Month / June 2021

by Discover San Francisco

Getting Around San Francisco: Guide to SF Transportation

San Francisco is the 2nd most walkable city in the United States and is only 7 x 7 miles. You’ll definitely be doing a lot of walking during your stay in San Francisco, but here are some transportation options for when you don’t feel like walking up its famous hills.

Public Transportation – MUNI

The San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI) consists of buses, streetcars, and cable cars all throughout the city. You can pay by cash, MUNI paper ticket, mobile app, or clipper card (reloadable contactless smart card for fare collection that can be used all over the Bay Area). You pay a lower fare when paying by mobile app or clipper card. Children under 4 can ride for free. You can also purchase a 1-day, 3-day, or 7-day Visitor Passport, which allows unlimited rides on all MUNI buses, streetcars, and cable cars.

Cable Cars

As of September 2021, cable cars in San Francisco are fully operational after service was halted during the height of the pandemic. Riding on the cable cars is part of the quintessential SF tourist experience. Note that cable cars lines can get quite long (> 1 hour wait times), they cost more than the buses and streetcars ($8 vs. $2.50 on clipper card), and the ticket counts only one way.

Bikes and Scooters

Walk down any touristy area in San Francisco and you’ll find a plethora of different bike and scooter options. Download the app beforehand, create an account, locate the bike/scooter you want, activate it using the app by scanning the QR code on the bike/scooter, and make your way around the city. There are also a lot of in-person bike rentals near Fisherman’s Wharf and other touristy areas, but you will have to return them to specific areas in the city in-person while some app rental options allow you to drop the bike wherever you want.

For Spin, it costs $1 to unlock the scooter plus an additional $0.15 – $0.39 per minute (depending on where you are riding, the minute rate varies between these amounts). Small applicable taxes and fees may also be added on the trip — again, based on where you are riding. 

Bike Option

Currently BayWheels (owned by Lyft) is the only available option for bikeshare in San Francisco. Lyft offers two different types of bikes: classic and hybrid ebike. Both bikes require a $3 unlocking fee. You can return the bike at any docking station scattered throughout the city. While you can also dock your bike to any bike rack, note that Lyft will charge you $2 for not docking it at one of their stations and also charge you $25 for not leaving the bike in a service area. Note that you can’t ride these bikes across the Golden Gate Bridge to the Marin (it’s not part of the BayWheels service area) unless you want to pay the $25 penalty.

Scooter Options

There are several scooter options and they are not much different. Most of them have the same $1 unlocking fee with the additional $0.15 – $0.40 per minute fee. The rate can change based on the availability of scooters and time of day (similar to Uber, it can charge you more during busier times). If you’re sensitive about money/budget, then I recommend downloading the multiple options and checking which scooter option is the most affordable (similar to checking between Uber and Lyft for more affordable rides).

Rideshare (Uber + Lyft)

Uber and Lyft have gotten exponentially more expensive lately so be prepared for higher than normal prices. However, it’s highly recommended that you take Lyft or Uber if you’re planning on going to a restaurant or bar in a neighborhood you wouldn’t want to park in or walk to (e.g. Tenderloin or Civic Center). Some of the best restaurants and bars in the city are in sketchier neighborhoods and the safest way to get to them is to use a rideshare app.

Taxis

Taxis in San Francisco are not as common as they are in New York, but you’ll still sometimes see them around the Financial District and in some touristy areas. I would not recommend hailing down a taxi to get around the city because pricing usually won’t be much different from Uber/Lyft – the only difference will be the lower quality app experience and possible longer wait times. Unless you’re in an absolute rush and a taxi is already waiting near you, rideshare is the better experience.

Rental Car

Unless you’re planning on driving up to Sequoia or to other parts of the Bay Area outside of the city while visiting, it’s highly advised that you avoid renting a car. Driving a car in San Francisco can be quite stressful – driving up and down hills can be nerve-wracking, there are numerous one-way streets, you will have to navigate around cable cars, and streets can be quite narrow. Parking can also be a big pain because it can be difficult to find, spaces are quite small, and parking on a hill is no easy feat (remember to turn your wheels in towards the curb!). Finally, San Francisco has a big problem with petty smash-and-grab theft. Do not leave any belongings in your rental car. At times, some thieves will smash windows even when no belongings can be seen inside the car.

Save yourself a headache and avoid renting a car if you plan on staying within the city during your stay in the Bay Area. Only rent a car when you’re looking to explore the East Bay or the Marin.

Tour Buses

Tour Buses (e.g. BigBus San Francisco) can be convenient if you want to hit all the major attractions around San Francisco. If you’re looking to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge or visit Muir Woods, it can be a good transportation option. However, if you’re okay with taking more initiative in planning and are good with directions, taking public transport (MUNI) will save you a lot more money.