The E Embarcadero is a historic streetcar line that is the San Francisco Municipal Railway's second heritage streetcar line in San Francisco, California. Trial service first ran during the Sunday Streets events on The Embarcadero in 2008. [2] The line initially ran on weekends only, [3] [4] but expanded to weeklong service in late April 2016. [5]
In March 2020, the line was suspended indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and as of 2024, the line is still not operating. [1] [6]
The initial routing of the line is nearly identical to the defunct 32 Embarcadero bus line, which was discontinued after the F Market & Wharves line began operating along the Embarcadero in 2000. [7] It runs the length of the Embarcadero and San Francisco's segment of the Bay Trail, along pre-existing track used by the F Market & Wharves historic streetcar as well as the N Judah and T Third Street Muni Metro lines and previously unused track bypassing Market Street subway's Embarcadero portal. Service runs from Jones Street and Jefferson Street in Fisherman's Wharf to near the N Judah's platform at Caltrain's King Street and 4th Street Station in the Mission Bay neighborhood – the last trains of the day run to near the adjacent T Third platform at 4th and Berry. Since there is no loop at the Caltrain station, only double-ended streetcars are able to operate on the line until a loop track is built. [8]
An extension of the E Embarcadero to Aquatic Park is planned but is currently not fully funded. [9] The extension would relocate the terminus from Jones and Beach station to a new station on Beach street adjacent to Aquatic Park.
The line could be extended past Aquatic Park in the future by the National Park Service's proposal to extend the route through the existing Fort Mason Tunnel and into Fort Mason Center. As of 2018, the SFMTA was attempting to secure funding for engineering studies in order to advance the project. [10] [9] The extension would serve Fort Mason Center and the Marina district, identified by the NPS as areas with "inadequate regional transit access" and "limited transportation options for transit-dependent residents," [11] and providing those areas with a rail connection to regional transportation networks via the Market Street subway and the 4th and King Caltrain station.
Muni's original E streetcar line was the E Union line, running north from the Ferry Building via The Embarcadero to Washington/Jackson streets, where it turned west to eventually reach the Presidio. This line was discontinued in 1947. [12]
Proposals for historic streetcar service along The Embarcadero were first put forward in 1974, and the first mention of separate E Embarcadero and F Market lines was in 1981. [13] In 1987, a temporary, demonstration streetcar service was operated along part of the Embarcadero as part of the 1987 San Francisco Historic Trolley Festival, to gauge public interest in, and the practicality of, a regular streetcar service. It ran along then-existing, but disused, San Francisco Belt Railroad tracks and operated two days a week for a little over five weeks, using two streetcars powered by electricity from portable diesel generators. [14]
Light rail service on the section of The Embarcadero south of Folsom Street and on King Street to the Caltrain depot began on January 10, 1998, [15] using a Muni Metro shuttle line between Embarcadero Station and the Caltrain station. This temporary line was designated E Embarcadero, and it was discontinued when it was replaced in August 1998 by an extension of the N Judah line. [16] [17] [18] In 2007 the new T Third Street line also began operating on this extension.
Historic streetcar service on The Embarcadero north of Don Chee Way began in March 2000 when the F Market & Wharves line was extended to Fisherman's Wharf. [19] That extension and the 1998 light rail extension to the Caltrain Depot make up almost the entirety of the E line route; they were connected by unused tracks on The Embarcadero between Don Chee Way and Folsom Street.
The new E Embarcadero line operated on a temporary basis during the 2013 America's Cup yacht races.
On March 28, 2014, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) officially approved plans for weekend-only service of the E Embarcadero heritage streetcar line starting in summer 2015, with weeklong service starting the next year. [3] [4] Weekend operation officially began on August 1, 2015, [20] and weeklong service began on April 23, 2016. [5]
Service was suspended on March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, [1] [6] and as of June 2024 [update] still has yet to resume. [21]
Though the right-of-way is shared with the two Muni Metro lines on the South of Market (SoMa) segment, the stations themselves are not shared with Muni Metro because historic cars cannot access elevated median boarding platforms. For this reason, existing sidewalk-level stops adjacent to each raised light-rail stop are utilized for the E line. For stops north of Market, the line uses those of the existing F Market & Wharves line. All stations on the line are accessible.
| Station/Stop | Neighborhood | Connections and Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inbound | Outbound | ||
| Jones and Beach | Fisherman's Wharf | ||
| Jefferson and Taylor | Beach and Mason | ||
| Jefferson and Powell | |||
| The Embarcadero and Stockton | Beach and Stockton |
| |
| Inbound splits from The Embarcadero towards Jefferson Street; outbound joins The Embarcadero from Beach Street | |||
| The Embarcadero and Bay |
| ||
| The Embarcadero and Sansome |   Market & Wharves | ||
| The Embarcadero and Greenwich |
| ||
| The Embarcadero and Green |
| ||
| The Embarcadero and Broadway | Market & Wharves | ||
| The Embarcadero and Washington | |||
| Ferry Building | Financial District |
| |
| The Embarcadero and Folsom | SoMa | ||
| The Embarcadero and Brannan | |||
| 2nd and King |
| ||
| 4th and King | |||
The San Francisco Municipal Railway ( MEW-nee; SF Muni or Muni), is the primary public transit system within San Francisco, California. It operates a system of bus routes, the Muni Metro light rail system, three historic cable car lines, and two historic streetcar lines. Previously an independent agency, the San Francisco Municipal Railway merged with two other agencies in 1999 to become the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA). In 2018, Muni served 46.7 square miles (121 km2) with an operating budget of about $1.2 billion. Muni is the seventh-highest-ridership transit system in the United States, with 142,168,200 rides in 2023, and the second-highest in California after the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Muni Metro is a semi-metro system serving San Francisco, California, United States. Operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni), a part of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), Muni's light rail lines saw an average of 91,000 boardings per day as of the second quarter of 2024 and a total of 24,324,600 boardings in 2023, making it the sixth-busiest light rail system in the United States.
The F Market & Wharves line is one of several light rail lines in San Francisco, California. Unlike most other lines in the system, the F line runs as a heritage streetcar service, almost exclusively using historic equipment from San Francisco's retired fleet and from cities around the world. While the F line is operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni), its operation is supported by Market Street Railway, a nonprofit organization of streetcar enthusiasts which raises funds and helps to restore vintage streetcars.
The N Judah is a hybrid light rail/streetcar line of the Muni Metro system in San Francisco, California. The line is named after Judah Street that it runs along for much of its length, named after railroad engineer Theodore Judah. It links downtown San Francisco to the Cole Valley and Sunset neighborhoods. The line provides rail access to Golden Gate Park. It is the busiest line in the Muni Metro system, serving an average of 41,439 weekday passengers in 2013. It was one of San Francisco's streetcar lines, beginning operation in 1928, and was partially converted to modern light-rail operation with the opening of the Muni Metro system in 1980. While many streetcar lines were converted to bus lines after World War II, the N Judah remained a streetcar line due to its use of the Sunset Tunnel.
San Francisco 4th and King Street station, also known as the Caltrain Depot, is a train station in the SoMa district of San Francisco, California. It is presently the northern terminus of the Caltrain commuter rail line serving the San Francisco Peninsula and Santa Clara Valley. It is also the eastern terminus of the N Judah and E Embarcadero, as well as a stop along the T Third Street of the Muni network. The station is additionally the projected terminus for the first phase of the California High-Speed Rail project and a station once Phase 2 is completed.
The Embarcadero and Folsom station is a Muni Metro light rail station located in the median of The Embarcadero between Folsom Street and Harrison Street in the Rincon Hill area of San Francisco, California. Muni Metro trains use a high-level island platform, while historic streetcars use a pair of side platforms at the southeast end of the station next to the Harrison Street grade crossing.
Brannan and The Embarcadero station is a Muni Metro light rail station located in the median of The Embarcadero south of Brannan Street in the South Beach area of San Francisco, California. Muni Metro trains use a high-level island platform, while historic streetcars use a pair of side platforms at the south end of the station.
2nd and King station is a Muni Metro light rail station located in the median of King Street near Second Street in the China Basin neighborhood of San Francisco, California. It is adjacent to Oracle Park. Muni Metro trains use a high-level island platform, while historic streetcars use a pair of side platforms just to the south.
The Embarcadero and Washington station is a light rail station in San Francisco, California, serving the San Francisco Municipal Railway's E Embarcadero and F Market & Wharves heritage railway lines. It is located on The Embarcadero at Washington Street. The station opened on March 4, 2000, with the streetcar's extension to Fisherman's Wharf.
The Embarcadero and Broadway station is a light rail station in San Francisco, California, serving the San Francisco Municipal Railway's E Embarcadero and F Market & Wharves heritage railway lines. It is located on The Embarcadero at Broadway. The station opened on March 4, 2000, with the streetcar's extension to Fisherman's Wharf.
The Embarcadero and Green station is a light rail station in San Francisco, California, serving the San Francisco Municipal Railway's E Embarcadero and F Market & Wharves heritage railway lines. It is located on The Embarcadero at Green and Davis Streets, adjacent to the Exploratorium. The station opened on March 4, 2000, with the streetcar's extension to Fisherman's Wharf.
The Embarcadero and Greenwich station is a light rail station in San Francisco, California, serving the San Francisco Municipal Railway's E Embarcadero and F Market & Wharves heritage railway lines. It is located on The Embarcadero at Greenwich Street. The station opened on March 4, 2000, with the streetcar's extension to Fisherman's Wharf.
The Embarcadero and Sansome station is a light rail station in San Francisco, California, serving the San Francisco Municipal Railway's E Embarcadero and F Market & Wharves heritage railway lines. It is located on The Embarcadero at Chestnut and Sansome Streets. The station opened on March 4, 2000, with the streetcar's extension to Fisherman's Wharf.
The Embarcadero and Bay station is a streetcar station in San Francisco, California, serving the San Francisco Municipal Railway's E Embarcadero and F Market & Wharves heritage railway lines. It is located on The Embarcadero at Bay Street. The station opened on March 4, 2000, with the streetcar's extension to Fisherman's Wharf.
The Embarcadero and Stockton station is a light rail station in the Fisherman's Wharf district of San Francisco, California, serving the San Francisco Municipal Railway's E Embarcadero and F Market & Wharves heritage railway lines. It is located on The Embarcadero at Stockton Street, in front of Pier 39. The station opened on March 4, 2000, with the streetcar's extension to Fisherman's Wharf.
Jefferson and Powell station is a light rail station in the Fisherman's Wharf district of San Francisco, California, serving the San Francisco Municipal Railway's E Embarcadero and F Market & Wharves heritage railway lines. It is located on Jefferson Street at Powell Street. The station opened on March 4, 2000, with the streetcar's extension to Fisherman's Wharf.
Jefferson and Taylor station is a streetcar station in the Fisherman's Wharf district of San Francisco, California, serving the San Francisco Municipal Railway's E Embarcadero and F Market & Wharves heritage railway lines. It is located on Jefferson Street at Taylor Street. The station opened on March 4, 2000, with the streetcar's extension to Fisherman's Wharf.
Jones and Beach station is a streetcar station in the Fisherman's Wharf district of San Francisco, California, serving as the terminus of the San Francisco Municipal Railway's E Embarcadero and F Market & Wharves heritage railway lines. It is located on Jones Street between Beach and Jefferson Streets. The station opened on March 4, 2000, with the streetcar's extension to Fisherman's Wharf.
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