Quick Facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Standard day tour | $47.30 |
| Night tour | $58.95 |
| Departure point | Pier 33, Embarcadero |
| Ferry time each way | 15 min |
| Time on island | 60-90 min |
| Closed days | Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day |
| Book in advance | 60-90 days summer |
Alcatraz was a federal penitentiary from 1934 to 1963 — home to Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, and Robert "Birdman" Stroud. Today the island is a unit of Golden Gate National Recreation Area run by the National Park Service, accessed only by the contracted ferry operator Alcatraz City Cruises.
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USA Trip Cost Calculator
Planning a San Francisco trip? Get a personalised SF budget — Alcatraz, hotels, meals, transport and attractions all calculated.
How to Book (Critical)
This is the most important section of this guide. Alcatraz City Cruises is the only authorized operator — any other website is a reseller with markup. Book directly at alcatrazcitycruises.com.
- Tickets open for sale 90 days before the visit date
- Summer weekends (Jun-Aug) sell out within 48 hours of release
- October-April tickets are usually available 2-4 weeks out
- Each person can buy up to 6 tickets
- Cancellations refund up to 72 hours before departure
- No walk-up tickets at Pier 33 — do not travel without a confirmed booking
If you see Alcatraz tickets on Viator, GetYourGuide or other resale sites for more than $47, those are packaged with a bus tour or ferry upgrade. Official direct booking is always cheaper.
Ticket Types and Prices
| Tour type | Adult price | What's included |
|---|
| Day Tour | $47.30 | Ferry + Cellhouse Audio Tour |
| Night Tour | $58.95 | Sunset ferry + extra guided content |
| Behind the Scenes | $101.30 | Access to off-limits areas, 4 hours |
| Combined Alcatraz + Angel Island | $89.30 | Two islands, full day |
| Junior Ranger (kids) | $29.20 | Day tour, ages 5-11 |
The standard Day Tour is sufficient for 90% of visitors. The Night Tour adds value if you want the sunset ferry experience and slightly smaller crowds. Behind the Scenes is for serious history buffs only.
Cellhouse Audio Tour
The Cellhouse Audio Tour is narrated by actual former inmates and guards from the 1940s-50s, with real archival audio. It's widely rated one of the world's best audio tours and is the core reason Alcatraz feels different from other prison museums.
The tour is self-paced — typically 45 minutes — through the main cellhouse including:
- D Block solitary confinement
- Al Capone's cell (Cell 181)
- The June 1962 escape route (from Frank Morris's cell through the ventilator shaft)
- The 1946 "Battle of Alcatraz" cellhouse corridor
- The library and dining hall
- Recreation yard with Golden Gate Bridge view
The audio handsets are included in your ticket and offered in 11 languages. Headphones are optional — most people hold the handset to one ear.
Night Tour
The Night Tour departs around sunset (6:50pm in summer, 4:20pm in winter) and adds extras not available on day tours:
- Sunset ferry past Angel Island and Golden Gate Bridge
- Ranger-led programming on the island
- Slide shows in the cellhouse
- Fewer visitors (capped lower than day tours)
- Later ferries back to Pier 33 (around 9:30pm)
For photographers, the Night Tour is the only way to legally get post-sunset shots of Alcatraz from the island itself. Book 90 days ahead — this is the most sought-after version.
Getting There
All ferries depart from Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing on the Embarcadero, between Pier 31 and Pier 35. Arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled departure.
- MUNI F streetcar from Market St: $3, stops right at Pier 33
- Walk from Ferry Building: 15 minutes along the Embarcadero
- Walk from Fisherman's Wharf: 10 minutes east along the Embarcadero
- Uber/Lyft from downtown: $10-15
- Paid parking at Pier 35: $13/hour
- Free parking: none nearby — don't try
Do not confuse Pier 33 with Pier 39 or Pier 41 (Red and White Fleet Bay Cruises). Wrong pier means missed ferry.
What to Bring
The island is weather-exposed and 5-10°F cooler than downtown SF. Wear layers and comfortable shoes — there's a steep quarter-mile walk from the dock up to the cellhouse.
- Windproof jacket (the bay is windy even in summer)
- Comfortable walking shoes — lots of stairs
- Water bottle (fountain on the island)
- Snacks — no food sold on the island
- Your phone for photos (full-size cameras welcome)
- Printed or digital ticket confirmation
Food is not sold on Alcatraz itself. You can bring snacks, but opened food must be consumed in the dock area only — not in the cellhouse. The return ferry has a small snack bar.
If you cannot get Alcatraz tickets, the alternative view is a Bay Cruise that circles the island without landing ($40-50, widely available same-day from Pier 39).
Quick Facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Standard day tour | $47.30 |
| Night tour | $58.95 |
| Departure point | Pier 33, Embarcadero |
| Ferry time each way | 15 min |
| Time on island | 60-90 min |
| Closed days | Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day |
| Book in advance | 60-90 days summer |
Alcatraz was a federal penitentiary from 1934 to 1963 — home to Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, and Robert "Birdman" Stroud. Today the island is a unit of Golden Gate National Recreation Area run by the National Park Service, accessed only by the contracted ferry operator Alcatraz City Cruises.
🧮
USA Trip Cost Calculator
Planning a San Francisco trip? Get a personalised SF budget — Alcatraz, hotels, meals, transport and attractions all calculated.
How to Book (Critical)
This is the most important section of this guide. Alcatraz City Cruises is the only authorized operator — any other website is a reseller with markup. Book directly at alcatrazcitycruises.com.
- Tickets open for sale 90 days before the visit date
- Summer weekends (Jun-Aug) sell out within 48 hours of release
- October-April tickets are usually available 2-4 weeks out
- Each person can buy up to 6 tickets
- Cancellations refund up to 72 hours before departure
- No walk-up tickets at Pier 33 — do not travel without a confirmed booking
If you see Alcatraz tickets on Viator, GetYourGuide or other resale sites for more than $47, those are packaged with a bus tour or ferry upgrade. Official direct booking is always cheaper.
Ticket Types and Prices
| Tour type | Adult price | What's included |
|---|
| Day Tour | $47.30 | Ferry + Cellhouse Audio Tour |
| Night Tour | $58.95 | Sunset ferry + extra guided content |
| Behind the Scenes | $101.30 | Access to off-limits areas, 4 hours |
| Combined Alcatraz + Angel Island | $89.30 | Two islands, full day |
| Junior Ranger (kids) | $29.20 | Day tour, ages 5-11 |
The standard Day Tour is sufficient for 90% of visitors. The Night Tour adds value if you want the sunset ferry experience and slightly smaller crowds. Behind the Scenes is for serious history buffs only.
Cellhouse Audio Tour
The Cellhouse Audio Tour is narrated by actual former inmates and guards from the 1940s-50s, with real archival audio. It's widely rated one of the world's best audio tours and is the core reason Alcatraz feels different from other prison museums.
The tour is self-paced — typically 45 minutes — through the main cellhouse including:
- D Block solitary confinement
- Al Capone's cell (Cell 181)
- The June 1962 escape route (from Frank Morris's cell through the ventilator shaft)
- The 1946 "Battle of Alcatraz" cellhouse corridor
- The library and dining hall
- Recreation yard with Golden Gate Bridge view
The audio handsets are included in your ticket and offered in 11 languages. Headphones are optional — most people hold the handset to one ear.
Night Tour
The Night Tour departs around sunset (6:50pm in summer, 4:20pm in winter) and adds extras not available on day tours:
- Sunset ferry past Angel Island and Golden Gate Bridge
- Ranger-led programming on the island
- Slide shows in the cellhouse
- Fewer visitors (capped lower than day tours)
- Later ferries back to Pier 33 (around 9:30pm)
For photographers, the Night Tour is the only way to legally get post-sunset shots of Alcatraz from the island itself. Book 90 days ahead — this is the most sought-after version.
Getting There
All ferries depart from Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing on the Embarcadero, between Pier 31 and Pier 35. Arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled departure.
- MUNI F streetcar from Market St: $3, stops right at Pier 33
- Walk from Ferry Building: 15 minutes along the Embarcadero
- Walk from Fisherman's Wharf: 10 minutes east along the Embarcadero
- Uber/Lyft from downtown: $10-15
- Paid parking at Pier 35: $13/hour
- Free parking: none nearby — don't try
Do not confuse Pier 33 with Pier 39 or Pier 41 (Red and White Fleet Bay Cruises). Wrong pier means missed ferry.
What to Bring
The island is weather-exposed and 5-10°F cooler than downtown SF. Wear layers and comfortable shoes — there's a steep quarter-mile walk from the dock up to the cellhouse.
- Windproof jacket (the bay is windy even in summer)
- Comfortable walking shoes — lots of stairs
- Water bottle (fountain on the island)
- Snacks — no food sold on the island
- Your phone for photos (full-size cameras welcome)
- Printed or digital ticket confirmation
Food is not sold on Alcatraz itself. You can bring snacks, but opened food must be consumed in the dock area only — not in the cellhouse. The return ferry has a small snack bar.
If you cannot get Alcatraz tickets, the alternative view is a Bay Cruise that circles the island without landing ($40-50, widely available same-day from Pier 39).