Tours from Pier 33
The best Alcatraz tours
The ticket with the ferry, bay cruise combos and the night option: here is how to pick an Alcatraz tour, with honest advice on the 26 Oct – 18 Nov closure and refunds, what each ticket really includes and how long the visit takes.
See our 7 picks
The best Alcatraz tour for most people is the ticket with the ferry and the self-guided app. But the island is closed from 26 October to 18 November 2026, so pick a date from 19 November. If you already hold a ticket for those dates, you can get a refund, move the date or take the 90-minute Bay Discovery Cruise on some dates. That cruise does not stop at the island.
Our 7 picks for Alcatraz
All seven leave from Pier 33. The five with free cancellation come first; the two non-refundable tours come last.
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from €69 per person Our top pick 3–5.5 hours 4.5 (4,589) reviews on GetYourGuide
Alcatraz ticket, ferry and self-guided app
The official ticket and the ferry from Pier 33, with an app to guide you. Plan on 3 to 5.5 hours. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Best for Most visitors, and first-timers
Check availability: Alcatraz ticket, ferry and self-guided app on GetYourGuide -
from €85 per person 3 hours 4.4 (1,221) reviews on GetYourGuide
Alcatraz, ferry and audio tour with a night option
The ferry, the official ticket, the Cellhouse Audio Tour and a second audio tour about island life. You can choose a night visit. About 3 hours. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Best for Visitors who want the night visit
Check availability: Alcatraz, ferry and audio tour with a night option on GetYourGuide -
from €77 per person 3 hours 4.4 (128) reviews on GetYourGuide
Inside Alcatraz with audio and a night option
The ferry, the ticket and the audio tour told by former inmates and guards. A night option is offered. About 3 hours. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Best for Budget visitors who want the night option
Check availability: Inside Alcatraz with audio and a night option on GetYourGuide -
from €124 per person 4 hours 4.5 (1,069) reviews on GetYourGuide
Alcatraz plus a one-hour bay cruise
The Alcatraz visit with an audio guide, then a one-hour cruise along the waterfront. About 4 hours. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Best for Visitors who want the bridge from the water too
Check availability: Alcatraz plus a one-hour bay cruise on GetYourGuide -
from €109 per person 4 hours 4.6 (600) reviews on GetYourGuide
Alcatraz prison tour and bay cruise package
The ferry from Pier 33, the audio tour, the island ticket and a return sightseeing cruise. About 4 hours. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Best for Visitors who want the combo for less
Check availability: Alcatraz prison tour and bay cruise package on GetYourGuide -
from €120 per person 4 hours 4.5 (1,624) reviews on GetYourGuide
Inside Alcatraz with a bay cruise
Non-refundable. The ferry, the island ticket, a 45-minute audio tour and a 60-minute bay cruise. About 4 hours.
Best for Sure-of-the-date visitors who want the combo
Check availability: Inside Alcatraz with a bay cruise on GetYourGuide -
from €120 per person 3 hours 3.7 (32) reviews on GetYourGuide
Alcatraz and Golden Gate bay cruise
Non-refundable. The ferry and island visit, plus a one-hour cruise toward the Golden Gate Bridge. The seller gives you your Alcatraz time slot. About 3 hours.
Best for Only if the other tours are sold out
Check availability: Alcatraz and Golden Gate bay cruise on GetYourGuide
Alcatraz tours compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Free cancellation | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcatraz ticket, ferry and self-guided app | €69 per person | 3–5.5 hours | Yes, 24 h | Most visitors, and first-timers | The most-reviewed Alcatraz tour: 4.5 from 4,589 reviews. |
| Alcatraz, ferry and audio tour with a night option | €85 per person | 3 hours | Yes, 24 h | Visitors who want the night visit | Day or night on one ticket, with 4.4 from 1,221 reviews. |
| Inside Alcatraz with audio and a night option | €77 per person | 3 hours | Yes, 24 h | Budget visitors who want the night option | The cheapest ticket with a night option, from €77. |
| Alcatraz plus a one-hour bay cruise | €124 per person | 4 hours | Yes, 24 h | Visitors who want the bridge from the water too | Two trips in one booking, with 4.5 from 1,069 reviews. |
| Alcatraz prison tour and bay cruise package | €109 per person | 4 hours | Yes, 24 h | Visitors who want the combo for less | The cheapest free-cancellation combo, from €109, with 4.6 from 600 reviews. |
| Inside Alcatraz with a bay cruise | €120 per person | 4 hours | No | Sure-of-the-date visitors who want the combo | 4.5 from 1,624 reviews, but there is no free cancellation. |
| Alcatraz and Golden Gate bay cruise | €120 per person | 3 hours | No | Only if the other tours are sold out | The lowest rating here (3.7 from 32 reviews), so it comes last. |
Alcatraz ticket, ferry and self-guided app
€69 per person3–5.5 hours 4.5 (4,589)
More details
- Free cancellation
- Yes, 24 h
- Who it suits
- Most visitors, and first-timers
- Why we picked it
- The most-reviewed Alcatraz tour: 4.5 from 4,589 reviews.
Alcatraz, ferry and audio tour with a night option
€85 per person3 hours 4.4 (1,221)
More details
- Free cancellation
- Yes, 24 h
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want the night visit
- Why we picked it
- Day or night on one ticket, with 4.4 from 1,221 reviews.
Inside Alcatraz with audio and a night option
€77 per person3 hours 4.4 (128)
More details
- Free cancellation
- Yes, 24 h
- Who it suits
- Budget visitors who want the night option
- Why we picked it
- The cheapest ticket with a night option, from €77.
Alcatraz plus a one-hour bay cruise
€124 per person4 hours 4.5 (1,069)
More details
- Free cancellation
- Yes, 24 h
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want the bridge from the water too
- Why we picked it
- Two trips in one booking, with 4.5 from 1,069 reviews.
Alcatraz prison tour and bay cruise package
€109 per person4 hours 4.6 (600)
More details
- Free cancellation
- Yes, 24 h
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want the combo for less
- Why we picked it
- The cheapest free-cancellation combo, from €109, with 4.6 from 600 reviews.
Inside Alcatraz with a bay cruise
€120 per person4 hours 4.5 (1,624)
More details
- Free cancellation
- No
- Who it suits
- Sure-of-the-date visitors who want the combo
- Why we picked it
- 4.5 from 1,624 reviews, but there is no free cancellation.
Alcatraz and Golden Gate bay cruise
€120 per person3 hours 3.7 (32)
More details
- Free cancellation
- No
- Who it suits
- Only if the other tours are sold out
- Why we picked it
- The lowest rating here (3.7 from 32 reviews), so it comes last.
Group size is not stated on the booking pages. None of the 7 includes hotel pickup: you meet on site. Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 22 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
How long does an Alcatraz tour take?
An Alcatraz tour takes about 3 hours, and up to 5.5 hours if you stay longer. That counts the ferry both ways from Pier 33 and your time on the island.
A tour with a bay cruise takes about 4 hours. The official Behind the Scenes Tour takes 4 to 5 hours.
- Ticket, ferry and app: 3 to 5.5 hours.
- Ticket with audio and night option: about 3 hours.
- Alcatraz plus a bay cruise: about 4 hours.
Which Alcatraz ticket and tour should you book?
Book the plain ticket with the ferry unless you want something extra. Every island ticket already includes the Cellhouse Audio Tour, so you do not need a guide.
- Pick the ticket, ferry and app if you want the classic visit at your own pace.
- Pick a night option if you want the prison after dark.
- Pick a bay cruise combo if you also want to sail under the Golden Gate Bridge.
- Pick a free-cancellation tour if your dates could change.
Alcatraz plus a bay cruise, compared
A combo adds a one-hour bay cruise to the Alcatraz visit, for about 4 hours in all. It is the easy way to see the island and the Golden Gate Bridge in one morning.
Our cheapest combo with free cancellation starts from €109. The plain ticket starts from €69, and the cheapest ticket with a night option from €77. Other combos with Muir Woods or wine country exist, and the night versions are in the Alcatraz night tour guide below.
Guides on Alcatraz
Alcatraz night tour vs day visit
The day visit suits most people and costs less. The night tour is calmer and spookier, and it costs more.
The official Night Tour costs $59.65 for an adult, against $47.95 for the Day Tour.
What is Alcatraz Island? The prison and why people go
Alcatraz Island is a small island in San Francisco Bay, run by the National Park Service. It is best known as a federal prison that held Al Capone and "Machine Gun" Kelly.
People go for the cellhouse, the views and the story of the Alcatraz escape. On 12 June 1962, Morris and the Anglin brothers were found missing from their cells. Strong currents and cold water made escape almost impossible.
Where is Alcatraz? Boarding at Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing
Alcatraz sits in the bay off the north shore of San Francisco. Every ferry leaves from Pier 33, the only place to board.
Alcatraz City Cruises runs the only ferry the park allows. All of our picks use it. Most tours meet at Pier 33 too, so plan to get there on your own.
What the ticket includes: ferry, audio guide or app
Every Alcatraz ticket includes the ferry both ways and entry to the island. The Cellhouse Audio Tour comes with every island ticket, and ranger talks are free.
Some tours add a second audio tour or an app. A few add a bay cruise or a food voucher. No pick includes a live guide on the island.
When to book Alcatraz tickets
Book for a date from 19 November 2026 on, because the island is closed from 26 October to 18 November. The park says the dates may shift with the weather.
Tickets go on sale up to 90 days ahead, and the park urges you to book early. The ferry seller refunds you if you cancel at least 72 hours before you leave. The cards on GetYourGuide show their own cancellation line, often up to 24 hours ahead.
Tips before you book Alcatraz
Check the closure first
No visits run from 26 October to 18 November 2026. If you booked for those days, you can get a refund, move the date or take the Bay Discovery Cruise on some dates.
Choose free cancellation
Five of our seven picks let you cancel for free up to 24 hours ahead. Two are non-refundable, so book those only if your date is fixed.
Bring a jacket
The weather on the island changes fast. Foggy mornings can turn sunny, then cold and windy again.
Leave time at Pier 33
All the ferries leave from Pier 33. Get there early so you do not miss your ferry.
Alcatraz tours: questions and answers
How long does an Alcatraz tour take?
Can you still tour Alcatraz?
How do you tour Alcatraz?
Where is Alcatraz?
What is Alcatraz Island?
More Alcatraz tours, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
Live prices and availability from GetYourGuide load here.
Facts checked on 23 October 2026 against: NPS: Alcatraz Island · NPS: fees and tickets · NPS: Alcatraz to close for dock repairs · NPS: weather · Alcatraz City Cruises: tickets · FBI: Alcatraz escape.
Written by the Things to Do in San Francisco editorial team.