Muni riders moving through the Market Street subway yesterday found their trains suddenly crawling between Castro and Civic Center, after controllers kicked off a safety check triggered by a report of an intruder in the tunnel. Both inbound and outbound trains were ordered to run at reduced speeds along the downtown stretch while crews inspected the right-of-way. The transit agency said it would share more once it had additional details.
What SFMTA posted
In its brief advisory on X, SFMTA told riders that inbound and outbound subway service was slow between Castro and Civic Center while controllers conducted a safety check prompted by a report of an intruder. The agency did not immediately say whether police were on scene or whether anyone had been removed from the tunnel.
ATTN: IB/OB #Subwaysvc currently slow moving btwn Castro & Civic Center as controllers are conducting a safety check due to report of an intruder. Will update.
— SFMTA (@SFMTA_Muni) February 14, 2026
Rider options and disruptions
Once a tunnel check starts, riders can usually count on delays lingering even after the initial alert. During similar slowdowns in the past, officials have advised commuters to use BART or surface bus routes instead of waiting out a sluggish subway. When a signal problem bogged down service between Civic Center and Embarcadero last November, officials encouraged riders to use BART or the F, 7 or 9R buses, according to the SF Chronicle. Crowding and longer platform waits are common while trains creep along at reduced speed.
Not the first time
Reports of people in the Muni trackway have sparked similar safety checks in recent years. An April 2025 incident involving what Muni described as an “intruder in the tunnel near Castro Station” led to slow-moving subway service, as reported by SFist. SFist also noted that SFMTA’s post-incident summaries include past intruder-related slowdowns in the system’s history, including one in 2019. Those episodes have at times forced trains to turn back at nearby stations or required bus shuttles to support service.
If you are planning to ride through downtown Market Street, allow extra travel time and keep an eye on transit feeds or real-time apps for updates. We will continue to monitor SFMTA’s channels and update this story if the agency releases new information.
