San Francisco, getting there & around

How To Get There

The Bay Area has three major airports:

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is on the west side of the bay, 14 miles (22km) south of the city center and is mostly used by international flights. The easiest way to get to the city is by the Airporter bus, taxis, shuttle vans or rental cars. The extended BART system is also a good option.

Oakland International Airport is on the east side of the bay, 8 miles (13km) south of downtown Oakland. One can take the shuttle buses that run from the airport to the Oakland Coliseum BART Station. There are also taxis and private shuttles available.

San Jose International Airport is at the southern end of the bay, a few miles north of downtown San Jose and just over an hour's drive from San Francisco. A free shuttle bus will bring you from the airport to a light rail system that runs to downtown San Jose. Catching the 80-minute Caltrain Service is the easiest way to get from San Jose to San Francisco.

Getting Around

As most San Franciscans and tourists would say, walking is the most pleasurable and the best means of transport to experience San Francisco. However, when one gets tired of walking, there are several ways and means to go around the city. San Francisco Municipal Railway better known as Muni, is the city's primary public transport system. It operates nearly a hundred bus lines, famous cable cars, historic streetcars and metro light rail vehicles that run through the city. BART or the Bay Area Rapid Transit is also a convenient way to roam downtown San Francisco.

Bringing a car maybe the last option one could pick since the streets in San Francisco are steep and parking is expensive and there's hardly any. Taxis are hard to find as well.

Riding a cable car is one great option wherein you can travel from one tourist spot to another.

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