All international and most domestic flights arrive at San Francisco
International Airport (SFO), inconveniently located about fifteen miles
south of the city. San Mateo County Transit (SamTrans) buses leave every
half-hour from the lower level of the airport; the #KX express ($3)
takes around 30 minutes to reach the Transbay Terminal downtown, while
the slower #292 ($1.10) stops everywhere and takes nearly an hour. On
the #KX, you're allowed only one carry-on bag; on the #292, you can
bring as much as you want provided you can carry it onto the bus
yourself. The SFO Airporter bus ($12) picks up outside each baggage
claim area every fifteen minutes and travels to Union Square and the
Financial District. The blue SuperShuttle, American Airporter Shuttle
and Bay Shuttle minibuses depart every five minutes from the lower level
of the circular road and take passengers to any city-center destination
for around $14 a head. Be ruthless - competition for these and the
several other companies running shuttle service is fierce and queues
nonexistent. Taxis from the airport cost $30-35 (plus tip) for any
downtown location, more for East Bay and Marin County - definitely worth
it if there is more than one of you. If you're planning to drive, the
usual car rental agencies operate free shuttle buses to their depots,
leaving every 15 minutes from the upper level, but you have to load and
unload your bags yourself. The car rental depot is located north of SFO
and is too far to walk to. A shuttle train, now under construction, will
alleviate this inconvenient system.
Several domestic airlines (Jet Blue and Southwest are two) and United
fly into Oakland International Airport (OAK), across the bay. This is
actually closer to downtown San Francisco than SFO, and is efficiently
connected with the city by the $2 AirBART shuttle bus, which drops you
at the Coliseum BART station. Get on BART and San Francisco's downtown
stops are fifteen minutes away ($2.75).
By bus and train
All San Francisco's Greyhound services use the Transbay Terminal at
425 Mission St, south of Market Street, near the Embarcadero BART
station. Green Tortoise buses stop behind the Transbay Terminal on First
and Natoma. Amtrak trains stop across the bay in Richmond (with easy
BART transfers) and continue to Oakland , from where free shuttle buses
run across the Bay Bridge to the Transbay Terminal, or you can take BART.
Though technically closer to San Francisco, don't get off at the stop
before Oakland, Emeryville , as consistent public transportation to the
city doesn't exist.
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