# Bay Area Dopers: Best way from SFO to downtown? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 4, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bay-area-dopers-best-way-from-sfo-to-downtown/601818 "2011-11-04T03:38:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bay-area-dopers-best-way-from-sfo-to-downtown/601818/1 "2011-11-04T03:38:50Z")
I’m going to San Francisco on business this weekend. What is the best way to get from the San Francisco airport to downtown? By “best” I mean “easiest”, but feel free to give me your take. I won’t be renting a car, but a co-worker is. I’m not sure our flights are the same time. If they aren’t I don’t want to have him go back out to the airport just to fetch me. I’d like to try BART - I never have but it looks very similar to the Washington Metro (they’re the same vintage). BART with luggage may not be my best idea. I’ll be arriving Sunday afternoon. My hotel is in the Marina district. Suggest away! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bay-area-dopers-best-way-from-sfo-to-downtown/601818/2 "2011-11-04T03:43:48Z")
BART from SFO is simple, foolproof, cheap & FAST, maybe faster than any other option, (including jumping in a cab) depending on exactly where in the city you are actually headed to. Of course schlepping luggage is an issue, so it kinda depends on how lightly you pack. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bay-area-dopers-best-way-from-sfo-to-downtown/601818/3 "2011-11-04T04:08:36Z")
BART. What time will you arrive? Unless it’s rush hour (especially morning), plenty of room for luggage. A bigger luggage issue is getting OFF of BART. Marina isn’t really near a station, which then requires a bit of walking (roller bag?), or taking Muni, which might be a pain if you have a bunch of crap. A cab from that point might be okay though. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bay-area-dopers-best-way-from-sfo-to-downtown/601818/4 "2011-11-04T04:24:46Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > BART. What time will you arrive? Unless it’s rush hour (especially morning), plenty of room for luggage. > > A bigger luggage issue is getting OFF of BART. Marina isn’t really near a station, which then requires a bit of walking (roller bag?), or taking Muni, which might be a pain if you have a bunch of crap. A cab from that point might be okay though. I sure don’t think the Marina area is walking distance from ANY Bart station that I know of. You’re probably looking at a cab, as the above suggests. Muni will probably be awkward. There may still be shuttle buses running from SFO to town. Maybe you can look into that. ---
**Author:** ![Caldazar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Caldazar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caldazar)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bay-area-dopers-best-way-from-sfo-to-downtown/601818/5 "2011-11-04T04:45:07Z")
Take BART from SFO to Embarcadero station. Luggage on BART shouldn’t a huge issue on a Sunday afternoon. Exit the station and go up to street level; there will be a Hyatt Regency about a half a block away (Market St and Drumm St). Catch a cab at the Hyatt to your hotel in the Marina. The cab will probably run you about $15 - $20, depending on traffic. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bay-area-dopers-best-way-from-sfo-to-downtown/601818/6 "2011-11-04T05:08:05Z")
Have you checked if the hotel offers a shuttle? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bay-area-dopers-best-way-from-sfo-to-downtown/601818/7 "2011-11-04T06:59:35Z")
OP, are you very familiar with S.F.? Will you have time/interest/desire to do any sightseeing? As long as you’re in the Marina area, [The Exploratorium](http://www.exploratorium.edu/) is **not to be missed**. Also, if you’re not familiar with the area, it’s not too obvious, but the Marina area is also a very short walking distance to Fisherman’s Wharf. (Hey, it somehow took me years to discover that!) ---
**Author:** ![Sandra\_Battye](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sandra_battye/32/552_2.png) [@Sandra\_Battye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandra_Battye)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bay-area-dopers-best-way-from-sfo-to-downtown/601818/8 "2011-11-04T16:59:12Z")
I’ve taken BART and Muni (SF buses and streetcars) with small luggage (carry-on) many times. I’ve also seen people on both with huge suitcases - BUT NOT DURING RUSH HOUR! You should be fine on a Sunday. I assume you are staying at one of the hotels/motels at the north end of Van Ness or on Lombard? In that area anyway? If you want to do public transportation the whole way, get off BART at Civic Center Plaza, go to Market & Hyde to catch the 19 bus to Polk and Van Ness. To get to a specific address, go [here](http://www.sfmta.com/cms/home/sfmta.php) and plug in your info on the right at “Plan Your Trip.” That website works anywhere for the Bay Area, so you won’t be dependent on you co-worker’s car (a car isn’t needed to get around in the city and can be a huge pain). ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bay-area-dopers-best-way-from-sfo-to-downtown/601818/9 "2011-11-05T20:01:42Z")
> [@Caldazar](#): > > Take BART from SFO to Embarcadero station. Luggage on BART shouldn’t a huge issue on a Sunday afternoon. Exit the station and go up to street level; there will be a Hyatt Regency about a half a block away (Market St and Drumm St). Catch a cab at the Hyatt to your hotel in the Marina. The cab will probably run you about $15 - $20, depending on traffic. Thanks! That was the kind of detail I was looking for. My co-worker who lived in SF for many years said that BART is the fastest, simplest, and cheapest way from SFO to downtown, now that BART connects both places. I’m having dinner with a friend Sunday night, and he’ll pick me up from the airport, so problem solved. I appreciate the advice, and will probably use it to get from downtown SF to SFO. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bay-area-dopers-best-way-from-sfo-to-downtown/601818/10 "2011-11-05T20:08:16Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > OP, are you very familiar with S.F.? Will you have time/interest/desire to do any sightseeing? As long as you’re in the Marina area, [The Exploratorium](http://www.exploratorium.edu/) is **not to be missed**. > > Also, if you’re not familiar with the area, it’s not too obvious, but the Marina area is also a very short walking distance to Fisherman’s Wharf. (Hey, it somehow took me years to discover that!) Not very familiar, Not much time/Much interest/Some desire to sightsee. I saw the Exploratorium when **Mama Zappa** and I were out there in 1994. Great place - nerd heaven. If they added a hotel I’d _totally_ stay there. According to their web site the Exploratorium is only open during the day, when I’ll be working (does sad, deflated SNL Czeck Brothers walk away). On a happier note, I don’t expect dining to be a problem 😃