Alcatraz Tours and Tickets Compared
Eight Alcatraz tours and tickets sit on this page, priced from $39 to $159 per person, split into four groups: the standard ferry and audio tour, the after-dark night tour, the bay cruise that never lands, and five combo tickets that pair Alcatraz with something else in the city or a day trip further out. I have ordered the groups by how close each one keeps you to the island itself, starting with the ticket that puts you inside the cellhouse for the least money and ending with the combo that turns Alcatraz into one stop on a longer day away from San Francisco.
- Operators compared
- 5
- Bookable online
- 8
- Departure areas
- 3
- Cheapest online
- $39
Book online
Which Alcatraz ticket gets you onto the island for the least money?
Alcatraz Ferry Tickets with Cellhouse Audio Tour is the cheapest ticket that still lands you on the island, at $48 per adult for 2 to 3 hours total. The fare covers the round-trip ferry from Pier 33, Alcatraz admission, and the self-guided Cellhouse Audio Tour narrated by former officers and inmates, plus free access to the outdoor grounds and the Rose Garden once you're off the boat. Food, drinks, and a live guide sit outside this ticket. I would start here for a first visit, since every other product on this page either repeats this same core experience at a higher price or adds something on top of it.
★ Top pick Best value Official tickets
Alcatraz Ferry Tickets with Cellhouse Audio Tour
Cheapest official entry, best for first-time visitors
✓ Free cancellation available
What do you get on the after-dark Alcatraz night tour?
Alcatraz Night Tour Tickets swap the Cellhouse Audio Tour for the Pintours app guide, running 3 hours at $112 per adult. The price covers the round-trip night ferry and the official Alcatraz Night admission, with the app unlocking extra stories, sound, and music as you move through the cellhouse once the day crowds have left. It does not include a meal, whatever some other listings say. I would book this over the daytime ferry only if the after-dark atmosphere is the actual reason you're going, since it costs more than double the standard ticket for a shorter audio format.
Night tours
Alcatraz Night Tour Tickets
After-dark cellhouse visit with app-guided audio
✓ Free cancellation available
What do you get from the Alcatraz bay cruise that never lands?
Alcatraz Sightseeing Bay Cruise Tickets is the cheapest product on this page at $39 for a 1 to 1.5 hour narrated loop around the island and under the Golden Gate Bridge. The fare covers the cruise itself, skip-the-line boarding, and a multilingual audio guide app, but nobody steps off the boat onto Alcatraz at any point in the trip. I would book this as a second water activity or a quick, affordable look at the island, never as a stand-in for actually walking the cellhouse.
Bay cruises
Alcatraz Sightseeing Bay Cruise Tickets
Budget cruise around the island, no landing
✓ Free cancellation available
Which Alcatraz combo ticket fits the second activity you actually want?
Five tickets bundle Alcatraz with a second activity, and the best fit depends on what else you want from the day. Alcatraz Prison Tour & Bay Cruise Combo Tickets is $122 for 4 hours and adds a separately scheduled bay cruise to the same cellhouse visit. Alcatraz City Highlights Tour Tickets is $149 for 5 hours with a small-group guide through Lombard Street and the Golden Gate Bridge before the ferry. Alcatraz & Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour Tickets is $130 for 4 hours and adds a 2-hour hop-on hop-off loop plus a free North Beach appetizer stop. Alcatraz Tour with Bike Rental Tickets is $92 for 4 hours with a 1-hour bike rental toward the Golden Gate Bridge. Alcatraz Tour with Muir Woods & Sausalito Tickets is $159 for 7 hours and turns Alcatraz into one stop on a day that also covers the redwoods and Sausalito. I would pick the bike or bus pairing for a half day in the city, and save Muir Woods for travelers who have a full day to give it.
Combo tours
Alcatraz Tour with Bike Rental Tickets
Alcatraz plus a 1-hour bike rental in the city
✓ Free cancellation available
Combo tours
Alcatraz & Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour Tickets
Alcatraz plus a 2-hour hop-on hop-off bus loop
✓ Free cancellation available
Combo tours
Alcatraz City Highlights Tour Tickets
Small-group city drive plus Alcatraz, one guide
✓ Free cancellation available
Combo tours
Alcatraz Tour with Muir Woods & Sausalito Tickets
Full day: redwoods, Sausalito, and Alcatraz
✓ Free cancellation available
Combo tours
Alcatraz Prison Tour & Bay Cruise Combo Tickets
Prison tour plus a scenic bay cruise, any day
✓ Free cancellation available
Check dates for the top pick
Alcatraz Ferry Tickets with Cellhouse Audio Tour: From $47.95 · 2 - 3 hours.
How do these 8 Alcatraz tours and tickets compare?
Every price on this page is the lowest published adult fare checked on 2026-10-27, per person unless a listing says otherwise. Duration is the operator's own figure: the standard ferry, the night tour, and the bay cruise are each a single fixed-length trip, while the five combo tickets run from 4 to 7 hours because they bundle a second activity on top of the island visit. One exception is worth knowing: the prison tour and bay cruise combo sells its two halves as independent bookings, so the cruise can be used on a different day than the Alcatraz ferry itself, which no other ticket here allows.
| Tour or ticket | Duration | Best for | From | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcatraz Ferry Tickets with Cellhouse Audio Tour Official tickets 2 - 3 hours | 2 - 3 hours | Cheapest official entry, best for first-time visitors | 47.95USD per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
| Alcatraz Tour with Bike Rental Tickets Combo tours 4 hours | 4 hours | Alcatraz plus a 1-hour bike rental in the city | 92USD per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
| Alcatraz & Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour Tickets Combo tours 4 hours | 4 hours | Alcatraz plus a 2-hour hop-on hop-off bus loop | 130USD per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
| Alcatraz Sightseeing Bay Cruise Tickets Bay cruises 1 - 1.5 hours | 1 - 1.5 hours | Budget cruise around the island, no landing | 39USD per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
| Alcatraz City Highlights Tour Tickets Combo tours 5 hours | 5 hours | Small-group city drive plus Alcatraz, one guide | 149USD per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
| Alcatraz Night Tour Tickets Night tours 3 hours | 3 hours | After-dark cellhouse visit with app-guided audio | 111.99USD per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
| Alcatraz Tour with Muir Woods & Sausalito Tickets Combo tours 7 hours | 7 hours | Full day: redwoods, Sausalito, and Alcatraz | 159USD per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
| Alcatraz Prison Tour & Bay Cruise Combo Tickets Combo tours 4 hours | 4 hours | Prison tour plus a scenic bay cruise, any day | 122USD per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
Prices checked: 2026-10-27 · prices may vary
Compare
Who actually runs the Alcatraz Island tours in San Francisco?
Five companies run or sell Alcatraz Island tours in San Francisco, split between the Pier 33 dock itself and pickup offices in North Beach, Union Square, and the Richmond District. Dylan's Tours has the most Google reviews, 2,670 at a 4.9 average, while SF Excursions holds the highest rating, 5.0 from 225. The split that matters most is where you start: Alcatraz City Cruises and ALCATRAZ TOURS sell tickets right at the pier, while Must See, Dylan's Tours, and SF Excursions run their Alcatraz add-ons from a city pickup point first. I would start at the pier if Alcatraz is your whole day, and book a city operator if you want a guide or a second stop built in.
Click a column heading to re-sort.
| What they run | Book online | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dylan's Tours Union Square and North Beach: city pickup offices | Union Square and North Beach: city pickup offices | Runs the small-group Alcatraz and Lombard Street city tour | 4.9 2,670 reviews | Alcatraz City Highlights Tour Tickets |
| SF EXCURSIONS The Richmond District: a Muir Woods and Alcatraz desk | The Richmond District: a Muir Woods and Alcatraz desk | Lists Alcatraz tours and Muir Woods day trips | 5.0 225 reviews | Direct only |
| Must See Union Square and North Beach: city pickup offices | Union Square and North Beach: city pickup offices | Runs the Alcatraz, Muir Woods, and Sausalito day tour | 4.7 426 reviews | Alcatraz Tour with Muir Woods & Sausalito Tickets |
| ALCATRAZ TOURS Pier 33: the Alcatraz ferry dock itself | Pier 33: the Alcatraz ferry dock itself | Sells Alcatraz ferry, bike, and bay cruise tickets | 4.6 2,350 reviews | Alcatraz Tour with Bike Rental TicketsAlcatraz & Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour Tickets |
| Alcatraz City Cruises Pier 33: the Alcatraz ferry dock itself | Pier 33: the Alcatraz ferry dock itself | Runs the official NPS-authorized Alcatraz ferry, day and night | 4.4 1,960 reviews | Alcatraz & Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour TicketsAlcatraz Ferry Tickets with Cellhouse Audio Tour |
Google ratings and review counts as captured 28 October 2026; they change daily. They are Google's numbers, shown without stars or review markup.
What does every Alcatraz ticket on this page actually include?
Seven of the eight tickets land you on Alcatraz and include the island admission plus a self-guided audio tour, either the classic Cellhouse Audio Tour by day or the Pintours app guide at night. The bay cruise is the one exception: its fare buys the loop around the island and the pass under the Golden Gate Bridge, never a landing. Combo tickets add one extra piece on top of the island visit, a live guide, a bike, a bus loop, or a van to Muir Woods, and every one of them leaves out food, drinks, and gratuities as standard. The appetizer stop on the bus combo and the included bike hour are the only food- or activity-adjacent extras built into any fare here.
- Free cancellation available
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Which tour?
How do you choose between the ferry, the night tour, a cruise and a combo?
Start from what you want out of the day, not the price list. If the island itself is the whole goal, the standard ferry is the most direct route to it for the least money. If atmosphere matters more than narration, the night tour trades a daytime crowd for a quieter cellhouse after dark. If you only have an hour or two and don't need to go ashore, the bay cruise is the fastest, cheapest way to see Alcatraz from the water. If you want a second activity bundled into the same booking, pick the combo that matches it: a live guide and city driving, a bike ride, a bus loop, or a full day that also covers Muir Woods and Sausalito.
Cheapest way onto the island
Alcatraz Ferry Tickets with Cellhouse Audio Tour, from $47.95 for 2 to 3 hours through Alcatraz City Cruises, is the cheapest ticket that still lands you on Alcatraz. I would start here for a first visit, since it carries the same ferry and audio tour that every pricier combo on this page builds on top of.
Cheapest way to see Alcatraz without landing
Alcatraz Sightseeing Bay Cruise Tickets is the cheapest product on this site at $39 for a 1 to 1.5 hour loop around the island, and it never lands on Alcatraz. I would book it only as a quick, affordable look from the water, not as a stand-in for the actual cellhouse.
Most reviewed operator on this list
Dylan's Tours carries the most Google reviews of any operator here, 2,670 at a 4.9 average, and supplies the Alcatraz City Highlights Tour Tickets, from $149 for 5 hours with a small-group guide through Lombard Street before the ferry. I would pick Dylan's Tours if a live city guide matters to you as much as Alcatraz itself.
Highest-rated operator
SF Excursions holds the top rating among these operators, 5.0 from 225 Google reviews, and its own listing names both Alcatraz and Muir Woods tours. I would call ahead to confirm its current Alcatraz departure before booking direct, since it sits in the Richmond District away from the Pier 33 desks.
Most Alcatraz add-ons in one place
ALCATRAZ TOURS at Pier 33 sells the widest spread of Alcatraz combos on this page, including the bike rental ticket (from $92, 4 hours) and the Prison Tour & Bay Cruise Combo Tickets (from $122, 4 hours). I would check here first if you want to compare several add-ons before choosing one.
Full day away from the city
Must See's Alcatraz Tour with Muir Woods & Sausalito Tickets, from $159 for 7 hours, is the only product on this page that turns Alcatraz into one stop on a bigger day trip. I would pick it over the city combos only if the redwoods and Sausalito matter as much to you as the island.
Operators
Where these Alcatraz operators are based
Pier 33: the Alcatraz ferry dock itself
ALCATRAZ TOURS
Sells Alcatraz ferry, bike, and bay cruise tickets · Sightseeing tour agency
ALCATRAZ TOURS runs a Pier 33 ticket desk with the widest spread of Alcatraz combos on this list, rated 4.6 from 2,350 Google reviews. It sells the bike rental combo (Alcatraz Tour with Bike Rental Tickets, from $92 for 4 hours) and the Alcatraz Prison Tour & Bay Cruise Combo Tickets (from $122 for 4 hours), alongside the standard ferry and night tours. I would check here first if you want to compare several Alcatraz add-ons in one stop before booking.
Pier 33, San Francisco, CA 94111, United States
WebsiteGoogle MapsAlso bookable here: Alcatraz Tour with Bike Rental Tickets →Also bookable here: Alcatraz & Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour Tickets →
Alcatraz City Cruises
Runs the official NPS-authorized Alcatraz ferry, day and night · Tour operator
Alcatraz City Cruises is the only ferry operator the National Park Service authorizes to sail Pier 33 to Alcatraz Island, rated 4.4 from 1,960 Google reviews. Its Alcatraz Ferry Tickets with Cellhouse Audio Tour starts at $47.95 for 2 to 3 hours and is the cheapest way to land on the island. It also runs the Alcatraz Night Tour Tickets after dark, from $111.99 for 3 hours. I would start here if landing on Alcatraz is the whole point of your day.
31 San Francisco Pier 33 - Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, CA 94124, United States
WebsiteGoogle MapsAlso bookable here: Alcatraz & Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour Tickets →Also bookable here: Alcatraz Ferry Tickets with Cellhouse Audio Tour →
Union Square and North Beach: city pickup offices
Dylan's Tours
Runs the small-group Alcatraz and Lombard Street city tour · Sightseeing tour agency
Dylan's Tours is a North Beach operator rated 4.9 from 2,670 Google reviews, the highest review count of any operator in this list. It supplies the Alcatraz City Highlights Tour Tickets, a small-group van tour that drives Lombard Street and the Golden Gate Bridge before the ferry, from $149 for 5 hours. I would pick Dylan's Tours over a self-guided ferry ticket if a live guide for the city half of your day matters to you.
782 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, United States
WebsiteGoogle MapsAlso bookable here: Alcatraz City Highlights Tour Tickets →
Must See
Runs the Alcatraz, Muir Woods, and Sausalito day tour · Tour operator
Must See is a Union Square tour desk rated 4.7 from 426 Google reviews, and its own Google listing name calls out both Alcatraz and Muir Woods tours. It supplies the Alcatraz Tour with Muir Woods & Sausalito Tickets, a 7-hour day from $159 that pairs the island ferry with the redwoods and the bay town. I would book through Must See if Alcatraz is only one stop on a longer day out of the city.
488 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States
WebsiteGoogle MapsAlso bookable here: Alcatraz Tour with Muir Woods & Sausalito Tickets →
The Richmond District: a Muir Woods and Alcatraz desk
SF EXCURSIONS
Lists Alcatraz tours and Muir Woods day trips · Sightseeing tour agency
SF Excursions is the highest-rated operator in this list, 5.0 from 225 Google reviews, based in the Richmond District away from the Pier 33 cluster. Its own Google listing names both Alcatraz tours and Muir Woods tours among what it runs. I would call ahead to confirm current Alcatraz departure times and pricing before booking direct, since it sits outside the ticket desks clustered at the pier.
132 2nd Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118, United States
How does booking an Alcatraz ticket actually work?
Every ticket on this page completes on GetYourGuide, which resells Alcatraz City Cruises' allocation and these operators' combo products, and this site earns a commission when you book through it. You pick a date and a time slot, pay online, and most listings allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, shown exactly at checkout. The Alcatraz ferry itself runs on a fixed schedule that will not hold for latecomers, so build in buffer time before your check-in window no matter which ticket you book. Checkout shows the operator's live price, which is why every figure on this page carries the date it was checked.
FAQs
Does the Alcatraz night tour ticket include a meal?
No. The ticket covers the round-trip night ferry, the official Alcatraz Night admission, and the Pintours app guide only. Some listings elsewhere describe it as including a meal, but the product's own included and excluded lists confirm meals and beverages are not part of the fare, so plan to eat beforehand.
Can I use the Alcatraz ferry and the bay cruise in the prison tour combo on different days?
Yes, and it's the only ticket on this page that works this way. The Alcatraz Prison Tour & Bay Cruise Combo sells the ferry and the bay cruise as two independent bookings, so you can sail the cruise on a different, calmer day than your fixed Alcatraz ferry slot.
Does the Alcatraz bay cruise ever stop on the island?
No. It circles Alcatraz Island and passes beneath the Golden Gate Bridge in about 90 minutes, but nobody disembarks at any point. If going ashore matters, book the standard ferry or one of the combo tickets instead.
Can I ride the included bike all the way to Sausalito on the bike rental ticket?
Not within the included hour. Most riders use it to reach the Golden Gate Bridge and turn back, and the rental shop sells an upgrade to a full-day or electric bike if you want to continue into Sausalito and back.
Which Alcatraz combo includes a free meal stop?
Only the hop-on hop-off bus combo. It adds a complimentary appetizer at two North Beach restaurants, Mona Lisa and Steps of Rome Trattoria, on top of the ferry, the audio tour, and a 2-hour bus loop.
Do I choose whether Alcatraz or Muir Woods comes first on the full-day combo?
No, your departure time decides it. The 8:30am and 9:45am slots visit Muir Woods and Sausalito first; the 9:10am and 10:35am slots go to Alcatraz first. Check your confirmed time slot rather than assuming the order.
Does a live guide stay with you for the whole day on the Alcatraz city tour?
Only for the 90-minute city driving portion. Once the van drops you at Pier 33, the Alcatraz cellhouse visit switches to the same self-guided audio tour used on every other ticket on this page.
Everything else, live
GetYourGuide's full list for Alcatraz Island, with real-time dates and free cancellation on most options.
See every option on GetYourGuide →