Transportation Around the San Francisco Bay Area

There are some US destinations which require a rental car to easily get around. Then there are other destinations where it is easiest by public transportation. Here are the options of how to get around the San Francisco Bay Area:

From San Francisco Airport (SFO)

After getting through the departures at SFO, you have a few options of how to get to your hotel or accommodations. First, you can rent a car. Take the Airtrain and head to the Rental Car Center.

Second, you can call for an Uber or a Lyft. If your destination is the city, it will cost about $30-$40 USD for a 20-30 minute drive. If you don’t want to wait for a ride-sharing car, you can opt for a taxi with a similar rate.

If you prefer public transportation, you can take the Airtrain to the BART station where you can transfer to BART Muni lines into the city or transfer to the Caltrain lines that stop between the city and down to San Jose.

Getting around the City

When you are in the city, you can easily hop on a taxi, Uber, or Lyft. If you have your own car, be prepared to pay for parking garages, lots, and meters. If you are lucky, you can find free street parking near city residences.

Alternatively, you can take MUNI, the city’s public transportation system. MUNI includes buses, trains, cable cars, and street cars. If you plan to take MUNI while visiting San Francisco, you can opt to purchase a City Pass.

Getting to other parts of the Bay Area

Aside from having a rental car or spending quite a bit on taxis, Ubers, or Lyfts, you can also take public transportation over to the East Bay via BART and down through the Peninsula to the South Bay via Caltrain.

 
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