Market and 8th Street / Market and Hyde stations

Civic Center/UN Plaza station

Company type	Rapid transit station
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	November 5, 1973 (1973-11-05)
Headquarters	San Francisco , United States
Products	BART and Muni Metro services

Civic Center/UN Plaza station—often referred to simply as Civic Center station—is an integrated BART and Muni Metro rapid transit hub located within the Market Street subway in the heart of downtown San Francisco. Positioned underneath Market Street between 7th and 8th Streets, this station serves both the Civic Center area and the neighboring United Nations Plaza. The underground complex spans three levels, featuring a large fare mezzanine and distinct platform levels for Muni Metro and BART services.

This station accommodates BART's Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue lines, along with Muni Metro's J Church, K Ingleside, L Taraval, M Ocean View, N Judah, and S Shuttle routes.

Station layout

Consistent with other shared Muni/BART stations within the Market Street subway corridor, Civic Center comprises three subterranean tiers: a fare mezzanine that includes separate paid zones for both Muni and BART, a Muni Metro island platform on the second tier, and a BART island platform situated on the third level. Access is provided via six street-level entrances, one of which is located at UN Plaza. Elevators are positioned centrally and towards the northeast section of the station.

History

The designation "Civic Center" was formally approved by the BART Board in December 1965. Service commenced on November 5, 1973, for BART trains, followed by Muni Metro operations starting February 18, 1980. In 2005, the station adopted the name Civic Center/UN Plaza to honor the 60th anniversary of the United Nations as well as World Environment Day. As part of these enhancements, plans were made to install additional fare gates allowing seamless transfers between Muni and BART. A bicycle parking facility was introduced on the mezzanine level in August 2015.

Between 2017 and 2018, two entrances located west of 8th Street were permanently closed to facilitate infrastructure improvements, including construction of a new electrical substation designed to support increased train frequency through the Transbay Tube. The original six entrances situated closer to fare control remain operational.

After successfully installing a protective canopy over an escalator at Oakland’s 19th Street station in 2015, BART embarked on similar canopy projects for all downtown San Francisco and Oakland station entrances. These canopies aim to minimize escalator outages, enhance lighting conditions, and provide real-time train information. The canopy covering Civic Center’s Market and 7th Street entrance opened in October 2018; another at Market and 8th Street followed in April 2023. The north entrance on 7th Street closed in April 2024 for canopy installation work. Completion of all canopy installations is planned by 2027.

In May 2018, BART recommended closing a passageway at this station due to persistent drug-related activity. Construction began in February 2020 to add two new staircases leading to the BART platform; this project was anticipated to last approximately one year. Southern entrances were closed from April 2020 until June 2021 amid reduced ridership caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Initially, thirteen BART stations—including Civic Center—did not have faregates installed at elevator access points. Starting in 2020, BART began equipping these stations with elevator-specific faregates; Civic Center’s installation was completed in January 2023. Additionally, a secondary station agent booth near the Civic Center entrance reopened in February 2023 after being shuttered for more than ten years. Original fare gates were replaced with updated units during July and August of 2024.

Connections

Above the station, there are two heritage streetcar stops operated by Muni: Market and 7th Street and Market and 8th Street for inbound travel, along with Market and Hyde serving outbound passengers. These stops are part of the F Market and Wharves line. Additionally, the station is accessible via various Muni bus and trolleybus services, including:

• Local routes: , , , , ,
• Rapid lines: ,
• Express service:
• Overnight (Owl) routes: , , , , , , , and

Adjacent to the station on 7th Street, several Golden Gate Transit buses (24C, 30, 54C, 70, 92, 101, 101X) make stops. Nearby on Mission Street, other Muni routes (, , , ) and SamTrans lines (FCXX, 292, 397, 398) operate as well. During hours when BART is not running, AC Transit offers the 800 All Nighter service.

The proposed Better Market Street initiative aims to consolidate stops along the F Market and Wharves line alongside bus routes to enhance travel efficiency. Specifically, the existing F line stops at 7th and 8th streets would be combined into a single stop located midblock.

External links

• BART: Civic Center / UN Plaza Station
• SFMTA: Civic Center Station inbound, outbound
• SF Bay Transit (unofficial): MUNI Metro Civic Center Station, Civic Center/UN Plaza BART Station