“I love the #7 bus! Give it a try!"
The #7 bus starts its journey at the El Cerrito Del Norte BART station.
By Joanna Pace
The AC Transit #7 is a beautiful bus ride that I hope you’ll try before the new year arrives.
The pandemic changed work patterns. Fewer workers take transit, but seniors, disabled, students, and workers without cars still need transit! You can be one of the riders who helps transit survive by trying out the #7, soon! AC Transit is planning to reduce service on the #7, in March of next year. See their proposed “realigned” route here: AC Transit's 7 Line Change Proposal.
Serving a route that extends from Emeryville Amtrak and El Cerrito Del Norte BART, the #7 runs 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week. From Del Norte, the route goes north on San Pablo Avenue to Barrett, then east on Barrett to Arlington. It travels south on Arlington, to the Circle at Marin Avenue, dips down to the top of Solano at The Alameda then travels south on Shattuck through North Berkeley and Downtown Berkeley. It turns east and goes up Durant, near campus, turning south on College. At College and Ashby it turns west and proceeds all the way to Hollis and concludes the run at the Emeryville Amtrak station.
Views from the #7 bus include the San Francisco Bay, Downtown Berkeley, and Telegraph Avenue.
This scenic route means you can take it to Arlington Park, Young’s Market, Inn Kensington, Kensington Library, Kensington Hilltop, Pegasus Books and all the restaurants at the top of Solano, Safeway, the Gourmet Ghetto, UC Berkeley, all the downtown Berkeley restaurants and theaters, Berkeley Playhouse, Elmwood Theater, Berkeley Flea Market, and then, at its conclusion, you are just a short walk away from the Emeryville Public Market.
Check out the current #7 schedule, and use an app such as Google Maps or Next Bus AC Transit to confirm the bus is coming. Every stop on Next Bus AC Transit has an ID number; Enter yours into Next Bus AC Transit to find out when your bus will arrive or if it has been – heaven forbid! — cancelled. You can use your Clipper Card on all AC Transit buses or pay with cash and change: fares are here; individual rides range from $1.12 to $2.25 (depending on your age) with Clipper and $2.50 cash.
So, be a transit hero: Give the #7 bus a try!!! And take a friend with you! It leaves Del Norte on the hour and the half hour, 16 hours a day. See you on the bus!
#7 bus turns down Ashby from Berkeley’s Elmwood neighborhood to head to Emeryville.