San Francisco Transportation Tips by sunshine9689

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: Know the place of departure and destination within California but do not know how to get there?

Here is a great website that plans it for you. Not only does it show you the fastest routs, provides maps and rates, it also lets you select the time of either departure or arrival, so you know when to expect your bus and when you are going to arrive. Allow a small margin of error of course. ;-)

Leave a Comment

Website: http://transit.511.org/tripplanner/index.aspx

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bicycle
Getting TO/AROUND: If you choose to bike 7 miles of paved trails that lead you by lush waterfalls and gardens, I can`t blame you.

Also, keep in mind that JFK Drive (the park's major artery during the week) and some other streets are closed to auto traffic on Sundays, making cycling safer and more fun.

Bikes can be rented at:

1) Stow Lake Bike & Boat Rentals, 50 Stow Lake Dr., (415) 752-0347. It is located in the park itself, above the Stow Lake.
2) Golden Gate Park Bike and Skate: 3038 Fulton St., (415) 668-1117. MAP
3) American Cyclery: 510 Frederick St. and 858 Stanyan St., (415) 664-4545. MAP
4) Avenue Cyclery: 756 Stanyan St., (415) 387-3155. MAP
5) Park Cyclery, 1749 Waller St., (415) 221-3777. MAP
6) Skates on Haight, 1818 Haight St., (415) 752-8375. MAP

Leave a Comment

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: There are 7 travel passes in SF:

1) Monthly Pass $45;
2) Weekly Pass $15;
3) All-Day Passport $11;
4) 1-Day MUNI Passport $11;
5) 3-Days MUNI Passport $18;
6) 7-Days MUNI Passport $24.
7) 7-Days City Pass $54 ($39 for kids from 5 to 17y).
PARKING: Pre-paid Parking Meter Card $20 or $50.

DETAILS:

1) Monthly Pass is good for 1 month, with a 3-day grace period (which does not apply to BART) into the next month (for example, June pass is good from June 1 through July 3). Valid on all Muni, BART (from Embarcadero to Balboa Park) and cable cars. It can also be purchased online.

2) Weekly Pass is good for one week, from M through Sun. Unlimited use on Muni. There are no senior, disabled youth passes AND you must pay an additional $1 to ride the cable cars. Locations.

3) All-Day passport is sold only on cable cars. Valid for unlimited use on cable cars until midnight of the day sold.

4-5-6) Passport passes offer unlimited rides on MUNI, cable cars & discounts to some attractions.
It`s available at: Market & Powell Streets, Hyde & Beach Streets (near Ghirardelli Sq), Bay & Taylor Streets (near Fisherman's Wharf), Montgomery Station (Mezzanine Level). Also sold daily 8am-8 pm at the info booths in the baggage claim areas at the SF International Airport.

7) City Pass is valid for 7 consecutive days. Offers MUNI, cable car rides, free entrance to 7 tourist attractions (Museum de Young, Legion Of Honor, Exploratorium, Asian Art museum, Aquarium, Bay Cruise, museum of Modern Art). Buy at 7 attractions, Visitor Information Center at Powell & Market Streets, 11 South Van Ness Avenue at Market.

PARKING: Pre-paid parking meter cards can be used in lieu of coins at all city parking meters except port meters.

Leave a Comment

Website: http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mfares/passes.htm

'Mode': TO
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: There are 2 major airports people use to fly in San Francisco: SF International Airport and Oakland International Airport.
Both have BART trains stations nearby.

From/To SF International Airport

ROUT SF International Airport -> San Francisco.

BART SFO/SF Roundtrip Ticket costs $10.70. This will allow you to travel from SFO to any of the downtown SF stations (Civic Center, Powell, Montgomery or Embarcadero) and back to SFO.
BART tickets allow value to be added at station machines for additional travel, so you can use the $10.70 ticket throughout the system to add fare value if necessary. There is no time restriction.

From/To Oakland International Airport

ROUT Airport -> 15 minutes on a shuttle AirBART ($3) -> Airport BART Station($3.55) -> San Francisco.

BART Travel Pack costs $13.10 and includes two $3 BART Tickets for use on the AirBART shuttle ( to get you to the Oakland
Coliseum BART Station), and one $7.10 BART Ticket to ride BART to downtown San Francisco and back to the Oakland Coliseum BART Station. Fare is $3.55 each way.
BART tickets allow value to be added at station machines for additional travel. Put the ticket in any dispensing machine and add currency or coin to match the fare of your destination, as displayed on the chart posted on machines, and a new
ticket will be issued - if you add value to obtain the exact fare amount the ticket will not be returned at faregate exit and you will have to purchase a new ticket from a machine or vendor for additional travel. Save one of the $3 tickets initially received for use on the AirBart Bus as you will need this to return to Oakland International Airport.
There is no time restriction for this pass.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: There is a whole fleet of these cute trolleys in San Francisco. They run from Jefferson/Jones at Fisherman`s Wharf to Castro Street terminal in Castro District. It is called the F line.

ADVICE: Have your fare or valid transfer ready before boarding. Always ask for a transfer on all Muni lines except cable cars, even if you do not plan to transfer to another vehicle. Transfers are issued on request at the time the fare is paid.

FARES:
Adults pay $1.50 (or Muni FastPass, Passport, token, transfer).
Youth streetcar fare (ages 5-17, valid ID required) is 50¢ (or Muni FastPass, Passport, token, transfer).
Senior streetcar fare (ages 65+, valid ID required) is 50¢ (or Muni FastPass, Passport, token, transfer).
Disabled streetcar fare (valid ID required) is 50¢ (or Muni FastPass, Passport, token or transfer or monthly sticker affixed to a valid Regional Transit Discount Card).
Children under 5 ride free.

ABOUT CARS:
Called Museum In Motion, they are from all over the world: Italy, England, Russia, Australia, Germany, Portugal, Japan and many US states. Quite an eclectic mix. Currently, there are 44 streetcars on the road.

Leave a Comment

Website: http://www.streetcar.org/mim/streetcars/fline/index.html

'Mode': TO
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: If you have an extra day or two, try to visit Napa Valley and taste its wines.

Directions to Napa from San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Approximate Driving Distance - 56 miles
Get on Highway 101 and head north toward San Francisco.
Follow signs to Bay Bridge and go over bridge.
Then take "Berkeley, Sacramento " fork on Interstate 80.
Follow I-80 until you come to Highway 37, which will be clearly marked "Napa /Sonoma" and read "Columbus Parkway and Marine World".
Take Highway 37 West over the freeway go 1.6 miles to Highway 29.
Turn RIGHT (North) on Highway 29
Then take the LEFT fork which is marked "Calistoga/Sonoma Highway 29"

Directions to Napa from Oakland International Airport (OAK)
Approximate Driving Distance - 50 miles
Start out going Northeast on AIRPORT DR toward NEIL ARMSTRONG WAY.
Turn right onto HEGENBERGER RD continue toward Interstate 80 North.
Take the Interstate 80 North towards downtown Oakland/San Francisco.
Follow the signs to stay on Interstate 80 towards San Francisco/Sacramento.
Take the Sacramento Exit (labeled 80 EAST).
Continue on I-80 and go over the Carquinez bridge.
Travel about 5 miles and take Highway 37 exit, which will be clearly marked "Napa Sonoma" and read "Columbus Parkway" and "Marine World".
Take Highway 37 West over the freeway, go 1.6 miles to Highway 29.
Turn RIGHT (north) on Highway 29.
Proceed north about 12 miles until you come to a fork. Take the LEFT fork which is marked "Calistoga/Sonoma Highway 29" (NOTE: Ignore signs that read "Napa/Lake Berryessa".) Proceed on Highway 29 approximately 5 miles to Central Napa.

Directions to Napa from Sacramento International Airport (SMF) can be found here

Leave a Comment

Website: http://www.napavalley.com/visitorsinfo/mileage.html

'Mode': TO
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: Check Sausalito ferry schedule to plan your trip there.

PRICES: Fare is $7.10 one way, $14.20 return ticket. For youth (6-18), seniors (65+)/disabled with Medicare or approved ID is $3.55. Children under 6 are FREE.
BOARDING/TICKETS: Ferry Building at Embarcadero/Market (behind the ferry tower where the docks are).
DURATION: 20 minutes.

TIPS:
1) Choose Tuesday or Saturday, if you want to grab some tasty food on your way to Sausalito - Ferry Farmers` Market is opened on these days untill 2pm.
2) For nice photos choose clear sunny day and stand at the back of the boat (upper deck) - you will have good view of SF and bridges; 3) While in Sausalito, you can visit Bay Model- exact model of the SF Bay's currents.

GET BACK: You can either use your return ticket or buy one on the boat (lower deck where bikes are stored). This option is CASH only. Keep the ticket, cause you will have to present it in SF after exiting the boat.

There is another option to get to Sausalito - riding a bike across Golden Gate Bridge and then going back to SF via ferry.

ALSO, there are boats called Blue & Gold Fleet leaving from the Pier 41. The cost of a ticket is $9 ($19 for a return ticket). For the schedule click here.

Leave a Comment

Phone: 800-735-2922
Website: http://www.goldengateferry.org/

'Mode': TO
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: Parking in SF is expensive regardless of where you go, but some places are less pricy than others..
I have 2 spots in the downtown to recommend:

- Sutter-Stockton Garage
Location: 330 Sutter at Stockton.
Rates:
a) Monday through Saturday:
Day rates (from 7am to 6pm):
Up to 1h = $2.
Up to 2h = $5.
Up to 3h = $7.
Up to 4h = $9.
Up to 5h = $12.
Up to 6h = $15.
Up to 7h = $18.
Up to 8h = $21.
Over 8h (before 6pm) = $26.
Evening rates (from 6pm to 7am):
Up to 1h = $2.
Up to 2h = $4.
Up to 3h = $5.50.
Over 3h (before 7am) = $7.50.

b) Sunday (from 7am to 6pm):
The same as the evening rates.

c) Daily rates (maximum):
Monday through Saturday = $33.50.
Sunday = $15.

d) Motorcycle flat rate = $5.

- Portsmouth Square Garage.
Location: 733 Kearny at Clay.
Rates: The rates are published on the website.
They also offer an Evening Rate = $5.00 (Monday through Friday)
Vehicle must enter after 5pm and leave before 4am on the next day.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': TO
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: Tiburon is a former railroad town that has been transformed into a New England Seacoast village. It can be a nice day trip.

Price: One way ticket for adults costs $9 ($5 for kids). For round trip just purchase two one-way tickets. You can do so at PIER 39 Ticket Booth. You can also buy a return ticket on a board of a ferry. Tickets are valid for six (6) months from date of purchase.
Duration: 20 minutes.
Departure: From the Pier 41.

Leave a Comment

Phone: 800-735-2922
Website: http://www.blueandgoldfleet.com/Ferry/Tiburon/tiburonsummerschedule2008.cfm

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: San Francisco Cable Cars are one of the biggest attractions in the city. A lot has been said about it, so I`ll just stick to some useful information.

HISTORY: To learn more about cable cars you can go to Cable Car Museum on 1201 Mason at Washington Street.

LINES: There are 3 routs you can take to ride SF cable car.
- California Line which runs on California Street all the way from Drumm to Van Ness;
- Powell-Mason Line which runs on Powell and then Mason Streets;
- Powell-Hyde Line which runs on Powell and then Hyde Street passing the crookedest Lombard Street on its right. Its the most popular line.

HOURS: 6am to 1am.

FREQUENCY: About 3 times an hour during the peak times.

BOARDING: If you want to ride the Powell-Hyde Line from the very beginning, go to Powell at Market Street. It`s hard to miss - there are always crowds of people waiting for their turn and watching how the car is rotated. If you do not care where to catch it, then any intersection with rails on it will do (that will be Powell, Mason and Hyde Streets accordingly). Just wait for car and hop on it when it stops.

PRICE: $5 per person. There are no return tickets. Every time you hop on a car, you have to pay. There is a way to save some money if you plan on riding more than twice - buying a Passport (1-Day Passport will cost you $11; 3-Days Passport will be $15 and 7-Days Passport will empty your wallet for $24). These Passports will also give you an unlimited access to all MUNI transportation within the city as well as discounted entrances to some of the SF attractions.

BUYING TICKETS: From the conductor or at the Visitor`s Information office at Powell/Market.

CAPACITY: About 60 people.

Leave a Comment