By plane
There are no direct flights from Russia to San Francisco. From Moscow, you can fly there by K-L-M, Air-France, British Airways and others with a transfer in London, Amsterdam or Paris. The total travel time is at least 15.5 hours. Finnair and Lufthansa flights connect St. Petersburg and San Francisco with transfers in Helsinki or Frankfurt am Main. See citypopulationreview for state facts, symbols and history of New Hampshire.
From airport to city
Between the airport and the central areas of San Francisco 20 km. The cheapest way to get to the city is by regular buses of the SamTrans company ( off. site in English), plying along the routes KX, 292, 397, the stop is located next to the international terminal. The ticket can be bought at the cash machine or from the driver, the journey takes about an hour. The BART metro station is located in the international terminal. Trains departing from it run to the center for half an hour with a frequency of 20 minutes.
The cost of a taxi to the center is 75-90 USD, the trip time in the absence of traffic jams is 20 minutes. The prices on the page are for August 2021.
From Los Angeles to San Francisco
The nearest airport to San Francisco, which receives direct Aeroflot flights from Moscow (1 per day, flight time 12 hours), is located 640 km in Los Angeles. From there, the fastest way to fly is by low-cost United Airlines, Alaska Airlines and others (up to 20 flights per day, 1 hour 15 minutes).
Those who prefer traveling by rail can take an Amtrak train ticket – 2 times a day, 8 hours on the way, departure from Union Station. True, it will not be possible to save money – the cost of a railway ticket is almost the same as a plane ticket. The budget option is to travel by intercity buses of Megabus ( off. site in English) or Greyhound ( off. site in English) – up to 15 flights daily, 7.5-8 hours on the way, the ticket is 2-3 times cheaper, than on a plane. Departure from Union Station.
Find cheap flights to San Francisco
Transport
Public transport in San Francisco is operated by the operator SFMTA ( off. site in English). This is a network of 100 bus routes, trolleybuses, surface and underground Muni Metro light rails (the so-called MUNI system, which also includes the famous historical cable cars ).
Single tickets can be bought on board the buses, trams and Muni Underground Stations and are valid for 90 minutes on all modes of transport except cable cars and BART. There is a hefty fine for traveling without a ticket. Muni Metro opening hours are from 5:00 am to midnight. Lines L and N run around the clock. In addition to single tickets, there are 1/3/7-day Visitor Passports.
The most scenic route is the F-Market line, which is served by vintage streetcars that follow the market from Castro to Embarcadero, where they turn left onto the road to the fishing yard (Fisherman’s Wharf).
Taxis are waiting for passengers at specially designated parking lots, they can be called by phone or stopped on the street with a wave of your hand. The cost of a trip around the city is 20-25 USD.
Bicycles for rent
With 546 stations in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and Emeryville, the Ford GoBike bike rental system is well suited for short trips around the city. To take a bike, at the station terminal you need to buy a special card valid for 1 day and cost 10 USD. The number of trips is not limited.
Renting a bike for a long time in other rental companies costs from 8/35 USD for 1 hour/day.
The bike can be taken and returned at any nearest station. The first 30 minutes of the trip are free, then – 5 USD for each additional 15 minutes.
Rent a Car
Those who want to go on excursions along the coast or to the Wine Country cannot do without a car. Car rental will cost about 42 USD per day without insurance plus gasoline. The cost of parking is 5-7 USD for a couple of hours (if you can find a free place, of course), the fine for incorrect parking is from 60 USD, even if you left the car for a couple of minutes. Night parking costs 20-35 USD, if the tourist has not agreed with the hotel in advance.
Playing checkers, pruning and other pranks on the road is not welcome. Any of the participants in the movement, if they consider such a ride dangerous, can call the police at 911.
Unlike Russian traffic rules, local traffic rules allow a right turn on a red light after the car has completely stopped, if the red arrow is not on at the traffic light and there is no “Not turn on red” sign. Most streets are one way. Therefore, it is worth remembering another local rule that allows you to turn left at a red light (!), If both roads – the one from which the car leaves and the one it turns onto, are intended for one-way traffic.
According to the world ranking, morning and evening traffic jams in San Francisco are second only to Los Angeles, Moscow and New York.
