was leaving, I gave one guy the heads up that there ain't no friggn TP in the restroom. I don't recommend using the restroom facilities at this BART Station. read more

Ok enough of the "harbinger of doom" reviews here - this place is no longer the featured locale of blockbuster murders. Fruitvale station is so totally different now that "ooh scary" is a response only appropriate if you've never left your pure urban hovel, or count on IMDB as your news channel of choice. The station functions perfectly, plenty of Lime bikes usually sit outside unharmed (sad though, nary ever a scooter!), the platforms are peaceful, and you'd be hard-pressed to find it difficult to board a train at any time of day. Also, try breakfast at the burger joint just outside the entrance (maybe 70 feet if you turn right when leaving)...shockingly good egg sandwich on a bagel! read more

A bit dirty in driveway especially at benches just filthy could use a good washing. This is not alright

Too many smokers! I know this is a problem at all BART stations, but the smokers around the Fruitvale station are really bad. They'll smoke in the station and on the platforms and neither BART PD nor the station agents will do a darn thing about it. If this keeps up, I'm going to start commuting with a seltzer bottle. read more

Bart is honestly so fun and a great experience. I'd take Bart over Uber any day. Don't forget you are REQUIRED to tip those dancing limbless individuals. I'm giving them one star because I almost sat on a needle once but other than that it's my fave transportation service in the Bay Area. read more

People who call this place scary haven't been to the Hayward station. I love it when my coworker gives me a ride to this station because I know I can get a decent coffee and some kettle corn right outside the station. It's probably one of my favorite stations because of the shops located around it. read more

BART - Fruitvale Station - Train Stations Near Me - Oakland, California

You remember that Breaking Bad episode when Tomás would ride his bicycle in circles while slanging dope on the corner? Yeah there's a juvenile who does circles outside the station entrance. "Where you going to?" blurted out the bicycle kid. Spooky when working the ticket kiosk at night and your back is to the world. And growing up near some mean streets, innocuous questions could be a harbinger of something not so. "What - why do you need to know?" "I'll sell you BART tickets cheap. Make you a deal." Eye roll. Kid needs to understand that you don't frighten your potential customers. If you linger outside long enough - you'll be asked to enable other people's vices. Got a light? I suggest having a paid BART ticket ready; don't linger outside and avoid using the kiosk. Scamper through the turnstiles and get to the rail platform and pray a train arrives quickly. read more

I love BART. Everyone knows that. Especially the Fruitvale Station. If you're in no rush...check out the shops near by

BART stations, you either love or hate 'em. The Fruitvale station is the beginning and ending station in my day's commute to work. Parking is available in the open lots next to the station and across the street. About ten years ago, BART constructed a five story 558 space parking structure in the station, which I think is the best option of the three, since it does have security cameras on all the floors. However, you must arrive before 7:30 to score a space since the first two floors are reserved for parking after 10am. It's a popular station with a lot of commuters since it is major stop for AC. You might occasionally encounter a panhandler outside the station, but in most part it's commuters coming and going. The station has its clean days and dirty days, so I would say it is average for cleanliness. I've been to very clean stations and really dirty stations with homeless people sleeping in the corridors. Fruitvale Station has its share of the good and the bad, but it's not the scary, dangerous station it's made out to be. As in any public place, one needs to wary of their surroundings. read more

You are no Glen Park BART station my dear Fruitvale, but you are pretty nice anyway. I'm not going to lie, I do get a bit of a creepy vibe from you on the platform, maybe that's because it's outside, but, you sure are cleaning yourself up nice with that Fruitvale Village. You have ample parking, and appear to have many bus lines that stop at you. Good work Fruitvale BART station. read more

I relocated to Oakland from the Midwest. After reading all of the reviews, I have to admit, I was really scared of this BART station. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I visited it. There are street vendors and street performers and restaurants surrounding it. Plenty of people around during commuting hours. Some people asking for money, but I usually just ignore them and they leave me alone. It does get pretty deserted by around 7 pm. I have returned at all hours of the day and night and only felt unsafe once. There was a group of teenage boys heckling people as they walked out of the station. I just walked out the other side, so I didn't have to pass them. I feel much less safe at the West Oakland station. People have given good advice - use common sense. Don't walk around looking at your smart phone and clueless to what is going on around you. Walk in the better lit areas if it is night time. If you see something or someone that makes you nervous, walk in the other direction. I only have two complaints about this station (and this is not about the station itself) - 1) there is always a smell of pot. Especially near the bus stop. and 2) there are a lot of pedestrians - so you can't be in a hurry to get anywhere because you have to wait for the throngs of people who are crossing the street. read more

Time: 10pm on a Friday night. Me: After a nice dinner in the city, on my way back on the Pittsburg Bay Point bart line. Me: Chatting with friends and got on the wrong line. Didn't realize until after Lake Merritt Station. Me: I'll just get off at the next station and hop to the opposite side. Bart announcer: Next stop Fruitvale. Me: ohhsh*t After the Bart shooting incident, I was already semi terrified of Fruitvale station- just the thought creeps me out. As I walked out of the train onto the Fruitvale stop, I swear the passengers on that car was looking at me thinking, "best of luck with her. Does she know this is Fruitvale station" I raced down the stairs to get on the other platform. Shading character sitting on the edge of the escalator looking at me. To my right, three punks /shady character on the right. I ain't going that way. To my left, a couple of tourist with big suitcases waiting under the light. Ok, i'll stand with them. It did not feel safe AT ALL. The next train comes and the tourist gets on. Should I wait for the right train? HECK NO- it'll just be me and shady characters for 10+ minutes. I ran onto the train and ended my Fruitvale bart station experience. Never again. Thank you. read more

The BART machines are rigged, I tell you. It sucked up a $20 bill and the BART personnel couldn't have been less helpful. Basically he said SOL in so many words. When I returned later that day I saw him opening up the same machine that stole my money...and I wondered...is there some kind of scam going on. read more

Not as "ghetto" as I thought it would be, but I'd probably rather park my car at Lake Merritt or West Oakland if I had a choice. One thing that I did like is the parking structure. I like parking in garages, so my car isn't sitting outside getting rained on or pooped on by birds. read more

Perfect example of why people think the BART is crap. This station is bad that they have movie of the same name about someone getting killed here. Fruitvale definitely lives up to this reputation. Poorly maintained, homeless people everywhere, more trash than a landfill and of course a undeniable stench that engulfs the entire platform. Even the bums probably think this place sucks. The best part of Fruitvale is when the tram arrives and gets you out of there. read more

I didn't know you could review BART stations! Love fruitvale BART because it's close to the library and has a ton of food nearby and occasionally people selling handmade jewlery and crafts. The BART station itself is dirty, of course (hello, it's public transit!) but at least it's not enclosed so you can get some fresh air. read more

I have been to this station a couple of times where it is conveniently located to one of my friends in the East Bay. Unfortunately, this is not the ideal station to be waiting for a BART train. Perhaps the parking structure is convenient who have to park and commute to the city. However, I felt very unsafe at this station. I saw multiple vagrants starring at me while ascending the escalator to the BART Station platform. There needs to be a larger police presence at this station. It looked devoid of police officers patrolling the station. read more

i grew up coming to the fruitvale bart station i seen it go from being a big parking lot to having the fruitvale village i have many memorys at this bart station .... rip to oscar grant who was murdered by bart police on the night of 1/1/09 i was at the protest at the fruitvale bart protest on 1/7/09 i put pictures of it on yelp..... read more

See all

This was a different ride compare to the transit system in Los Angeles. I still don't know how much the ride cost from each Bart or city. But I've seen the documentary of friutvale station. I don't know where that took place. Where he got killed on the station. When I learn more. I'll def write another review. read more

Got lost and ended up here. I hate how the Bart takes 30 mins to come again in the opposite direction. Cute neighborhood though. read more

Sad 4 Oscar Grant they got to change it to his name are just put his name into the station or something thats sad

i never been here during late evening hours, only in the morning and day. i haven't encountered any sketchy people yet, and i hope i would not have to! this bart station is bigger than other stations i have been to. there are many different kinds of people who commute to and through fruitvale. i really like that it is next to fruitvale village, where they have a bunch of shops and restaurants. you just have to walk down from the platforms and theyre right there! read more

If this was a review of the shopping center at the base of this BART station, the rating would be much higher; however, this is a review for the actual station, which deserves a 1-star. Despite my feelings about the Oscar Grant situation, the purpose of this review is to briefly critique the facilities, not the events which took place there, though the likeliness of being shot is one of my criterion for many places I review. The station is seemingly filthy on a constant basis, with bottles, trash, and what have you strewn on the platform and the ground floor. As many Jr. High- and High- school AC routes converge upon the one point, the stop seems to be constantly crowded with loud, teenagers threatening to beat the hell out of each other. I've had groups of guys come up to me, once because they wanted to know if I was "carrying (weed)", and a few times I casually walked back to the service booth to start a conversation with the operator, who really didn't seem to care in the first place. All in all, my experience with this station has been one-star at best. Your mileage may vary, but this is definitely in the bottom tier of BART stations, slightly above Richmond. read more

For the amount of money you're paying for a BART ticket these stations should be spic n span clean, but guess again. The bathrooms smell like they were cleaned with piss and the floors are always sticky. Do they even wipe the ticket machine with anti-bacterial solution? My guess is no! The system service workers (a nicer name for janitor) make sooooo much money and the station is never clean. BART you need to take care of your patrons and stations! read more

The bathrooms are dirty and disgusting most of the time. The rest of the bart station is okay. read more