How to get around San Francisco

Muni buses, light rail, historic streetcars and cable cars cover the city; BART is most useful for SFO, Oakland, the East Bay and a limited diagonal through San Francisco. Most visitors do not need a car.

As of 4 October 2026, a Muni ride costs $2.85 with contactless payment or Clipper and includes 120 minutes of transfers; cash is $3. The $5.70 day pass excludes cable cars, while a cable-car ride is $9 and the one-day visitor passport is $15.

Walk within a district and use transit between districts. Check the slope before following a map's shortest line. Cable cars are heritage transport with queues and limited corridors, not the general network.

Muni

Buses, light rail and historic streetcars form the main city network. Contactless bank cards and Clipper are the simplest current payment methods. A paid Muni ride includes 120 minutes of transfers, but cable cars use a separate fare unless covered by an eligible visitor passport.

BART, Caltrain and ferries

Use BART for SFO, Oakland and the East Bay, not for every city journey. Caltrain serves the peninsula and San Jose; ferries provide useful bay crossings from the Ferry Building and Pier 41. Check the operator because schedules and last departures differ.

Walking and cycling

Contour matters. Review elevation as well as distance and use stair streets only when mobility and conditions allow. Bike routes and shared bicycles can work well along the Embarcadero and through Golden Gate Park, but central hills and rail tracks demand confidence.

Accessibility

Low-floor buses and accessible rail stations make many routes possible, while steep sidewalks, older stops and elevator outages create gaps. Plan the exact stop and return route rather than assuming a neighbourhood is uniformly step-free.

Cars

Avoid keeping a vehicle for an urban stay. If driving, remove every item whenever parked, understand bridge tolls and read street-cleaning and permit signs carefully.