Alcatraz ferry dock: 2 of 5 pilings replaced, island closed Oct. 26 to Nov. 18
Every visitor to Alcatraz arrives by boat, and every boat ties up at one floating dock on the island. Since Monday, Oct. 26, that dock has been a work site: crews are driving new pilings to replace two of the five that hold it in place, and the National Park Service has closed the island to visitors until Nov. 18. It is the third time in 2026 that the dock has shut Alcatraz, and the last, if the plan holds. Here is what failed, why the job is squeezed into these weeks, and what you can still do on the water from San Francisco.
What is wrong with the Alcatraz ferry dock
The landing on the island is a floating barge held in position by five vertical pilings driven into the bay floor. Two of them are being replaced.
Pile driving in the bay is regulated, and the window for it closes at the end of November, so the replacement could not wait for the quiet of winter. Once the two new pilings are in, the NPS expects the whole floating barge piling system to last 20 to 30 years.
The repair is not paid for with public money. Under its concession agreement, Alcatraz City Cruises, the park's ferry operator, covers the cost of inspecting and repairing the dock and is doing the work itself. The company runs more than 3,200 ferry trips a year and carries about 1.5 million visitors to the island.
Ferries and cruises still running on the Bay
None of these lands on Alcatraz. They are the boats you can still take while the island is closed.
| Boat | From | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Discovery Cruise (Alcatraz City Cruises) | Pier 33, Alcatraz Landing | 90-minute round trip past Alcatraz, under the Golden Gate Bridge if weather allows, with an audio tour in 20 languages | From $44, fees and taxes included |
| Golden Gate Ferry to Angel Island | San Francisco | Ferry to Angel Island State Park, the bay's largest island; in winter it is the weekday public service to the island from the city | $15.50 one way, $10 with Clipper or a contactless card, park entry included |
| Angel Island Tiburon Ferry | Tiburon | The short crossing from Marin; on winter weekdays it runs as a charter only | See the operator |
Alcatraz City Cruises' Bay Discovery Cruise page still shows its spring and summer timetable. We have not seen published November sailing times, so check availability before you plan around a departure.
Other West Coast ferries on this site
- National Park Service, Golden Gate National Recreation Area: news release and Q&A, Sept. 28, 2026.
- National Park Service: Alcatraz Island (closure notice, Oct. 26 to Nov. 18).
- Alcatraz City Cruises: Bay Discovery Cruise.
- Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District: Angel Island ferry fares and FAQ.
- California State Parks: Angel Island State Park (winter ferry service).
By The us.ferje.info newsroom — We keep the route pages for U.S. car and passenger ferries, from the San Juan Islands to the Outer Banks, and track the schedule changes, suspensions and dock work that decide whether you actually get across.