Alcatraz is a fortress on an island off San Francisco that has been used for coastal protection and then as a military prison since the 1850s. In 1934 it became a feared federal prison, considered one of the toughest with a reputation for being impossible to escape. In its 30 years of operation, it has seen a succession of notorious criminals, including Al Capone. In 2012, a TV show Alcatraz was even made about the legendary prison.
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Table of Contents
Alcatraz Tickets, Ferry and Best Tips for a Visit
⛴️ How to Get to Alcatraz
The ferry to Alcatraz departs from Pier 33. I recommend arriving 30-45 minutes early. You must either print your reservation or exchange it for an actual ticket. You can do so at the highly visible window page by the Alcatraz model, have your ID ready.
The ferry departs in both directions every 30 to 40 minutes or so; you can choose your own return time. The first ferry in the morning departs at approximately 8:40am, the last one back at 6:30pm (summer) or 4:25pm (winter). The cruise itself takes 12-15 minutes. The timetable may change according to the season, I recommend checking it.
⌛ Time Needed to Visit Alcatraz
Alcatraz itself is accessible 24 hours a day. However, the prison is located on an island where you don’t want to spend the night, so you need to take the last ferry back to San Francisco at the latest.
Expect a tour of Alcatraz, including travel, to take about 3 hours. You will have plenty of time to visit the cells and watch the documentary. The fastest time to see the prison is approximately 1 hour, but you wouldn’t get a very powerful experience.
🎟️ Alcatraz Tickets
Ticket prices for a daily tour of Alcatraz are $45 for an adult 12 years and older, $28 for a child 5 to 11 years old, and $43 for a senior 62 years and older.
Tickets for the night tour are slightly more expensive. An adult pays $56, a child aged 5 to 11 years pays $33, a teenager aged 12 to 17 years pays $55 and seniors aged 62 years and over pay $52.
I last updated the prices on June 17, 2024. All ticket options already include a return ferry ticket and an audio tour in English. Book your Alcatraz tickets online. I recommend doing so with three months’ notice as they tend to sell out very quickly.
⚠️ How Not to Overpay for Tickets
Alcatraz City Cruises by Hornblower is the authorized ticket reseller. There are several companies operating ferries, but they usually only offer cruises around the island; it is not possible to disembark directly.
💡 Best Tips for Visiting
I recommend going to Alcatraz first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds that continuously arrive on the island. And again, I remind you to buy your tickets up to three months in advance.
Pack an extra layer of clothing in your backpack, there is a strong wind on the island even on a sunny summer day. Mosquito repellent is also a good addition, as they were the most annoying thing I experienced on Alcatraz.
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Legends and Myths About Alcatraz
⭕ How Many People Escaped From Alcatraz
Perhaps no other prison in the world is shrouded in as many myths as Alcatraz. The prison was open until March 21, 1963, when the last prisoner left Alcatraz.
During the entire period of operation, 36 prisoners attempted to escape in 14 separate escapes. A total of 31 of these prisoners were captured or shot during their escape, and the remaining five were pronounced dead. They are believed to have drowned, although they have not been seen since their escape.
According to official figures, no one has ever escaped from Alcatraz.
⭕ Sharks in the Waters Around Alcatraz
One legend has it that sharks swim in the bay around Alcatraz, making escape from Alcatraz impossible. This is, of course, nonsense.
The main obstacles to escape were the cold water, strong currents, and the 5,000 ft that separates Alcatraz from the San Francisco coast as the crow flies. If this topic interests you, check out the movie Escape from Alcatraz starring Clint Eastwood.
⭕ Prisoners With Life Sentences
Another legend has it that prisoners were sent to Alcatraz for life or were executed there. Neither is true, although Alcatraz has always been considered the toughest prison in America. There is even a saying “Break the rules and you go to prison, break the prison rules and you go to Alcatraz.”
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Fun Facts About Alcatraz
◻️ Number of Inmates at Alcatraz
Alcatraz has never been filled to its full capacity of 320 prisoners, with an average of 260 inmates. During the entire period of operation of Alcatraz, 1,576 prisoner numbers were issued, the actual number was lower as some of them were fond of returning to Alcatraz. They lived in Blocks B and C (336 cells in total), while Block D, with 42 cells, was reserved for unruly prisoners.
◻️ The Guards Lived on the Island
The prisoners were supervised by 90 guards who rotated through the prisoners in eight-hour shifts, many of whom lived with their families on the island. Several children grew up there, and the guards established a fairly well-known garden in their spare time, where they grew mostly hardy plants given the conditions, especially brooklime, poppies, eucalyptus and cypresses.
◻️ How Many Prisoners Died at Alcatraz
Alcatraz did not shy away from death. During the course of the prison’s operation, 8 prisoners were murdered by fellow inmates, 5 committed suicide, and 15 died of natural causes or as a result of illness or disease.
◻️ Alcatraz Was Originally a Military Fortress
Beginning in 1859, Alcatraz first served as a military fortress to protect San Francisco Bay. In 1907, Alcatraz first became a military prison and joined the U.S. prison system in 1933.
◻️ How Alcatraz Got Its Name
The name Alcatraz comes from Spanish and refers to the name of the island where the prison is located. It was named “La Isla de los Alcatraces”, which translates as the Island of the Pelicans, by Spanish naval officer Juan Manuel de Ayala in 1775. Over time, the name was shortened to the present-day Alcatraz.
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Alcatraz’s Most Famous Prisoners: Al Capone and Birdman Stroud
The most famous prisoner at Alcatraz was Alphonse Gabriel Capone, better known by his nickname Al Capone. He stayed on the island between 1934 and 1938, and after a fistfight with a fellow inmate, he also briefly sat in D Block for troubled inmates. From Alcatraz, prisoner number AZ-85 was transferred to a facility in Southern California in 1938. This was a year before he was released early. This was partly due to health reasons, as his syphilis was fully manifested.
The second known resident of Alcatraz was Robert Stroud, nicknamed The Birdman. He had already acquired the nickname at his previous prison, Leavenworth, where he had become a respected ornithologist. He stayed at Alcatraz throughout his time in solitary confinement. Between 1942 and 1948, first in D Block and then in the hospital wing until 1959.
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Photos of Alcatraz
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