San Francisco Getting There and Travelling Around
Getting there…
Virgin Atlantic fly direct to San Francisco from the UK. We love them for their great on board entertainment systems and family friendly approach.
British Airways also fly directly to San Francisco from the UK. We particularly like B.A if we want to fly from a regional airport as they tend to offer a great range of connecting flights.
If neither of these options appeal we like Skyscanner for a good listing of all the operators running flights.
There are several ways to get from San Francisco Airport to the Downtown area. My preferred two options are to either go on the train or to get a taxi.
The BART (Bay Area Rapid Transportation, aka train) service between the airport and downtown is very good. Tickets cost around $8 per person. For more information their website is very helpful.
If your hotel is not near a BART station and/or you are a large party a taxi could be a better option. This will cost around $50. Make sure you get a taxi from the official rank, it is well signed, and do not leave with anyone touting for business in the baggage hall. You will end up in an unregistered / unregulated taxi.
There are lots of shuttle buses that also serve the airport. I tend not to use these as they cost around $20 per person so once there are two of you the saving on a taxi is minimal and they can take forever if you are the last drop off. If you are watching the pennies or travelling alone and do not want the expense of a taxi, you are better off catching the BART. If your hotel is a long way away from a BART station you could catch the train to Embarcadero station and get a taxi or bus from there.
Travelling around
San Francisco streetcar
The San Francisco area is well served by public transport. In addition to the BART , there are buses, streetcars, the famous cable cars and a metro light rail service. This is all conveniently run by one authority known as MUNI (Municipal Transportation Agency if you must know). Their website has a good journey planner and all the information you need to decide what ticket type will work best for your trip.
If you want to get around the Bay or between the Ferry building and Pier 41 on Fishman’s Wharf, the ferry service can be a good option. It can also be an inexpensive way to get a boat ride around the Bay and get a view of San Francisco from the water.
You can flag down yellow taxis but these can sometimes be thin on the ground in San Francisco. If you are struggling to find one your best bet is to head to the nearest large hotel where there will often be taxis waiting. If a doorman hails one for you, don’t forget to tip!
We do not recommend hiring a car and driving in San Francisco. The city is not terribly easy to drive in. We tend to pick up our hire car only when we are headed out of the city.