Getting Around San Francisco

San Francisco is one of the easiest cities in the world to negotiate. Public Transportation options abound, including our world-famous cable cars. Getting around has never been this fun.

The San Francisco Municipal Railway, or Muni, operates the city's cable cars, buses, and Metro streetcars.

Several domestic airlines serve the San Francisco International Airport. A taxi ride from SFO to downtown is a bit costly. Airport shuttles are inexpensive and efficient. The SFO Airporter picks up passengers at baggage claim lower level and serves selected downtown hotels. SuperShuttle stops at the upper-level traffic islands and goes from the airport to anywhere within the city limits of San Francisco.

Oakland Airport, which is across the bay but not much farther away from downtown San Francisco via I-880 and I-80, although traffic on the Bay Bridge may at times make travel time longer. Flying times: 6 hours from New York, 4 hours from Chicago, and 1 hour from Los Angeles.

Amtrak: the Zephyr, from Chicago via Denver, and the Coast Starlight, traveling between Los Angeles and Seattle-stop in Emeryville 5885 Landregan St. and Oakland 245 2nd St. in Jack London Sq.. Shuttle buses connect the Emeryville station and San Francisco's Ferry Building 30 Embarcadero at the foot of Market St.

Driving in San Francisco can be a challenge because of the hills, the one-way streets, and the traffic. Remember to curb your wheels when parking on hills. Exploring the city involves navigating a maze of one-way streets and restricted parking zones. Cable cars, buses, and trolleys can take you to or near most attractions. If you plan to visit distant outlying areas which are not accessible by subway, it is best to ret a car for the length of such trips, and plan to walk or use public transportation in the city of San Francisco and environs.

Muni's buses and trolley buses run all over The City in frequent intervals usually every five to 20 minutes. Each route has a number and a name, i.e. 5-Fulton, 24-Divisadero, 42-Downtown Loop, which are prominently displayed on the front and side of the bus, along with the route's destination. Some routes, such as 38L-Geary Limited or 14L-Mission Limited, make only limited stops along their routes. Others, such as 9X-San Bruno Express or 31AX-Balboa "A" Express, operate nonstop from downtown to the outer regions of The City. For more clarity on Muni service, purchase a Muni map.

You can travel back in time on the distinctive collection of historic streetcars.. Each car is painted in its original colors designating its origin in Boston, Chicago, Milan, or some other city in the world. These beautiful streetcars run along the center of Market Street from the Transbay Terminal in downtown to the Castro District. They are collectively known as line F-Market.

Beginning downtown at Embarcadero Station, the Muni Metro's five underground streetcar lines J-Church, K-Ingleside, L-Taraval, M-Ocean View and N-Judah take you under Market Street to various points of interest in the western and southwestern regions of The City. The J and N lines branch off after Van Ness station and operate on the surface, and the K, L and M continue underground to West Portal Station before splitting into their own separate surface lines. In the subway section of the system, J and N cars are often coupled together, as are K, L and M cars.