Help
Support
We read every message. Here’s how to get help fast — and most answers are just below.
How to report an issue
The more specific, the faster we can fix it. Please include:
- What happened, and what you expected to happen.
- The station, line or train involved, and roughly what time it happened.
- Your device and OS version (e.g. iPhone 17, iOS 26.1 or Pixel 10, Android 16).
- The App version — you’ll find it at the bottom of Settings in the App.
- A screenshot or screen recording, if you can.
For problems with BART service itself — delays, elevators, lost and found, fares — please contact BART directly at bart.gov. Trackside is an independent app and can’t act on BART’s behalf.
Quick fixes
Trains or times look stuck
Check your connection, then pull the app back to the foreground. Live data refreshes every 15 seconds from BART’s feed; if BART’s feed is down, the map shows timetable trains instead.
A leave alert didn’t fire
Make sure notifications are allowed for Trackside (and, on iPhone, Time Sensitive notifications and Alarms). Low Power Mode and Focus modes can delay notifications.
My nearest station is wrong
Allow location “While Using the App” in your device Settings. You can always choose a station yourself instead.
Travel time looks off
On iPhone it comes from Apple Maps; on Android it’s estimated on your device. You can switch to a custom number of minutes, and add a buffer.
Frequently asked questions
Is Trackside really free?
Yes. Trackside is free to download and use, with no account and no subscription. We may show ads in the future to keep it free; if we do, they’ll stay out of the way of the map and your leave timer, and we’ll update our privacy policy before they appear.
BART doesn’t publish train locations. How does Trackside show them?
BART publishes live departure estimates for every station. Trackside combines those with the median time each train takes between stations: if a train is 90 seconds from a station and the run from the previous one takes two minutes, it’s a quarter of the way along. Doing that for every estimate — and merging duplicates — reconstructs every train on the line.
How accurate are the train positions?
They’re estimates built from BART’s own live data, refreshed every 15 seconds. Between updates, trains glide at their scheduled pace and never past the next station, so they don’t jump around. When BART reports a delay, the train on the map reflects it.
Which lines and stations are covered?
All of them: the Yellow, Orange, Red, Green and Blue lines, the Oakland Airport connector, and all 50 stations.
How do leave alerts work?
Pick a train and how you’re getting to the station — walk, bike, drive, or a custom number of minutes — plus an optional buffer. Trackside works out when you need to leave and alerts you then. If the train runs late, the alert moves with it.
Will the alert go off if my phone is on Silent?
On iPhone with iOS 26 or later, Trackside can set a real system alarm that rings through Silent and Focus, like the Clock app. Otherwise it uses a time-sensitive notification with its own chime. On Android it uses a high-priority notification channel with an alarm chime.
Does Trackside work on Android?
Yes — the live map, 3D trains, departures, trip planner, and leave and arrival alerts all work on Android. Live Activities and the Dynamic Island are iPhone features. On Android, travel times to the station are estimated on your device.
Do I need to share my location?
No. Location is optional and used only while the app is open, to find your nearest station and estimate how long it takes you to get there. You can always pick stations yourself. Your precise location is never sent to our servers.
Do I need an account?
No. There’s no sign-up and no login. Your favorites and settings are stored on your phone.
Is Trackside an official BART app?
No. Trackside is an independent app built on BART’s public real-time data. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District.
Privacy & your data
Trackside has no accounts. Read the Privacy Policy, or see how to delete your data.
Trackside is made by Something Better LLC.