[1] US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and the Mayor of San Francisco Gavin Newsom attended the ceremony.

The Transbay Terminal served as the San Francisco terminus for the electric commuter trains of the Interurban Electric (Southern Pacific), the Key System and the Sacramento Northern (Western Pacific) railroads, which ran on the south side of the lower deck of the Bay Bridge.

[6][8] Construction of rail facilities (including laying tracks on the bridge and construction of the new San Francisco terminal) for the Bay Bridge had cost the state an estimated US$15,000,000 (equivalent to $328,600,000 in 2023), and the state had invested an additional US$3,666,129 (equivalent to $80,300,000 in 2023) in rolling stock, which was leased to the railroad companies.

[10][11] Governor Frank Merriam piloted the first (ceremonial) electric train across the bridge on September 23, 1938,[12] although regular service did not commence until January 1939, after the terminal was complete.

Even after rail service ended, the loop continued to be used by AC Transit, Amtrak Thruway and Greyhound buses until the station closed.

[14] By November 1940, the Interurban Electric Company was seeking permission to abandon East Bay service, prompting Director Clark to consider proposals for the state to assume operation of trains across the bridge.

Interurban stated they were forced to discontinue service, citing falling passenger counts, revenues, and a failed proposed consolidation with the Key System.

The Oakland City Planning Commission reported that since 1945, all the petitions from the Key System had invariably asked for cuts to service and increased fares, which also contributed to declining ridership.

[19] The tracks were removed and replaced with pavement[21] for use primarily by the buses of the publicly owned successor of the Key System, AC Transit.

After formation of the Muni Metro, streetcars were replaced with light rail vehicles and rerouted through the upper level of the Market Street subway.

[25] The Transbay Terminal hosted a cocktail lounge, a diner, a newsstand, and a state police office until the 1990s, when the tenants were either evicted or unable to meet safety regulations.

[26] Because the Terminal straddled First and Fremont streets, the large overpass structures and lobby spaces unofficially served to shelter numerous homeless people.

The final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was published in 2004,[29] and construction began in August 2010 on Phase 1, the new Transbay Transit Center (TTC) building.

[37] By December 5, 2018, Clipper card kiosks were reinstalled at the temporary terminal due to the continued closure of the Transit Center.