BART
The fastest link between downtown and the Mission District also offers transit to SF airport (SFO; $8.95), Oakland ($3.45) and Berkeley ($4). Four of the system’s five lines pass through SF before terminating at Daly City or SFO. Within SF, one-way fares start at $1.95.
Transfers
At San Francisco BART stations, a 25¢ discount is available for Muni buses and streetcars; look for transfer machines before you pass through the turnstiles.
Bicycle
Contact the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition for maps, information and legal matters regarding bicyclists. Bike sharing is new in SF: racks for Bay Area Bike Share are located east of Van Ness Ave, and in the SoMa area; however, bikes come without helmets, and biking downtown without proper protection can be particularly dangerous. Bicycles can be taken on BART, but not aboard crowded trains, and never in the first car, nor in the first three cars during weekday rush hours; folded bikes are allowed in all cars at all times. On Amtrak, bikes can be checked as baggage for $5.
Boat
With the revival of the Embarcadero and the reinvention of the Ferry Building as a gourmet dining destination, commuters and tourists alike are taking the scenic ferry across the bay.
Alcatraz
Alcatraz Cruises has ferries (reservations essential) departing Pier 33 for Alcatraz every half-hour from 8:45am to 3:50pm and at 5:55pm and 6:30pm for night tours.
East Bay
Blue & Gold Fleet Ferries operates from the Ferry Building, Pier 39 and Pier 41 at Fisherman’s Wharf to Jack London Sq in Oakland (one way $6.65). During baseball season, a Giants ferry service runs directly from the landing at AT&T Park’s Seals Plaza entrance to Oakland and Alameda. Ticket booths are located at the Ferry Building and Piers 39 and 41.
San Francisco Bay Ferry operates from both Pier 41 and the Ferry Building to Oakland/Alameda. Fares are $6.60.
Marin County
Golden Gate Transit Ferries runs regular ferry services from the Ferry Building to Larkspur and Sausalito (one way $11.75). Transfers are available to Muni bus services and bicycles are permitted. Blue & Gold Fleet Ferries also operate to Tiburon or Sausalito (one way $11.50) from Pier 41.
Napa Valley
Get to Napa car free (weekdays only) via the Vallejo Ferry, with departures from the Ferry Building docks about every hour from 6:30am to 7pm weekdays and roughly every 90 minutes from 10am to 9pm on weekends; bikes are permitted. However, the connecting bus from the Vallejo Ferry Terminal – Napa Valley Vine bus 29 to downtown Napa, Yountville, St Helena or Calistoga – operates only on weekdays. Fares are $13.80.
Bus, Streetcar & Cable Car
Muni Operates bus, streetcar and cable-car lines. Buses and streetcars are referred to interchangeably as Muni, but when streetcars run underground beneath Market St, they’re called the Muni Metro. Some areas are better connected than others, but Muni spares you the costly hassle of driving and parking – and it’s often faster than driving, especially along metro-streetcar lines J, K/T, L, M and N.
Bus
Muni buses display their route number and final destination on the front and side. If the number is followed by the letter A, B, X or R, then it’s a limited-stop or express service.
Buses Around the Bay
Three public bus systems connect San Francisco to the rest of the Bay Area. Most buses leave from clearly marked bus stops; for transit maps and schedules, see the bus-system websites.
AC Transit East Bay bus services from the Temporary Transbay Terminal. For public-transport connections from BART in the East Bay, get an AC Transit transfer ticket before leaving the BART station for 25¢ off your connecting fare, both to and from BART.
Golden Gate Transit Connects San Francisco to Marin (tickets $5.50 to $8) and Sonoma Counties (tickets $11.75 to $13); check schedules online, as service is erratic.
SamTrans Connects San Francisco and the South Bay, including bus services to/from SF airport (SFO). Buses pick up/drop off from the Temporary Transbay Terminal and other marked bus stops within the city.
Streetcar
Muni Metro streetcars run 5am to midnight on weekdays, with limited schedules at weekends. The K, L, M, N and T lines operate 24 hours, but above-ground Owl buses replace streetcars between 12:30am and 5:30am. The F-Market line runs vintage streetcars above ground along Market St to the Embarcadero, where they turn north to Fisherman’s Wharf; the E-Embarcadero runs the same cars along the waterfront. The T line heads south along the Embarcadero through SoMa and Mission Bay, then down 3rd St. Other streetcars run underground below Market St to downtown.
Cable Car
In this age of seat belts and airbags, a rickety cable-car ride is an anachronistic thrill. There are seats for about 30 passengers, who are often outnumbered by passengers clinging to creaking leather straps.
Muni Stops
Muni stops are indicated by a street sign and/or a yellow-painted stripe on the nearest lamppost, with route numbers stamped on the yellow stripe; if there is no street sign or lamppost, look on the pavement for a yellow bar with a route number painted on it. Ignore yellow circles and Xs on the pavement, or bars that do not also have route numbers; these other markings tell electric-trolley drivers when to engage or disengage the throttle; they do not indicate bus stops.
Car & Motorcycle
If you can, avoid driving in San Francisco: heavy traffic is a given, street parking is harder to find than true love, and meter readers are ruthless.
Rental
Typically, a small rental car might cost $55 to $75 a day or $175 to $300 a week, plus 8.75% sales tax, plus various licensing fees and tourism taxes that add another $10 to $30 beyond the tax. Unless your credit card or personal car insurance covers car-rental insurance, you’ll need to add $10 to $20 per day for a loss/damage waiver. Most rates include unlimited mileage; with cheap rates, there’s often a per-mile charge above a certain mileage.
Booking ahead usually ensures the best rates. Airport rates are generally lower than city rates, but they carry a hefty facility charge of about $20 per day. As part of SF’s citywide green initiative, rentals of hybrid cars and low-emissions vehicles from agencies at SF airport (SFO) are available at a discount.
To rent a motorcycle, contact Dubbelju. Go Car rents mini-cars with audio GPS instructions to major attractions in multiple languages.
To get around town techie style, you can rent a Segway from Segway SF Bay for use on bike lanes and trails (they’re banned on sidewalks). Rates include free lessons and map. Guided Segway tours are available from City Segway Tours.
Major car-rental agencies include the following:
Alamo Rent-a-Car
Avis
Budget
Dollar
Hertz
Thrifty
Car Share
Car sharing is a convenient alternative to rentals, and spares you pick-up/drop-off and parking hassles: reserve a car online for an hour or two, or all day, and you can usually pick up/drop off your car within blocks of where you’re staying. Sharing also does the environment a favor: fewer cars on the road means less congestion and pollution. Lyft and Uber are available in San Francisco, but licensed taxis have greater access, specifically to dedicated downtown bus and taxi lanes, notably along Market St.
Zipcar Rents various car types by the hour, for flat rates starting at $8.25 per hour, including gas and insurance, or per day for $89; a $25 application fee and $50 prepaid usage are required. The maximum damage-loss insurance coverage, which brings the deductible to $0, is strongly recommended. Drivers without a US driver’s license should follow instructions on the website. Once approved, cars can be reserved online or by phone, provided you have your member card in pocket. Check the website for pick-up/drop-off locations. Other current Zipcard holders may also drive the car; if you want to share the driving with someone, both of you should sign up.
Taxi
Taxi fares start at $3.50 at flag drop and run about $2.75 per mile. Add 15% to the fare as a tip ($1 minimum). For quickest service in San Francisco, download the Flywheel app for smart phones, which dispatches the nearest taxi.
DeSoto Cab
Green Cab Fuel-efficient hybrids; worker-owned collective.
Homobiles Get home safely with secure, reliable, donation-based transport for the GLBT community: drivers provide 24/7 taxi service – text for fastest service.
Luxor
Yellow Cab
Train
From the depot at 4th and King Sts in San Francisco, Caltrain heads south to Millbrae (connecting to BART and SF airport (SFO); 30 minutes), Palo Alto (one hour) and San Jose (1½ hours). This is primarily a commuter line, with frequent departures during weekday rush hours and less frequent service between non-rush hours and at weekends.
