All San Francisco subway stations reopened Saturday for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic forced major cuts to service over a year ago.
Additionally, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's full F-Market and Wharves route from Fisherman's Wharf to Market and Castro streets returned, providing service in historic streetcars.
Service along the N-Judah rail also resumed its full route between Ocean Beach and Fourth and King streets to connect with the Caltrain station, and the T-Third line has been extended to West Portal and continuing on, running as the K-Ingleside, to Balboa Park Station.
During the extended shutdown, crews were able to add new improvements, including Wi-Fi service for riders at stations and in underground tunnels.
"Muni is the lifeblood of San Francisco. It's how our essential workers get to work. It's how City College students get to school. It is how people get around and it's what makes it possible for downtown San Francisco to function as a place," SFMTA Director Jeffery Tumlin said during a news conference on Friday. "Bringing service back is absolutely essential to San Francisco's economy."
"As we begin to open our city and begin down the path of recovery, having a good public transportation system is going to be critical," Mayor London Breed said. "A lot of the work we were able to do (during the closure) is going to make Muni more efficient than ever. It was a struggle, yes, but we are in a very good place."
Muni officials also launched a temporary new combined bus route called the 36/52-Special to serve the Forest Hill, Miraloma and Sunnyside neighborhoods.
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It will run in a loop between Forest Hill Station and Glen Park Station. Despite recent updates regarding masks from local, state and federal health officials, all Muni riders are required to wear masks aboard trains and buses.
More details about Muni's re-opening can be found at www.sfmta.com.
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