The passengers and operators take no games on this route. Everyone is polite. Big time bonus points on this part. Please be ready to board this bus with exact change or a loaded Clipper Card. This is my only advice when getting on a route like the 30X. This route may be busy, but the ride is well worth it. With this route also inching through rush hour traffic, it certainly will not be any faster. Unlike the regular 30, buses are always clean especially when it operates this route. I certainly admit to that because we all want a nice clean ride. I know what some of you are thinking of. Yes, this route is operated on 60' buses. So there is no need to feel worried about crowded buses. If you are looking for a faster way to get between Financial District and Marina District, 30X Marina Express is the solution. I do want to add how one reviewer brought up a very good point. It would be nice if this route had additional service to and from Marina/Financial Districts. Overall, I like this route for the fact of clean buses and polite passengers. Advantages: - last bus out of the financial district is 7pm** - this route uses 60' buses - once again, clean buses* *Just really loving this part. **Monday - Friday -- Part of this is because some people get off work a little after 6pm. -- People complained that 40' buses are not very accommodating. -- Yes, more seating and standing room available since this route is operating on 60' buses. Thank you MUNI for making these changes. read more

The only bus in San Francisco where you walk on and your confidence goes from a high 9 to a low 4. Welcome to the most beautiful bus in the city, and I'm not talking about the hard plastic seats or interior advertising. I'm talking about the Bonobos and JCrew models that overcrowd it. The dirty 30 is a Marina staple and goddamn icon. You haven't lived until you've shoved yourself into the bus at Laguna and apologetically 'smized' at that hottie next to you. At any given time you'll overhear girls planning their soul cycle/blue barn adventures that evening, men (or should I say Eskimo brothers?) rocking their Patagonia vests and AirPods, and at least 3 good boys. Also a hard bargain at $2.75 a pop (I'm looking at you Chariot loyalists). A 30x morning is a journey that makes you proud of having a clipper card balance of greater than $20. Welcome to the new age of muni - honestly still wondering why I haven't changed my league profile to say "30X" as the neighborhood. read more

A clear example of not enough supply to meet the demand. Muni needs to start running more of these during peak commuter times, primarily in the morning. I frequently see full buses pass me (they are too full to stop), sometimes 4-5 in a row passing me in this way. I will walk in the opposite direction 6-7 blocks just to squeeze into a bus that hasn't quite filled up yet. Muni, you are ridiculous. Fix this. read more

You can't be picky when it comes to public transportation, especially when it takes you directly from Marina to FiDi, bypassing Wharf and Chinatown. If you live in the Marina then the 30x is your best option to commute downtown. Otherwise, you'll have to catch the 30 slug line. The crowd is rather pleasant. Riders look like they're from a J Crew catalog and everyone is polite. However, the buses reach past its max capacity pretty quickly, skipping its last few pickups. Also, the bus begins and ends early for its outbound route. I envy you people who leave work before 4. If you get motion sickness, be careful. The bus drivers tend to have a heavy foot. read more

The 30X is no ordinary bus... Not at all. The 30X is more of a sociological experiment that attempts to answer the question, "What would happen if we crammed hundreds of young, well-dressed, well-groomed, testosterone-fueled, eager professionals onto a crowded bus for 20 minutes twice a day?" The second you walk on the bus you notice everyone's checking everyone else out. Guys are trying to make eye contact with girls; girls are trying to position themselves directly in the sight of guys; and the married folks are wondering why they're on this bus in the first place. To make it seem less obvious you're looking to meet someone, everyone on the bus comes equipped with one of two things: an iPhone/iPod, or the latest gossip magazine. In fact, they won't let you on the bus unless you have one of these items with you. And to those people who have the iPod going while simultaneously reading US Weekly... you're not fooling anybody. The bus drivers - who, for the most part, appear as enthused for their jobs as the circus clean-up guy following the elephant performance - play their roles perfectly in cramming every inch of the 30X with Banana Republic-clad 20-somethings. And they'll cram everyone in the entire Marina onto the bus until they get to your stop. Then they'll pass you due to a full load. And as the bus passes you while you stand there pathetically on the sidewalk, hundreds of starry-eyed passengers look you up and down just as you're about to voice the first syllable of your favorite curse word. The ride home to the Marina in the late afternoon isn't quite as entertaining as the ride to the work. I'm guessing this is because the three grande non-fat, vanilla soy lattes that each 30X-er consumed that day had rendered the rider spent and dysfunctional on the way back. Either that or your iPod battery gave out... But the 30(se)X isn't all that bad - it's a great way to get downtown quickly, its pretty cheap, and most importantly... it's a feast for the eyes. Just be sure to bring you messenger bag, iPhone, and your pick-up lines... read more

If I were a MUNI bus, I would want to be a 30X MUNI bus. I get to spend all my time in the glamorous Marina and the dapper FiDi, and I get to bypass Chinatown unlike my unfortunate cousin, the Regular 30. Nobody tags my windows. The people that ride me are pretty and they smell nice. No one pees on my seats or vomits on my floor. And from time to time my driver plays jazz music through my speakers. So why the missing star? The line needs to start running earlier and also run later. Last one leaves the FiDi at 6:18?!?! Who the hell gets off work by 6? Oh yeah, most people not me... read more

How is it possible that a bus can be a scene? Well, welcome to the Marina. This bus route gets 1 star because it stops pretty much outside of my apartment, and it takes me pretty much right to BART without too many hiccups. But, good lord. It's packed. It's hot. And dudes look you up and down if you happen to stumble onto the bus on a not-so-great hair day or in your workout gear. I'm too tired for that shit. read more

The 30x. If you've ridden any other lines in the city (including the dreaded 30 line that goes through China Town), there's plenty about the 30x to appreciate. 1) Frequency of busses (though this is also the hugest complaint -- we need more!) 2) Atmosphere -- if you appreciate a potpourri of fragrances over the smell of urine and BO, you'll have no complaints. 3) Gets from Marina to FiDi relatively quick. The perplexing part of the 30X? The high frequency of times the bus passes because it's too full. When you do get picked up, it's normally a sardine can (throw out any notion of personal space, and just go with it). Then there's the folks in the back that NEVER scoot back, thus clogging up the front and the mass of people at the back door. Hey guys at the back that pretend you are oblivious: Scoot back! Thank you! The environment is mostly 20-somethings and 30-somethings, professional, everything from business-casual to dress-casual. The ratio of single-to-married just about matches the city... I'd guess about 6 singles to 1 married person. Here's what I don't get: What's with the weird social sub-culture on this bus? NO ONE TALKS TO EACH OTHER!! Eye contact is minimial, except the occassional flirting that goes on, but mostly it seems there's an avoidance for anything that resembles being social (eye contact, smiles, small talk, etc). And call me old-fashioned, but I've never seen so many women standing with multiple handbags, while 22-year old, fit and healthy men sat. I know, I know... that is truly old-fashioned, but is chivalry really dead? With your public transportation options, it's still the best ride to work. read more

I come from riding the wondrously gritty 12 Folsom, where most times I'm one of 3 whities on the bus and feel like i'm rubbing my relative fortune in when I don the glistening pearl white ipod headphones. I glance around to see that those people wearing headphones on the 12 folsom are actually listening to tape player WALKMEN. Let me tell you, things are different on the 30x. Running from the Marina to the Financial District, with no stops in between, the 30x is a bus full of nice smells and fancy ipod accessories, flirty glances and loud cell phone conversations. Ipods are ubiquitous. I feel like a scrub cause I have untrimmed facial hair and sometimes my socks don't match my pants. People look GOOD on this bus, providing plenty of early morning and after work eye candy. But yeah, it's a great bus. You gotta catch it early on in the route, especially during rush hour, if you want to get a seat. read more

Standing room only. Gets like a sauna. Metro bag over my shoulder. i-pod head phones providing the tunes. H-wood issue of VF keeping me amused. BUS LURCHES! BUTT IS RUBBED??? HUH?? WTF?! NOT SEXY at 7 in the AM while thinking "work thoughts." Ignore. BUS LURCHES again! BUTT RUBBED A-gain! WTF part deux?! I turn around to meet the angry stare of older, shorter woman. Her himbo gym bag had been rubbin' my booty as my metro bag rubbed hers. We cast mutually recognizable "You got your chocolate in my peanut butter" glares. Ignored further lurching induced, bag-butt rubbage. Good bus line with bad braking skillz. read more

Damn you MUNI. I hate you like touching a hidden metal car seat belt buckle in the middle of July. Go ahead and redesign the new buses SMALLER. Good job in taking a step BACK in making the aisle more 'intimate'. I love dirty dancing with strangers. That and identifying what they had for lunch. Yum. "Ma'am, was that roast beef?" Love how you listened to the Employee Suggestion Box. Have you seen their new driver seat? It's like Captain Kirk was up in here. I mean, who was your consultant? La-Z Boy??? I do love the new vaulted ceilings, however. Especially when I take my 8 foot girlfriend around. She really appreciates it. In fact, the entire bus appreciates it because only she can reach the sliding windows that are conveniently located up near the STRATOSPHERE. And the new exit releases. Ah, how technically advanced are we here. Make the exit more confusing. I like how you've added another 5 minutes to my commute in training new passengers how to 'touch the door'. Hey, the ones before worked for many years. There was no need to change. THERE WAS NO NEED! Look, bottom line. Stop the redesign and use the budget to MAKE MORE BUSES period. If the shoe ain't broke, don't fix it. Just make more shoes. read more

I was meeting a friend for dinner and dreaded taking the milk run of a bus along Van Ness Avenue. THEN taking another bus down Union or Chestnut. I try 511.org and learn of this bus. All I had to do was take BART to Embarcadero, and hop on at Market and Main. From there, it's just a few stop before the bus turns onto Sansome, then to Broadway. Bypassing Chinatown. Next stop ... Chestnut and Van Ness. Total time, about 15 minutes! Yes, you will see a lot of Marinaites, who somehow still look freshly pressed at 5:00. I am certainly the most under dressed person on the bus, but too many people are reading the Financial Times, (no doubt they were too busy CrackBerry-ing during the day), and also using said CrackBerry, and using their iPod, or checking out the other passengers. It's a great way to get from the office to the hipster Marina Gastopubs. The Marina doesn't DO "bars" ... they do GASTROPUBS. Whatever. Don't think I'll ride much, unless I'm meeting a friend. But I just might FIND a reason to get out there. read more

When I think of an SF Muni bus, I think about being crammed on a dirty bus, trying to dodge homeless people and trying not to touch anything or anyone.(that is if people don't push their way in front of me and I actually get onto the bus) The 30x is far from that. There is a bus every few minutes in morning and afternoon/evening commute hours. Everyone on the bus is polished and dressed up to go to their "high profile" bank jobs in the Financial District besides the occasional students going to school (I will always be wearing jeans...for the most part). If you are lucky enough to get on the "jazz" bus, the driver will play jazz music and make sure that he stops at every stop and that as many people as possible will fit in. He's definitely the best driver and has the nicest bus; I think it's one of those new hybrid ones. I finally got a seat on his bus today! Just don't forget your Wall Street Journal or GMAT book, iPod/iPhone or blackberry and you will fit right in. You will get to work in about 15 minutes and the bus skips Chinatown...you can't complain about that! read more

After 7 years of getting free $375/month parking at work, the company finally realizes we're the only office in the world who gets the perk and pulls the plug! Thankfully, I've got the 30x bus! Pretty much on time +/- 5 minutes, and whisks me to my finance job in 15 minutes while I get to sleep or check the crackberry. 30X will be saving me gas, stress, and ironically giving me MORE freedom to wander! No longer do i have to feel bad leaving work to go back and pick up my car. I can just go, go go with my $45 unlimited bus pass. I find i'm walking and exploring more. Heard the ladies really dig guys with bus passes! I love the bus! read more

Everyone smells nice and is beautiful. I love it. Despite, how jam packed the bus is each day, public transportation could be much worse. The one raging bitch bus driver (ya'll know which lady I'm talking about) knocks the rating down a star. read more

Seriously? This bus line causes so much anxiety every morning. I stand there wondering, "Is THIS bus going to stop"? The other morning, 5 buses passed my stop because it was too "full" and it certainly didn't matter that with each bus that passed, I would walk down to a closer stop. WHEN and IF you do get on, you are fighting for a little standing spot and praying that your face is not shoved into someones armpit or the oblivious guy with the backpack shoved against your spine. Oh, the joys of this bus line... In general, the drivers are great and I'm sure they have very stressful jobs. I will say that the ride to downtown is usually pretty smooth and the drivers aren't playing a game of "see how many people I can get to stumble around on the bus". They do need to increase the number of buses during peak hours or think about adding an extension because this is a very busy bus line especially since they discontinued the 10 Townsend. Oh, trust me, I've complained to Muni directly and received one of those, "thanks, we're looking into making your commute a more pleasant one" message. Talk is cheap ... let's see if they actually do something about it especially since fares continue to rise. read more

I got one word to say when riding this bus: Chaaarge! You have to do it otherwise you are stuck with the 30 Regular which is no good in meeting the demands of tourists, work breakers, and locals. This bus is not fast enough to meet the standards of 160x Johor Bahru- Jurong East from SBS Transit. Don't tell me this bus is a pathetic excuse because it is a life saver especially if you get stressed easily read more

Yeah, this bus is faster than taking the 41 Union. However, I always know that I'll get a seat on the 41 at 6:30AM. The 30x? Not necessarily. If you take this line in the morning during rush hour? Forget it. You're screwed unless you get on at the very beginning of the route. I've had to walk back 10 blocks to get a bus because it's passed me up so many times. When I did manage to get on a bus, I could barely get into the bus much less get a seat. It's a little better at night (since I get on at the beginning of the line), but if you get on later, you're guaranteed standing room only. Did I mention the time the guy closed the door on me when I had my arm and bag inside the door and I was outside? He claimed he didn't see me (yes, I was boarding at the front door), but he was laughing. Hmmm... read more

One of the few bus lines which I don't mind riding......its quick, clean, and there is plenty of eye candy in the morning. I usually jump on at Chestnut/VN, before it expresses to downtown so it is usually packed at that point. I somehow don't mind. The bus for the beautiful people. read more

The Good: - The bus is a dream come true for Apple and RIM (Blackberry), maybe even sponsored by them - It does get you from the Marina to the Financial District fairy quickly. - People are well dressed, blah, blah, blah - You don't need to bring your own shades, just hide behind the over-sized one's of the girl next to you, who is trying to avoid eye-contact - You can learn about the latest gossip from the slopes around Lake Tahoe just by listening to the phone conversation of the loud, irritating person next to you - The married/engaged ladies have rings the size of the Rock of Gibraltar - no mixed messages here! - You will never have to use words like "thank you" or "please", this way you can focus on remembering lines from "Pickup 101" The Bad: - None - I love this bus! read more

I work out at 7 in the morning at a to-be-reviewed incredible fitness place in the marina. I sweat. Hard. But that has no comparison to the sweat induced on the uber-crowded 30x. Because over 70 people are packed like sardines on a bus probably designed for 50. Good thing most of us are in decent shape, otherwise the experience would be even worse. As for the route itself, it's the only bus line that runs frequently (that is, when the bus is actually scheduled to run--why in the world does this end at 6:14 PM from FiDi??) This is a well-groomed crowd of elitists that never seem to acknowledge each other or show common decency. I am a male who stopped offering my seat to women of all ages as I never once get a thank you. And when I dress down to work, people look at me like I'm homeless. By the way folks, just because I don't wear a button-down doesn't mean my frumpy shirt was bought at Walmart (instead bought on Chestnut). Do I have to tuck in my jeans so you know they are 7s? Yeesh. By the way, this may be the most attractive set of women to ever to frequent a bus line in the United States, so in terms of eye candy, yeah, it's pretty incredible. read more

mr. grouchy pants bus driver... Clipper is still brand spankin' new and we're all trying to get used to this system. No need to snap at me and tell me "you need to learn it". seriously?? read more

Alas, despite her many virtues, the 30X's capacity problems render her pretty ineffectual as a means to commute to and from the Marina and the Financial District. If you're among those who live anywhere after say, Chestnut & Fillmore, or work after Market & Main, then you get to play "Bus Roulette", watching as bus after bus passes you by full, and hoping against hope that one will stop soon enough to get you to work on time. Of course, you could always walk the mile or so back to the start of the route until the buses start stopping, but by that time you'll have walked over half the distance home in the wrong direction, and that feels kind of silly, doesn't it? A better solution: if enough of us let Muni know about the insufficient frequency, maybe they will add more buses? Please let them know at: http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mcontact/formcomm.htm read more

Yeah 30x, very few buses in the bayarea has the riding experience as provided by this. Rolex watches, prada bags, armani suits, versace noodle top, Ralph Lauren cologne, Chanel sunglasses bring them on, this is the place to flaunt them all apart from the usual ipods, blackberries and boons and mills novels. Its true that everyone checks you out from head to toe so ugly people not allowed just like yelp (you know i am kidding). If you happen to be of friendly face with and everlasting smile then expect to be hit-on no matter even if others are looking as the act goes on just like a bar. The real deals are made when you are waiting for the bus at the stop or when you get off the bus. Overall a very good bus with a frequency of 5-8 minutes. The drivers are so used to the people here they wont even check your pass and you can directly go inside the bus. On Fridays it gets hotter usually 70% of girls with 30% clothes on and i will leave it at that. read more

Dirty blond with the Prada stunna shades....I miss you're Louis Vutton bag rubbed up against my ass every morning....what happened to you?? Did they lay you off from Salesforce.com?? how's your friend who got caught wearing mauve on St. Patricks Day? I'm like very concerned....text me bizsnatch!! I miss you LV...it's just not the same rubbing up against velour Lululemon ....hope to see you at Circa...I'll be the one wearing the douche bag blue stripped marina party shirt....holla! read more

30x, you perplex me. The people that ride you are a sub-culture of Marina-ites. You'll always find the following: multiple girls in Tori Burch flats, dudes in Seven or another reputable brand jeans, each person armed with a combo of the following: Iphone, People, Financial Times; guys and girls reuniting to talk about what happened last night/weekend and who got the most wasted. You'll hear a lot of "likes" in every conversation. The plus side is that everyone has showered, usually smells nice, and, except for the occasional accidental (or is it?) brush up against you when the bus is crowded, is not so bad. read more

People are usually surprised when I tell them that I enjoy a Muni ride to work. After all, most SF bus routes (besides being slow) involve smelling various less than ideal odors, hearing a lot of yelling, and are just generally unpleasant. Well, 30x is anything but a typical San Francisco bus line: - It's much faster, because it's an express line - People are dressed well. I guess I find it pleasant to be around people who actually care about what they look like - Most people on the bus are young professionals. There aren't many people over 35. This could be plus or minus, depending on how old you are The only disadvantage of this line is that the bus gets completely full by the time it gets to my stop(franklin), so I usually have to walk back a few stops in order to get on. (hence 4 stars, instead of 5) read more

The smell of booze emanating from the riders on Friday mornings can be quite intoxicating.

The sexxxy bus! Looking for a date on the bus that has bathed, is gainfully employed, and has good taste in fashion? Then the 30x is just the ticket! Minus one star due to lack of cocktail service, but it get's us down to Chestnut quick enough to make up for it. read more

I took this bus by mistake one time and DAMN, some mistake! Bus rides are like plane rides. You get on them thinking, hey, maybe I'll have one of those experiences I see in movies where I strike up a conversation with the cute, quiet guy in the back of the plane/bus. Anyone else notice how that never ever happens? Well I guess it does on the 30x...finally, a bus that does not smell like urine, a bus that doesn't make you want to lather on the Purel...no, this is a bus filled with some well-groomed individuals. I might have to accidentally stumble onto this bus again! read more

Recently the 30 X evening service (3:40pm to 7:00pm) is running much less frequently. Muni's website says 10 minutes between buses. Today it was almost 30 min; one drove by all of us waiting at Pine and Battery and then the next one was full. Last week it was again easily 14-16 minutes wait. What has happened? Typical MUNI to mess up a very good service. read more

All things considered you rock. It's rare you don't show up and you have the bus driver who plays the music in the am. I should really get his name because he is SO nice and loves his job. Not to mention I always feel successful as I board the bus with all of the other professionals. It reminds me that I am a lucky duck to be living in a great city with a job downtown. In this economy I feel like even more of a rockstar for still having a job, and I think of this every morning when I get on. Rides home are pretty decent too. I can usually take a power nap resulting in my ability to get home and jam to the gym. I do wish this bus ran off peak hours but maybe that is in our near future. Till then I will appreciate my peak hours and how clean the bus is with a far from creepy clientele. read more

What can be said about a bus line that would be productive and useful? For potential riders, be prepared to wait. I have ridden the 30x for almost two years now and can still recall the first time the 30x drove past me because it was too full. It was rainy, which is always more full than usual, and the bus was stopped at the light just before my stop.I looked desperately at the bus driver in the hopes to get acknowledgment that I was there with just a look. But he stared blankly ahead, as if I wasn't there, as if he wasn't there either. I knew he hadn't taken zombie form because he was driving the hulking piece of machinery in the rain, and the crowd of people crowding around his seat towards the front of the bus seemed active and unconcerned with his mental state. Oh, the people... The bus was crammed full. Perhaps not to the state where other people needed to shove people in to shut the doors like I've experienced in China, but probably more than would be deemed safe. The light turned green. The driver still hadn't acknowledged me. As he approached and it became apparent he wasn't going to stop i wondered if he had he even realized I was there. That's when it happened, he glanced to his right at me and must have seen my cold wet desperation in my eyes. He slowed down, tilted his head gesturing backward and gave me a thums up indicating the same. Then sped off. He was implying there was another bus coming.Great. I watched three buses pass me that day and started doing what I call the 30X hike. Myself and a group of fellow riders will walk stop to stop up the line with the hope that we will get on the bus before it gets too full and stops picking people up. It gets you a little walk and distracts you from being too upset from the fact that you would be at work if the first bus could have picked you up. Doing this I also know that I have on average one to two buses pass me daily, three when it's rainy, and have had two days when five buses passed me. The Marina will not allow the extended buses on chestnut because it would require the bus lane to add another parking spot length to the bus stops. Frankly, I've started driving in on days when it rains. Basically, the opposite of what the bus system is supposed to provide. Regarding the ride itself, the people are considerate, involved with their iPhones and dressed in their work suits and work attire. It's a decent and quick ride even if it is cramped. read more

Dear 30X Drivers, Please look at bus stops to pick riders up. DONT just act like you didn't see anyone, bc there is riders at every stop. Dear Muni, get an Double Length bus on the 30x line ASAP. (Just like the 41). read more

Express bus to & from Marina & Financial District. It used to be super crowded in the mining & evening commute but recently MUNI added new extended buses for this route. This seems to ease out some of the congestion. read more

Pros 1. Gets you to FIDI in 15 to 20 minutes 2. No smelly people 3. No homeless person Cons 1. I agree with previous poster. I and my several buddies never offered seats to women on this bus because women take it for granted. Women and Men are equal per Feminists, so Women shouldn't be just given seats, especially when they are not even appreciative. But this is why I date only foreign women, even though I live in the Marina 2. The bus needs to run more frequently. It is a struggle to get on the bus between 8am and 9am. Ridiculous. read more

seriously? i was not aware i had to be so fashionable on the bus. yes, i wear my rainbows on the way to work, i refuse to walk around in heels on my way to the BUS. there are more critical stares on this line than the number 1, with all the old chinese ladies who clearly wished i wasn't there. 1 extra star for getting me downtown pretty quickly. read more

Yeah yeah... everyone is dressed well, no one bothers you, very safe, etc etc. But this line has a mind of it's own. It can show up on time, or probably not. Forget 511.org. Not to mention it can take up to 40 minutes to get downtown if you catch it at a bad time and are one of the first stops. If you try to get on past Fillmore and chestnut, good luck. I sympathize with the many people the bus just flies by every morning. Oh, and the best part, the last one leaves the FiDi at 6:15 pm. So so lame. read more

All of us on the 30X kick ass wa hoo!!! Only thing is I noticed sometimes people are a little grumpy on the way to work. Well, we are the happiest neighborhood (one of the), so let's jam up party style on the bus too. Other thing is if we stay late at work, the 30X no longer operates. By far the best public transportation line ever because of cool people!!!! read more

It's clean, fast, and frequent. The negative comments are funny and accurate. However, I am more amused by the scene than annoyed.