1 California (bus line)
| Company type | Public transit service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | January 27, 1982 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | San Francisco, California |
| Products | Trolleybus transit service |
| Owner | San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni) |
The 1 California trolleybus service, managed by the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni), links the Richmond District with the Financial District by way of California Street.
Route description
Eastbound (inbound) buses on the 1 California route commence at the intersection of Geary Boulevard and 33rd Avenue in the Richmond District. From there, they travel north along 32nd Avenue until reaching California Street. The line then follows California Street for approximately , before diverting one block north to Sacramento Street via Steiner Street. Continuing inbound, the buses proceed an additional block north to Clay Street via Gough Street, concluding their journey at Clay and Drumm Streets within the Financial District.
Westbound (outbound) buses start at Clay and Drumm Streets and head westward on Sacramento Street to Gough Street, after which they retrace the inbound path back toward the Richmond District.
Some short-turn trips terminate at California Street and Presidio Avenue, close to Presidio Yard where the 1 California fleet is housed and maintained.
1X California Express services
The 1X California Express operates during weekday peak hours in the direction of heavy traffic, making limited stops. It follows the standard 1 California path from Geary and 33rd to California and Arguello Streets. Inbound 1X buses travel nonstop to the Financial District via Bush Street, finishing at Davis Street. Outbound 1X buses begin at Sacramento and Davis Streets and run nonstop to California and Arguello via Pine Street.
History
The 1 California streetcar was originally run by Market Street Railway, connecting the Ferry Building with the Sunset District through Sutter, California, Clement, and Geary Streets.
Muni’s third streetcar line, named C Geary–California, launched in 1913. It operated from the Ferry Building along Market Street, Geary Boulevard, 2nd Avenue, Cornwall Avenue, and California Street to 33rd Avenue. In 1950, this route was shortened with the introduction of the 1 California bus line and was ultimately discontinued alongside the B Geary streetcar on December 29, 1956.
The present-day 1 California bus service was established on January 27, 1982, through a consolidation of the original 1 California and 55 Sacramento routes.
During the COVID-19 pandemic period, express variants designated as 1AX and 1BX were put on hold. Express service recommenced under a revised format as the 1X line on February 21, 2023.
Additional short-turn trips operating between Presidio Avenue and Drumm Street were introduced on June 10, 2023. At that time, morning service for the 1X increased from three to five runs. However, on February 1, 2025, morning trips for the 1X were scaled back to three once again.
In popular culture
A dramatized version of a 1 California bus is featured in a high-speed chase scene within the 2021 Marvel movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The main character Shang-Chi and his companion Katy face off against members of the Ten Rings who attempt to steal Shang-Chi’s pendant. During their confrontation aboard an articulated bus, Razor Fist damages its joint section, disabling its brakes and causing it to careen downhill through Nob Hill. As Shang-Chi fights off attackers and Katy struggles to control the vehicle, she pulls a stop request cord which triggers the bus to split apart—leaving Razor Fist behind. The front section crashes near Ghirardelli Square.
For this film sequence, the bus displays branding for a fictional "SFT" transit agency rather than Muni’s recognizable "worm" logo; Muni declined association with this destructive portrayal. Most scenes were shot in an Australian studio with exterior views filmed in San Francisco during October 2020. Although closely mirroring the real-life 1 California route, modifications were made to include locations like the Stockton Street Tunnel and Ghirardelli Square that are not part of the actual line. Critics praised this chase scene highly; San Francisco Chronicle ranked it as second only to Bullitt (1968) among San Francisco car chases. Media outlets also highlighted a humorous Twitter exchange between a local bus driver and Shang-Chi actor Simu Liu, who responded warmly to comments about the scene’s authenticity.
Bibliography
External links
- 1 California — provided by SFMTA