San Francisco, California Hotels and City Guide

San Francisco - Getting There

San Francisco Airport Guide

Getting to San Francisco can be done any number of ways depending upon where you live. Cars, buses, railroads, and the most common method, airplanes, are all solid ways to reach the city, though some are more preferable than others. Plan your departure times carefully and be sure to factor in potential delays, especially if you are on a particular schedule.

Flights

Approximate flight times to San Francisco:

Major destinations come in all the time from all around the world. Their times vary, but on average you can expect a flight from New York to take around 5 hours, about 13 hours to reach London, around 10 hours to land in China, and nearly 15 hours from Australia.

San Francisco Airport Information

San Francisco (and the Bay Area overall) is serviced by three main airports: San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Oakland International Airport (OAK) and San Jose International Airport (SJC). All three act as important gateways, therefore the majority of flights come through these major airports. You won’t have any difficulty finding a flight to fit both your schedule as well as your current location (or destination for when you plan to leave). Check out several online websites to find the best ticket prices and flight times.

San Francisco International Airport

The airport is located on the west side of the bay, about 14 miles (22km) south of San Francisco’s city center. You can easily reach the airport by taking the BART system. You can use the same system to make combinations in order to head to different parts of the Bay area. The San Francisco International Airport is one of the busiest in the entire country. Every year over 40 million passengers pass through its gates to enjoy the beauty of the city. The international terminal handles all flights moving to and from Asia, Europe, and Latin America and the North and South terminals take care of all the domestic flights. Well-organized and clean, the entire airport is non-smoking.

If you need help, you can use either the information booths provided throughout the airport, or use the white courtesy phones that are located at the lower level of all three terminals, as well as the Traveler’s Aid information booths located on the upper levels. Each have different hours of operations but are all equally helpful. The information booths are open 8:00am-1:30am, the courtesy phones are always in use (just dial information 7-0018), and the Traveler’s Aid booths function from 9:00am-9:00pm on a daily basis. If you need additional directions or help, feel free to ask the staff for assistance or route to the nearest booth or phone.

All the terminals have 24 hour ATMs and you can perform a quick currency exchange at the International terminal. If you need extra storage, you can rent a locker for 24 hours at the price of $2 or utilize luggage storage in the travel agency area.

Other San Francisco Airports

Oakland and San Jose International Airports often offer flights with more discounted fare, as opposed to San Francisco Airport. If you don’t mind a trip from the airport into the city, these might be better for your travelling arrangements. If you want to go directly to San Francisco, then San Francisco Airport might be more convenient for you.

Oakland International Airport

Located about 8 miles south of downtown Oakland, it will take slightly longer to reach San Francisco. However, there are plenty of methods to do so, from taxis to private shuttles. Oakland has its fair share of customers and may seem a little less confusing than the massive San Francisco International Airport.

Norman y Mineta San Jose International Airport

The San Jose International Airport can be found at the southern end of the bay and just a few miles north of downtown San Jose. Only 50 miles south of downtown San Francisco, if you avoid rush hour traffic, it won’t take you much more than an hour to reach the city via Highway 101.

Getting Into San Francisco from the Airports

Traveling from SFO:

Taxis

Taxis from SFO can be rather expensive, but if you need reliable transportation quickly, they’re a smart move. There are a number of taxis lined up outside each major terminal throughout the day. Most fares run $30 - $45 depending on the destination.

Shared Ride Services

Services, such as SFO Airporter and Sam Trans, have a number of routes throughout the city and to all major hotels. Tickets run between $12 and $50 depending on your destination.

Train

The BART system has its very own station inside SFO. Follow the signs to the International Terminal and board. Check with your hotel to locate the nearest station.

Car

All of the major car rental companies have terminals throughout SFO. If you rent a car after landing, you can reach downtown San Francisco by driving on Highway 101. It provides a direct line from the airport to the city. Generally, it will take around 20 minutes to make the drive, but account for possible traffic, especially during morning and evening rush hours (typically before 9 and after 5). If you find yourself stuck driving during these hours, allot yourself extra time in order to avoid missing your flight or any other important meetings. If you are making the return trip from San Francisco, avoid the Airport Road exit as it does not actually lead to the airport. Instead, take the San Francisco International Airport exit.

Traveling from Oakland International Airport

Car

Like SFO, Oakland has a number of different car rental companies available. They can, however, be quite costly, and traffic may prevent you from having a good time on your visit to the city.

Taxi

There are taxis waiting outside every terminal at Oakland, but because of the distance between the airport and the city, the fare can often cost upwards of $60.

Trains and Shuttles

If you don’t want to spend the money on a rental car or a taxi, you can opt for the BART train or AirBART shuttle. The shuttle leaves the terminal every 10 to 20 minutes and stops at the BART Coliseum Station. At this point you can purchase a BART ticket and take the 30-minute ride to downtown San Francisco. You can contact the AirBART shuttle at 510-465-2278. The shuttle operates 5:00am-12:00am every Monday-Saturday, and 8:00am-12:00 on Sundays. Tickets cost $3 per person. For children and seniors, the cost is only $1. Once you reach the train station, you can buy a second ticket for $3.35 from one of the machines in the area.

Traveling from Norman y Mineta San Jose International Airport

Car

As with most other airports, car rentals are readily available, but it’s a bit of a haul to get into downtown, and you may have to fight quite a bit of traffic to get there.

Airport FlyAway Buses

If you do not want to rent a car or take a taxicab, the VTA Airport Flyer bus makes constant runs to Santa Clara Caltrain station in San Jose (located at Railroad Ave and Franklin St). It departs every 10 to 15 minutes and costs $1.75 per person. Hours of operation are 5:00am-12:00am daily. From there you can purchase a $7.50 ticket to take the Caltrain directly to San Francisco. The ride takes about 80 minutes but makes for an easy (and cheap) trip.

Traveling by Rail

Amtrak is the primary railroad service that can get passengers to and from the Bay Area utilizing both long-distance as well as intercity trains. Travelling to San Francisco on Amtrak, you will disembark at Emeryville or Oakland’s Jack London Square Station, located in the East Bay. From there, take the Amtrak California Thruway bus over the Bay Bridge. It stops at 101 The Embarcadero (near the Ferry Building) as well as other destinations in the downtown area. It costs nothing to take the bus as it is provided free to Amtrak customers.

If you are traveling on a shorter distance rail line, you may be able to transfer over to BART trains at stations in Richmond or the Oakland Coliseum. Amtrak passengers that are visiting from southern areas may find the Caltrain to be more convenient and transfer over at Diridon Station in San Jose, and from there take a direct route to 4th and King in San Francisco. You can contact Amtrak either by calling 1-800-872-7245, or check out tickets and their rail lines on their website.

Some of the Amtrak routes in the Bay Area include:

The California Zephyr - Running daily between Chicago and Emeryville. Contains connections to and from the east coast.

The Coast Starlight - Running daily between Seattle, Portland, Emeryville, and Los Angeles. You can reach San Francisco by either transferring to the Caltrain in San Jose or the Amtrak bus in Emeryville.

The Capitol Corridor - Running 16 times daily (11 on weekends and holidays) between Sacramento and Emeryville. Some trains serve San Jose but using the Caltrain to move between San Jose and San Francisco is often easier and faster. You can also use the BART system at the Richmond station and you can purchase discount tickets in the café car.

The San Joaquins - Running 4 times daily between Bakersfield, Stockton and Emeryville. From here you can head straight to San Francisco on the Amtrak bus or transferring at the Richmond station to a BART train.

Whatever method you decide to use or whatever rail you decide to ride, always make sure to have your tickets ready and your luggage clearly tagged. Cyclists are allowed on the Caltrain and BART trains, but there is limited space. Check prices beforehand so you have exact change when making transfers and purchasing ride tickets. There are often machines at the stations in order to purchase tickets, but if the station you are at has no ticket machine, you can simply ask the driver in order to avoid fines from the fare inspector.

Traveling by Car

Cars and buses are also good ways to making it into the city. Cars are much less desirable though, as new visitors may not be comfortable navigating the steep streets, winding roads, and sudden one-way switches. There is also very little parking. What parking you might find will likely be very expensive. Taxis within the city are available, but can also quickly become expensive. Finding your way into the city can be a little tricky, so examine maps beforehand or utilize a GPS navigation unit (which can also reroute you much quicker if you take a wrong turn than consulting a map). Make sure to time your drive appropriately in order to avoid traffic as much as possible, otherwise you may find yourself stuck on the road for hours. Peak rush hour times occur during the weekdays (however, weekends are not always exempt from traffic) before 9:00am and after 5:00pm. Consult key radio stations to obtain information about road conditions while you drive. You may also want to check websites or call for information regarding any construction or road closings.

Four major highways approach San Francisco and can lead you into the heart of the city:

The US 101 comes in on the eastern side of the San Francisco peninsula. It is the most direct route if you are visiting from the south, but can become full of traffic and quickly back up for miles.

If you are interested more in scenery, you can take Interstate 280 for some lovely sights of the area. It too comes in from the east, but has poorer connections than US 101.

Interstate 80 comes in from the east and travels over the San Francisco Bay Bridge. This can offer you a good taste of what it to come in your visit by offering a nice view.

US 101 also comes through the north, but in taking this direction you get an extra treat, as it comes over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Smaller roads can take you into the city, but if you are unfamiliar with the area, you may end up somewhere you didn’t plan to be, which may or may not be a questionable district. It is best to stick with main roads and plan your trip out beforehand.

Traveling by Bus

Several bus companies provide service to the Bay Areas and San Francisco. However, Greyhound bus is the only regular bus in the region that travels long distances to bring passengers to San Francisco. Terminals are located at the Transbay terminal in SoMa. You can purchase tickets online– doing so early on can get you better prices, and be sure to look for extra ways to obtain discounts. You can also call them at 1-800-231-2222.

Backpackers and hikers might enjoy trying the Green Tortoise bus line as it ferries them around the town adding in plenty of sights and a little bit of adventure as well.

You can contact GotoBus at 1-617-354-2101 for tickets to and from Los Angeles for a variety of bus companies.

Several regional bus systems serve San Francisco from the immediate suburbs:

Hotels in San Francisco, California