Get to San Francisco
Several international airlines operate direct flights to San Francisco, and charter and domestic services are numerous. Competition between airlines has reduced prices and makes flying a feasible alternative to traveling by bus or train. Amtrak trains run from all parts of the United States to nearby Oakland, and bus shuttles operate from the station into San Francisco.
Long-distance luxury bus services offer a less frenetic and often cheaper way to travel for those arriving from North American cities. Several cruise lines dock at Pier 35 on their way to Alaska or south to the Mexican Riviera.
Check with your travel agent or the operators for the best deals. For visitors arriving by car or bus, there can be little to beat the great views of the city and its surroundings when driving over the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges.
GETTING INTO THE CITY
Information booths on the lower level offer advice on ground transportation, fares and boarding locations. Follow the arrows marked “Ground Transportation.”
Luxury buses operated by SFO Airporter depart every 20 minutes from 5am to 11pm, serving three city center areas with drop-offs at major hotels. Door-to-door minibus shuttles or shared limousines will drop you at a specific address. You share the cost of the trip with other passengers for an average cost of $10 to $25.
The average fare for a metered taxicab ride into San Francisco will cost $35.
This non-stop trip between the airport and the city center can take 25 minutes or stretch to 40 minutes or more during rush hours (7am to 9am and 4pm to 7pm).
Travelers on a budget, with only one bag and plenty of time (to allow for frequent stops), can take a SamTrans public bus to the Transbay Terminal. A light rail system (the AirTrain) links San Francisco International Airport with a designated BART station, which then connects directly with San Francisco, the East Bay and with CalTrain rail services and SamTrans buses.
SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Located south of the city, 14 miles (23 km) from the center of town, SFO’s main runways are right next to San Francisco Bay. SFO serves the Greater San Francisco and metro Bay areas and Silicon Valley with international connections to and from the Pacific Rim, Europe, and Latin America. The arrival and departure gates are arranged around each of three terminals (North, South, International).
Walkways connect the three terminals, which surround a short-term parking area. New long-term parking garages, an updated Global Communications Center, and a consolidated car-rental center are planned for the next stage of SFO expansion.
All international airlines are now located in the new state-of-the-art International Terminal. Flights to and from Canada are located in other terminals, so be sure to check the airport directory.
Bank of America branches and currency exchange services are available in North and International terminals, and there are Wells Fargo ATMs in all areas.
For travelers with an extra hour, there is no better place to spend it than in the new “History of Aviation” Museum in the International Terminal.
Modeled on the old Passenger Waiting Room from the 1937 airport, the museum offers a library, archive, and galleries dedicated to the rise of commercial air transportation.
South Terminal has an entire aquarium featuring the Underwater Planet exhibit; Kids’ Spot II in North Terminal offers interactive exhibits from the Exploratorium. Throughout the airport, designated galleries display changing exhibits on subjects from Japanese Parasols to Native American art, music, and crafts.
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