Alcatraz Island, San Francisco: history, how to get there, hours and tickets

Alcatraz Island is a small rocky island in San Francisco Bay that was once a fort, a military prison and a maximum security federal penitentiary. Today it is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, run by the National Park Service (NPS). The only way there is the Alcatraz City Cruises ferry from Pier 33 on the Embarcadero. Below: its history by date, what to see, how to reach the pier and how tickets work. More of the city is on our San Francisco page.

Alcatraz history: fort, military prison, federal penitentiary

In 1775 Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala mapped the bay and named the island Isla de los Alcatraces, the Island of the Pelicans, for the many birds there. The name was later shortened and anglicized.

After California became a state, President Millard Fillmore reserved land around the bay for military use by executive order in 1850. In 1854 the Alcatraz lighthouse began service as the first lighthouse on the Pacific Coast, and eleven cannons, San Francisco's first defenses, were mounted on the island. In December 1859 Captain Joseph Stewart and 86 men of Company H, Third U.S. Artillery took command. The NPS dates the island's use as a prison from their arrival.

By the early 1860s Alcatraz had 111 cannons, some firing a 450-pound ball. During the Civil War it was the only completed fort in the bay and guarded California against Confederate raiders, though nobody ever attacked it. It became the military prison for the Department of the Pacific in 1861, the Pacific Branch, U.S. Military Prison in 1907 and the United States Disciplinary Barracks in 1915. Built with convict labor, the cellhouse was completed in 1912 with 600 single cells, each with a toilet and electricity; the NPS calls it the largest reinforced concrete building in the world at the time. It still stands.

In 1933 the island went to the Department of Justice for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. USP Alcatraz ran from 1934 to 1963, which the NPS describes as the government's response to post-Prohibition, post-Depression America and fears of organized crime. It held up to 336 men but never reached capacity; the average was 260 to 275. Per the Bureau of Prisons, inmates included Al Capone, George "Machine-Gun" Kelly, Alvin Karpis, Arthur "Doc" Barker and Robert Stroud, the "Birdman of Alcatraz," who spent 17 years there.

The Bureau counts 14 escape attempts by 36 men, two of whom tried twice: 23 were caught, 6 shot and killed, 2 drowned and 5 are listed as missing and presumed drowned. The prison closed on March 21, 1963, after 29 years. The Bureau says cost, not the 1962 escape, closed it: repairs would have taken $3 to $5 million, and in 1959 an inmate cost $10.10 a day against $3.00 at USP Atlanta.

In 1964 and again from 1969 to 1971, American Indian activists claimed the island. The 19-month occupation by the Indians of All Tribes, the NPS says, led to significant changes in federal policy. Congress created the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1972 with Alcatraz in it, and the island opened to the public in fall 1973. It now draws more than a million visitors a year.

What to see on Alcatraz

The Cell House. The 1912 building at the top of the island. An audio tour of it, with former inmates and correctional officers telling their stories, comes with every ferry ticket. The NPS lists 11 languages, Russian among them, plus American Sign Language and a Braille transcript in English. Until about 2028 the hospital wing, dining hall and shower room are closed for preservation work.

The climb. From the dock to the Cell House is about a quarter mile (0.4 km) with a 130-foot (40 m) rise, which the NPS compares to climbing a 13-story building. Most paths have steep slopes. An accessible tram, S.E.A.T., carries visitors with mobility impairments to the top.

Exhibits and rangers. Exhibits include The Big Lockup, on mass incarceration in the US. Rangers give free talks and tours every day, and the Junior Ranger program is open to visitors of all ages.

Alcatraz at night. Evening visits, Tuesday through Saturday, add special tours, talks and cell door demonstrations, and the ferry circles the island with live narration. The Behind the Scenes tour includes the night tour and takes 4 to 5 hours.

How to get to Pier 33 and the Alcatraz ferry

All access to the island is through Alcatraz City Cruises, a private ferry company under contract with the NPS and the only ferry allowed to dock and land passengers there. It leaves from Alcatraz Landing at Piers 31-33 on the Embarcadero at Bay Street, a little southeast of Fisherman's Wharf.

F streetcar. The NPS says the F Line runs along Market Street, turns north on the Embarcadero and passes the ferry terminal. The nearest stop on the SFMTA F Market & Wharves route is The Embarcadero & Bay St. It runs from 7 a.m. to midnight daily, between the Castro and Fisherman's Wharf.

Driving. There is no parking at Pier 33. Street spaces are scarce and meters usually allow too little time, the NPS says; about 15 commercial lots lie within five blocks, with widely varying rates. There is an accessibility drop-off zone.

Alcatraz hours and tickets

The NPS charges no entrance fee, but you need a ferry ticket. Prices are set by the operator and change, so see the current table on the NPS fees page and buy only from Alcatraz City Cruises.

Hours and ticket rules checked November 5, 2026 on nps.gov. For first and last departures and the price on your date, use the operator's site, linked from the NPS page. The island sometimes closes temporarily for repairs, so check Alerts on nps.gov/alca before you go.

Tips before you go

• Book ahead. The NPS strongly recommends it: tickets can sell out several weeks ahead in summer and around holiday weekends.
• Bring a jacket. Island weather changes suddenly and summer fog is common. The NPS advises a light layer on any day and rain gear in winter.
• Wear walking shoes. The NPS recommends comfortable, closed-toe walking shoes. Skip sandals, high heels, open-toe and leather-soled shoes.
• Food. None on the island beyond dry snacks and candy at the bookstore; the ferry has food service. Eat only on the dock, to protect seabirds.
• Pets and smoking. No pets, though service animals are allowed. Smoking only in marked areas of the dock.
• Time. Plan at least two to three hours on the island.

More sights are on what to see in San Francisco. Park phone: 415-561-4900.

Questions people ask

Why did Alcatraz prison close in 1963?

The Federal Bureau of Prisons says USP Alcatraz closed on March 21, 1963 because it was too expensive, not because of the 1962 escape. Repairs would have cost $3 to $5 million, and in 1959 holding one inmate cost $10.10 a day, against $3.00 at USP Atlanta.

Did anyone escape from Alcatraz?

The Federal Bureau of Prisons counts 14 escape attempts by 36 inmates. Of them, 23 were caught, 6 were shot and killed, 2 drowned, and 5 are listed as missing and presumed drowned. Two of the men tried to escape twice.

Does the America the Beautiful pass cover the Alcatraz ferry?

No. The National Park Service charges no entrance fee for Alcatraz Island, but America the Beautiful passes and fee-free days do not apply to the Alcatraz City Cruises ferry ticket. The Cell House audio tour is already included in the ticket price.

How long do you need on Alcatraz?

The National Park Service recommends at least two to three hours on the island, not counting the ferry from Pier 33. The Behind the Scenes tour, which includes the night tour, takes 4 to 5 hours. The walk from the dock to the Cell House is a quarter mile with a 130-foot climb.