Use BART and Save Money in SF

Did you know the cheapest way to get from either San Francisco or Oakland airports to your hotel is aboard BART? Save yourself money and stress by riding the rails to your San Francisco neighborhood of choice.

BART is the fast, easy, low-cost way to get from San Francisco International Airport or Oakland International Airport to San Francisco.

Two of the Bay Area's major airports are connected to San Francisco via BART (that stands for Bay Area Rapid Transit). This network of speedy commuter rail services five counties of the Bay Area, with multiple stops in some of San Francisco's most popular neighborhoods.

If you want a smooth ride from the airport into the city, follow these steps for doing so on BART.

BART Basics

First, some rules of the rails:

How to Pay
Riders pay for BART with ClipperOpens in new window, the Bay Area’s all-in-one transit card that is also accepted on other transit systems in the region, including San Francisco's Muni system.

Save $3 dollars by loading Clipper on your phone or Apple Watch and using Apple Pay and Google Pay

When you get to the fare gate, you simply need to “tag and go” to pay for your ride. The correct fare will be automatically deducted. If you are using a BART paper ticket, insert your ticket at the fare gate and it will be returned to you. Use the same ticket when you exit. The correct fare will be automatically deducted and tickets with remaining value will be returned.

Fares are based on distance traveled. Weekly and monthly passes are not available. To find the cost of a particular BART trip, use the BART Fare Calculator

Children 4 and under ride free but everyone else must have a Clipper card (a plastic card or in your digital wallet) or a BART paper ticket (only available at SFO) with funds loaded. Proof of payment is required.

BART offers a variety of fare discounts here

BART Service

BART connects San Francisco and Oakland to destinations across the East Bay and along the San Francisco peninsula—even reaching as far south as San Jose!

BART is not a 24-hour service. Trains operate from 5 a.m. to midnight on weekdays, from 6 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays, and from 8 a.m. to midnight on Sundays. Service along certain lines may be limited on weekends. Trains run most frequently on weekdays.

From SFO

The fare to downtown San Francisco is only $10 ($20 round trip). That's less than a shuttle van, an Uber or Lyft ride, and a taxi! Taking BART avoids road traffic and is only a half-hour ride from to San Francisco,

The BART station at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is in the International Terminal and accessible via a short walk from Terminals 1 and 3, or via the free AirTrain's red line. Three to four trains depart each hour.

To get to downtown San Francisco, board an Antioch-bound train to one of the four downtown San Francisco stations (Civic Center, Powell Street, Montgomery Street, Embarcadero). From these stations, it's a short cab ride or walk to many hotels, attractions, dining, and major points of interest.

For more information on traveling from and returning to SFO, visit BART's airport connection guideOpens in new window.

From OAK

The BART fare from OAK to downtown San Francisco is only $11.40 ($22.80 round trip). That's still less than a shuttle van, ride share, or taxi.

The Oakland Airport Station is a short walk from both terminals. To get to downtown San Francisco, take BART one stop from the Oakland Airport Station to the Coliseum Station and transfer to a San Francisco/Daly City train. Trains from OAK operate every 5 minutes during peak hours, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Visit BART online for more information about travel from OAK.

*Source: San Francisco Travel Association