San Francisco Airport Transfers: Getting from the Airport to the City

Airports serving San Francisco

• San Francisco International (SFO) — 21 km from the centre

  BART direct from International Terminal to Downtown (Powell/Embarcadero) in 30 min US$10.75; Uber/Lyft US$35–55; SamTrans 398 bus US$2.25.

• Oakland International (OAK) — 30 km from the centre

  Often cheaper flights — BART from OAK via AirBART connector to Downtown 45 min US$11; Uber US$50–70.

• San Jose Mineta (SJC) — 80 km from the centre

  Silicon Valley airport — Caltrain to SF Downtown 90 min; Uber US$90–140.

Arriving by train

Amtrak California Zephyr to Chicago (52h scenic Sierra Nevada + Rockies); Coast Starlight to LA (12h) + Seattle (23h) — beautiful Pacific route.

Entry and arrival formalities

US CBP; Global Entry / Mobile Passport Control cuts wait to 5 min; expect 30–60 min without.

Same US rules everywhere: VWP nationals need ESTA US$21 72h+ ahead; Canadians with passport; everyone else B-1/B-2 visa via US embassy.

Getting into the city

BART reaches SFO airport (30 min to Downtown, US$10.75), Oakland and Berkeley. Muni Metro + iconic cable cars cover the city; Clipper card or contactless credit card taps everything. Uber/Lyft were invented here — cheap and everywhere. Rent a car ONLY for Napa/Yosemite/Big Sur — parking Downtown is US$50+/day and hills punish inexperienced drivers.

• BART

  Reaches SFO, Oakland, Berkeley — US$4–12 per ride depending on distance.

• Muni Metro + Cable Cars

  US$3 per ride (US$8 cable car); Muni Passport 1-day US$14 covers cable cars.

• Uber/Lyft

  Invented here — US$15–30 between neighbourhoods, US$35–55 to airport.

• Walking

  Downtown, Wharf, Chinatown, North Beach all walkable; hills add elevation.