Routes at a glance
| From | How | Time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| SFO airport | BART train | About 30 min | Direct to Powell Street and Embarcadero in the city centre |
| SFO airport | Taxi or ride-hailing | 25–45 min | Slower in rush hour |
| Oakland airport (OAK) | BART train | About 40 min | Change at Coliseum station from the airport connector |
| San José (SJC) / Silicon Valley | Caltrain | About 1–1.5 hours | Arrives at 4th & King, a tram ride from downtown |
| Los Angeles | Flight | About 1.5 hours | Frequent flights from LAX, BUR and SNA |
| Los Angeles | Car | 6–6.5 hours on I-5 | Two to three days if you take Highway 1 |
| Yosemite Valley | Car | 3.5–4 hours | No direct train; tours available |
| Monterey | Car | 2–2.5 hours | Via Highway 101, or slower along the coast on Highway 1 |
From the airports
BART is the easiest way in from SFO: the station is in the International Terminal, reached from the other terminals by the free AirTrain. Trains run to the city centre in around half an hour. Pay with a Clipper card on your phone or a card from the machines.
From Oakland, the airport connector links the terminals to BART at Coliseum station. Both airports have the usual taxis, ride-hailing pick-up zones and shared shuttles.
Arriving by car
Driving into San Francisco is straightforward; parking is not. Hotel garages commonly charge a high nightly rate, street parking is limited and car break-ins are frequent — never leave anything visible in a parked car. Northbound over the Golden Gate Bridge is free; the toll is charged electronically on the way back into the city. See tolls and FasTrak.
Getting around locally
- Muni buses, trams and historic streetcars cover the whole city; day passes are available in the MuniMobile app and on Clipper.
- Cable cars are public transport as well as an attraction, but single fares cost more than buses.
- Walking works well along the flat waterfront; be ready for very steep blocks elsewhere.
- Ferries run from the Ferry Building and Pier 41 to Sausalito — a pleasant way back after walking or cycling across the bridge.
- Ride-hailing is plentiful, and driverless taxis operate in much of the city.
