Getting There By Air:San Francisco International Airport (SFO) Tel: (650) 821 8211.
Website:
www.flysfo.com San Francisco International Airport is situated 20km (13 miles) south of the city, off Routes 101 and 280.
Airport facilities: These include banks, ATMs, bureaux de change and numerous bars and restaurants, gift and specialty shopping, including duty-free outlets. Six public information booths are on site. An AirTrain takes passengers
to nine airport stations and to car hire operators, including
Alamo,
Avis,
Budget,
Dollar,
Hertz,
Enterprise,
National and Thrifty. San Francisco International houses the world’s first, fully accredited art museum in an airport, and in the international terminal boasts an aviation library and the Louis A Turpin Aviation Museum. A business center, located in the
Airport Travel Agency (tel: (650) 877 0422), provides fax services, airline tickets, luggage storage, shipping boxes and hotel reservations. A number of airline lounges are available for frequent flyer cardholders. Self-serve conference and business facilities are available at PowerPoint, in the G-side of the International terminal.
Transport to the city: Shuttles, buses, taxis and limousines are all readily available.
American Airporter Shuttle (tel: (415) 202 0733) provides a 24-hour, door-to-door service. Other 24-hour services are
Lorrie’s Shuttles (tel: (415) 334 9000; website
www.sfovan.com) and
Super Shuttle (tel: 1 800 258 3826; website:
www.supershuttle.com). Taxis are metered and the fare to the downtown and Fisherman’s Wharf area ranges from US$35-45.
San Mateo County Transit aka
SamTrans (tel: 1 800 660 4287; website:
www.samtrans.com) runs bus services to the Transbay Terminal at Mission Street. Journey times vary between 25 minutes and 45 minutes, depending on traffic. Public transportation leaves from the blue zone on the airport’s lower level.
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) (tel: (415) 989 2278; website:
www.bart.gov) now operates public transport from the airport on the International Departure/Ticketing level to downtown and other areas. The cost is based on the distance traveled. Trains run from early morning until evening, with the last train at 2346 nightly. Visit
www.511.org to create a custom itinerary on San Francisco Bay Area’s public transportation.
Oakland International Airport (OAK) Tel: (510) 563 3300.
Website:
www.flyoakland.com Oakland International Airport is located across the Bay, 32km (20 miles) from downtown San Francisco. Oakland receives mainly domestic flights (although some international flights arrive here), and may be a less expensive gateway to the Bay Area.
Airport facilities: Facilities include banks, ATMs, Internet access, travel insurance, duty-free, currency exchange and food outlets. Car hire is available from
Alamo, Avis,
Budget,
Dollar,
Enterprise,
Fox,
Hertz,
National and
Thrifty.
Transport to the city: About three dozen shuttle services operate door-to-door from Oakland Airport to surrounding areas.
AC Transit (tel: (510) 817 1717; website:
www.flyoakland.com/ac_transit.shtml) operates the
TransBay Express, providing a 24-hour service between Oakland International and the TransBay Terminal at Mission Street and First Street in San Francisco. Buses depart at the front of both terminals.
AC Transit’s bus 50 connects the airport to the
Alameda/
Oakland Ferry (tel: (510) 522 3300), which runs services to San Francisco’s ferry terminal and Pier 41, at Fisherman’s Wharf. Numerous shuttles include
Bayporter Express (tel: (415) 467 1800
or 1 877 467 1800; website:
www.bayporter.com). Journey times vary between 30 minutes and 60 minutes, depending on traffic. An
AirBART shuttle provides services between Oakland International and the Bay Area Rapid Transit - BART (tel: (510) 465 2278; website:
www.bart.gov) train station, for trips into San Francisco. The
Airport Express also goes to Sonoma and Marin Counties (tel: 1 800 327 2024;
www.airportexpressinc.com). Last pickup is midnight.
Approximate flight times to San Francisco: From London is 11 hours; from New York is 5 hours 30 minutes; from Los Angeles is 1 hour 20 minutes; from Toronto is 5 hours 20 minutes and from Sydney is 14 hours 30 minutes.
Getting There By Water:The Port of San Francisco (website:
www.sfport.com) operates the 110-year-old Ferry Building on The Embarcadero, situated at the end of Market Street. The port is technically the 11km (7 miles) of San Francisco Bay waterfront, stretching from Hyde Street Pier in the north to India Basin in the south. It includes restaurants, promenades and the attractions of Fisherman’s Wharf (see
Key Attractions). The remodeled Ferry Building Marketplace celebrates food in all its forms (see
Key Attractions).
Ferry services: The Ferry Building is a terminal that serves sightseeing boats and local and Marin County ferries (see
Getting Around). The Ferry Building, Pier 39 and Pier 41 are where the various ferries dock - many companies use several of the docks, depending on the routes served.
Golden Gate Transit Ferry (tel: (415) 455 2000; website:
www.goldengateferry.org) operates services to Marin County. Bay Crossings tour information center (tel: (415) 362 0717;
www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/bay_crossings.php) is located centrally in the Ferry Building. You can buy tickets at the ticket office behind the Ferry Building.
Getting There By Road:The minimum driving age in California (as in the rest of the USA) is 16 years and cars drive on the right. All valid national licenses are acceptable, but an International Driving Permit (IDP) is preferred. US insurance is mandatory. National Interstate Highways can only be entered or exited at specific interchanges and have even numbers from east to west (I-8 near the Mexican border) and odd numbers from north to south.
Tolls on roads, bridges and tunnels are commonplace. Speed limits are typically 56kph (35mph) in cities and 113kph (70mph) on the Interstate, unless otherwise posted. Drivers on the West Coast, however, tend to go faster. All occupants of the car must wear seat belts and passengers under 12 must be seated in the back. Drivers may turn right at a red light, if the way is clear. A flashing red traffic light is the same as a stop sign, which means that it is necessary to come to a full stop and proceed when safe.
The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.08% but California has strict drink-driving laws. You can be charged regardless of blood alcohol amount if the police can prove the alcohol affected your driving. Penalties may be given at 0.04%. The Zero Tolerance Law, stricter for drivers under 21 years of age, can revoke the license of drivers with a blood-alcohol content of 0.01% for one year on the first offence. Driving and parking on steep hills may require special care.
The
American Automobile Association -
AAA (tel: 1 800 922 8228; website:
www.aaa.com) provides information and may offer reciprocal benefits to members of automobile clubs in other countries. Also see
www.caldrive.com for information.
Emergency breakdown service: AAA (tel: 1 800 222 4357
or AAA HELP).
Routes to the city: Major highways are Route 80, the transcontinental highway from the east via Salt Lake City, Interstate 5, stretching to Seattle in the north and San Diego in the south, and Route 101, the north-south thoroughfare. The scenic and meandering coastal road, Highway 1 or PCH (Pacific Coast Highway), has incomparable ocean views, but it also has many intersections and traffic lights, which make for a longer trip. Both Santa Cruz and Monterey are on Highway 1. From both cities, drivers can take this scenic route (Highway 1) or connect to Highway 17 for the Interstate 280 north, which cuts down driving time.
Approximate driving times to San Francisco: From Santa Cruz - 2 hours; Monterey - 2 hours 30 minutes; Lake Tahoe - 4 hours; Los Angeles - 8 hours; Seattle - 21 hours.
Coach services: Greyhound (tel: 1 800 231 2222; website:
www.greyhound.com) provides the most extensive bus service throughout the USA. The station is the Transbay Terminal, 425 Mission Street, South of Market (tel: (415) 495 1569). Regular long-distance services include Los Angeles, Seattle and Lake Tahoe.
Getting There By Rail:Amtrak (tel: 1 800 872 7245; website:
www.amtrak.com) is the national railway provider, operating a regular and timely service. Two Amtrak terminals are situated across the Bay, in Oakland. The newer station is located in Jack London Square, 245 Second Street (tel: (510) 238 4322). A second station, situated at 5885 Horton Street, Emeryville (tel: (510) 450 1081), is where most trains arrive and depart from. Emeryville has a bus service into San Francisco. Facilities include free unattended parking in the station car park and a newspaper stand. An Amtrak ticket and baggage center is located at 101 The Embarcadero at Mission Street, Pier 2.
Rail services: The
Coast Starlight travels north from Los Angeles to Seattle, with a stop in the Bay Area (journey time - 12 hours to Los Angeles and 23 hours to Seattle). The
California Zephyr route travels from the Bay Area to Chicago via Reno, Salt Lake City and Denver (journey time to Chicago - 56 hours).
CalTrain (tel: 1 800 660 4287; website:
www.caltrain.com), a regional train, serves Palo Alto, San Jose and many other small cities from the station at Fourth Street and King Street. These stop at 22nd Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.
Transport to the city: A shuttle transports passengers between the two East Bay Amtrak stations and the Ferry Building and CalTrain station in San Francisco.
Getting Around:Public TransportTo avoid steep hills and aching feet, the city’s transport authority,
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency - Muni (tel: 311, within San Francisco
or (415) 710 2311; website:
www.sfmta.com) operates trolley cars, buses, streetcars, cable cars and a light rail system, for a 24-hour service to all areas of the city. Routes, schedules, maps, ticket and traffic information are available online. Also try the Bay Area Travel Info line (tel: 511; website:
www.511.org).
San Francisco has many different types of above-ground vehicles covering the same routes.
Buses, trolleys (with wire cable) and streetcars all cover the same routes and command the same fare. These operate citywide, with the name, destination and line number displayed on the front of the bus. Pole signs and curb and street markings designate stops. Tickets are available upon boarding and exact change is required. Historic
streetcars run similar routes, every six to 15 minutes. The cars come from as far away as Italy and date back to 1928, with US$14 million spent on restoring and maintaining them. Tickets are available upon boarding.
Cable cars run on three routes (see
Key Attractions) and provide some of the best views in the city. Passengers can buy tickets on board (exact change is required) or from kiosks located at the cable car turnarounds. One-day cable car passes are available, although the Muni Passport (see below) is a better deal if you plan to ride other Muni vehicles. Expect higher prices than regular public transport.
Muni
light rail travels along Market Street to the Mission District and Noe Valley (J line), the Ingleside district (K line), the Sunset District (L, M, and N lines), and the Castro, Embarcadero and Fisherman’s Wharf (F line). Transfers are issued and are good for bus-to-rail or rail-to-bus connections within 90 minutes.
The
Bay Area Rapid Transit (
BART) system (tel: (415) 989 2278; website:
www.bart.gov) operates San Francisco’s
subway, which runs along Market Street stopping at The Embarcadero, Montgomery, Powell and Civic Center, and links San Francisco with East Bay and Daly City. It operates from early morning (exact hours of service depend on the line: some Muni lines begin at 0430 on weekdays; others at 0730, others claim to be 24 hours) until 2400. Tickets are available from machines located in the stations.
Muni Passports are available for one day, three days or seven days and allow unlimited travel on Muni services. These
passes are sold at a number of venues, including the ticket booth at the cable car turnaround at Powell Street and Market Street, as well as the Visitor Information Center, lower level, Hallidie Plaza, Powell Street and Market Street. A comprehensive map of all Muni routes is available from local bookstores, newspaper stands and corner shops.
Ferries depart from the Ferry Building, The Embarcadero, located at the east end of Market Street - once the world’s second busiest passenger terminal, handling 100,000 daily ferry commuters. Regular crossings go to and from Bay communities. Sausalito and Larkspur are served by the
Golden Gate Ferry (tel: (415) 455 2000; website:
www.goldengateferry.org), which leaves from the south wing of the Ferry Building and makes frequent crossings, taking 30 to 45 minutes. Tickets are sold on board and near the boarding gate.
Blue and Gold Fleet (tel: (415) 705 8200; website:
www.blueandgoldfleet.com),
Red and White Fleet (tel: (415) 673 2900; website:
www.redandwhite.com) and
Baylink (tel: (707) 643 3779; website:
www.baylinkferry.com) run daily services from the Ferry Building (weekdays only for Tiburon) and Pier 41, Fisherman’s Wharf, serving Oakland, Alameda, Vallejo, Tiburon and Sausalito.
TaxisTaxis are plentiful and, despite reports to the contrary, hailing them is not difficult, although the wise passenger will book in advance. Tipping is customary, almost obligatory, and drivers expect about 15%.
Yellow Cab Cooperative Inc (tel: (415) 626 2345) and
Veterans National &
United Taxicab Company (tel: (415) 552 1300) are both reputable providers.
Driving in the CityWhile arriving in San Francisco by car is a delight, driving around this city is not. Hills and cable cars, which have right of way, do not help. Parking is at a premium, car parks are expensive and the unwitting tourist can easily fall prey to a hefty fine. Regulations can be confusing and are aggressively enforced - pedestrians at a crossing always have the right of way and colored curbs indicate restricted parking. It is important to note that, when parking on a hill, the driver must curb the wheels to prevent a runaway and ensure that the handbrake is on. Wheels should be turned out facing uphill.
The
Fifth and Mission Parking Garage (tel: (415) 982 8522; website:
www.fifthandmission.com), located where Fifth Street and Mission Street meet, is the biggest in the city. Other car parks include
Union Square Garage (tel: (415) 397 0631; website:
www.unionsquareshop.com) and the
Ellis-
O’Farrell Garage (tel: (415) 986 4800; website:
www.eofgarage.com), located where these two streets meet. The cheapest parking lots charge around US$2.50 per hour and are, of course, the first to fill up.
Car HireThe best reason for hiring a car is to explore the magnificent coastal road, Highway 1, or for longer journeys, further afield. Most car hire companies offer deals that include insurance and unlimited mileage but drivers should be at least 21 years of age - some specify 25 years. A valid driving license is required, while a second form of identification and booking ahead is advised.
Alamo (tel: 1 800 462 5266; website:
www.alamo.com),
Avis (tel: (415) 929 2555
or 1 800 331 1212; website:
www.avis.com),
Budget (tel: (415) 433 3717 or 1 800 527 0700; website:
www.budget.com), Dollar (tel: 1 800 800 3665; website:
www.dollar.com) or
Thrifty (tel: (415) 788 8111
or 1 800 847 4389; website:
www.thrifty.com) offer competitive rates.
Bicycle HireFor those visitors who believe they can take on the hills,
The Bike Hut at Pier 40 (tel:
415 543 4335; website:
www.thebikehut.com) hires out mountain and street bikes. The more adventurous may want to sit astride a Harley.
Eaglerider Motorcycle Rental (tel: 1 888 900 9901
or (415) 503 1900; website:
www.eaglerider.com) can turn mere citizens into easyriders. Prices include helmets, basic liability insurance and unlimited mileage. Drivers must be at least 21 years old and hold a motorcycle driving license.
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