Best Time of the Day to Travel From San Jose to San Francisco

SFO is the second largest airport in California and navigating your footing transportation options can be tricky. There are so many different ways to go from San Francisco airport to downtown San Francisco. Trying to figure it out on the fly while disoriented from a long flying is a recipe for confusion. This guide will take yous through the vi different ways that you become from SFO to downtown SF.

Read through to find out all of your options, or use this handy table of contents to skip down to your preferred option.

How do I get from San Franciso drome to SF on Bay Area Rapid Transit subway (BART)?
How practice I become from San Francisco airport to SF using Uber or Lyft?
How do I catch a Taxi from the airport to downtown?
How to I have the SamTrans bus from the airport to downtown?
How exercise I catch a Shared van shuttle?
How practice I take Caltrain from San Francisco to downtown SF?

FAQ: San Francisco Airdrome to San Francisco

Hither are some answers to commonly asked questions about SF airdrome transportation.

What is the cheapest way to go from SFO to downtown?

The SamTrans omnibus is the cheapest. The fare is only $2.05.

What is the fastest way to get downtown?

A taxi, Lyft or Uber will exist your fastest option. Even in heavy traffic, they are faster than the other options because y'all tin can do curbside pick-up (sort of, meet below regarding Uber) and then go door to door. In light traffic information technology will take 25 minutes and in heavy traffic, it it will take up to 40 minutes.

How to I get downtown if I'm arriving in the wee hours?

Bart and the autobus don't run between midnight and 6AM. If you are arriving outside of those hours, y'all'll need to accept a taxi, Uber or Lyft.

How much is a taxi from SFO to downtown?

A cab to SF volition toll approximately $55 during normal traffic.

Can Uber choice yous upward at SFO?

Yes, but only at very specific locations (meet below).

What follows are more than detailed instructions, including the pros/cons of each transportation option, how much they cost and where to grab them. For simplicity, I've estimated transportation times and rates going from San Francisco Airport to Marriage Foursquare as there are many hotels clustered there. If you aren't certain where to stay, go my local's advice for the best areas to stay in San Francisco.

How to Take Bart from SFO to Downtown

Where to catch Bart at SFO

The BART station is adjacent to the international terminal. If yous are using a domestic terminal, then grab the AirTrain and ride the loop to the BART station.

How much time does BART have?

The trains run every ~twenty minutes and takes 30 minutes to get downtown. It runs 10 stops between the airport and Powell street (which is the closest to Union Square).

How much does BART cost?

The one-way fare is $9.65 using a Clipper Card. If yous will be using other public transportation while in SF, I strongly recommend that your buy a reloadable Clipper Carte from the SFO station. The fares on BART, SF's MUNI bus line, cable cars and trams are all cheaper with the carte du jour and using it is much easier than purchasing one-off tickets. You accept to tag on to get into the station and and then tag off again to leave

Pros & Cons to using BART at SFO

PROS: Considering they make multiple stops through the city, yous have a choice of where to become off, which works if you are staying in the Mission or the Borough Middle area. Getting to the station is pretty easy from all of the terminals. It's much cheaper than a taxi/Uber/Lyft.
CONS: The trains sometimes run late. It'south dirtier and noisier than the other options.

San Francisco airport to SF Uber pickup — Uber pick-up location.

How to Take hold of an Uber or Lyft to Downtown SF

Where to Grab Uber or Lyft at SFO

SFO does allow Uber and Lyft to operate at the drome. Nonetheless, they are kinda weird about where you need to go to catch your ride. SFO does non permit a curbside pick-upwardly from the domestic terminals. You'll need to follow the signs that say "Ride App Option-up" (non "Shared Ride Van", that'southward something unlike). These signs volition direct you to the top deck of the short term parking garage, considering of course, that'south the virtually sensible place to catch an Uber.

The international last has a more logical pick-up and drop-off in the center island of the upstairs departures area.

How much time does Uber have to get into SF?

In depression traffic, it can accept as little every bit 25 minutes or up to 40 minutes during blitz hour.

How much practise Uber and Lyft toll at SFO?

Normal pricing is ~$35 for Uber and ~$40 for Lyft. All bets are off during surge pricing.

Pros/Cons to using Ride Share at SFO

PROS: Door to door service and it'south cheaper than a cab. It's usually the fastest way to get to downtown San Francisco.
CONS: You do accept to wait for your ride to get in, usually x-15 minutes. Information technology's easy to get lost trying to detect the pick-up spot in the domestic final.

SFO-Uber pick up international terminal — Ride share pick-up at the international final.

How to Take hold of a Taxi to Downtown SF

Where to grab a taxi at San Francisco Airdrome

All of the terminals take an easy to observe cab stand in the centre island of the downstairs arrivals option-upwards expanse.

How much time does it get to get to SF in a cab?

In low traffic, it tin take as picayune as 25 minutes or upwards to xl minutes during rush 60 minutes. There are ordinarily cabs waiting to run into arriving flights.

How much does a cab from SFO to SF toll?

A cab to SF volition cost ~$55 during normal traffic.

Pros/Cons to taking a taxi from San Francisco Airport

PROS: Skilful if y'all don't similar using the shared ride services. Super piece of cake to find the pick-up area and you don't have to elevate your baggage all over the parking lot to catch a ride. Door to door service.
CONS: It'south the virtually expensive option.

How to Grab Motorbus Transportation from San Francisco Airport to Downtown

Where to grab the omnibus at SFO

There are pick-up locations in terminals two and iii, and likewise at the international terminal. They are located in the downstairs arrivals area in the center isle where you'll as well discover other shuttle services.

How much time does the jitney take from SFO to SF?

The SamTrans airport routes to downtown includes the 292, 397 and 398 bus lines. They run approximately every one-half hour and they become semi-limited to SF's downtown financial commune. They take roughly 30 minutes to become there. You can check the routes and times here.

How much does the SFO bus cost?

If you already have a Clipper Card, it volition cost $2.05. Otherwise, information technology will cost $two.25 to buy a single ticket.

Pros/Cons for using a Bus from SFO

PROS: It'due south inexpensive and it makes fewer stops than BART.
CONS: Chance of a slower ride during rush hr. They run less frequently than BART. Not convenient if you lot are staying in the Mission or SOMA neighborhoods.

How to Catch a Shared Van Shuttle

Airport Express runs service from San Francisco airport to downtown SF and you can schedule an advance reservation.

Where to catch a shuttle at SFO

They direct y'all to phone call them when you go far and they'll tell you where to get. Or, just follow the signs for "shared van ride", which will directly you to the downstairs arrives isle.

How much time does a shuttle have to go downtown?

Yous will need to expect for a van to arrive. Once on the manner, it volition take 25 minutes to an 60 minutes, depending upon how many drop-offs they are doing.

How much does an SFO shuttle cost?

$threescore i manner.

Pros/Cons to using an SFO shuttle

PROS: Expert for a larger family group, if y'all desire door to door service.
CONS: More waiting fourth dimension. Prices have gone up a lot in contempo years.

Should You Have Caltrain from SFO to SF?

No. Getting to the Millbrae Caltrain station requires a bus or BART transfer. By the time yous do that rigmarole, you could have only taken BART all the style in. Besides, Caltrain runs less ofttimes than BART, especially during non-pinnacle hours. That said, Caltrain is expert if y'all want to get south down the peninsula toward San Jose. In that case, have the SamTrans charabanc to the Millbrae station.

Get more aerodrome advice with our guide for how to get from San Jose Airport to SFO, this related article on how to get from SFO to San Jose.

Cool Stuff to practise in SF

Once you observe your way into the urban center, use these articles to assistance you accept fun while there:

Unusual and non-touristy things to do in San Francisco.
Find murals in the Mission.
Check out the best bookstores in SF.
Find some epic Golden Gate Bridge viewpoints.
Become communication on where to take dandy photography in San Francisco.
Spend a day exploring hiking and history at Angel Island State Park.

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