San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is about 21 minutes by car from Francisco Bay Inn. You can take BART from the airport to downtown San Francisco, or use a taxi or rideshare with pickups at designated terminal areas.
- By car: About 21 minutes from SFO to the hotel.
- By BART: The airport station is in the International Terminal; the train ride to downtown takes about 30 minutes.
- By taxi: Pick up at the Arrivals/Baggage Claim Level, with a $6.00 exit surcharge included in San Francisco taxi fares.
- By rideshare: Pickup locations depend on your terminal and service.
Compare public transit and road options
BART offers a train connection to downtown, while taxis and rideshares pick up at marked airport areas.
From Francisco Bay Inn, SFO is about 21 minutes by car. That travel time is useful for comparing options, but the BART trip to downtown takes about 30 minutes before you account for getting from a downtown station to your destination.
The hotel is not in downtown, so plan the onward leg from Powell Street if you take the train.
For BART, start at the SFO station in the International Terminal and take a northbound train toward downtown. For a taxi, go to the designated roadway center-island zones on the Arrivals/Baggage Claim Level. Rideshare pickup points vary by terminal, so check the details for your arrival terminal before leaving the building.
How do you get from SFO to downtown by BART?
Take a northbound Yellow Line train toward Antioch or a Red Line train toward Richmond to reach downtown stations, including Powell Street.
The SFO BART station is on Level 3 of the International Terminal. If you arrive at another terminal, use the free SFO AirTrain to reach it. The ride from SFO to downtown San Francisco takes about 30 minutes.
Powell Street station is at 899 Market Street, at Powell and Market Streets. It connects with San Francisco Muni routes and the Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason cable cars. If a cable car is part of your onward trip, the San Francisco cable cars guide covers routes, fares and boarding.
BART fare gates accept contactless bank cards, Google Pay and Apple Pay. Each rider age 5 or older needs a separate card or device, and the same payment method must be used to enter and exit. You can also buy a Clipper card at machines at the SFO station; Clipper is accepted on BART and Muni.
For step-free access, BART stations have elevators and extra-wide fare gates. At Powell Street, reaching the train from street level requires two elevators: one at Ellis and Market Streets and another at the train platform.
Taxi, rideshare and driving considerations
Taxis and rideshares use designated pickup areas at SFO, and drivers collecting arriving passengers must wait away from the terminal curb.
For a taxi, follow signs to the roadway center-island zones on the Arrivals/Baggage Claim Level. Uniformed taxi coordinators are stationed there from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
You can request a wheelchair-accessible taxi from a coordinator or by calling *1107 from an airport courtesy phone. Fares are metered, and San Francisco taxi fares include a $6.00 exit surcharge for trips originating at SFO.
Lyft and Uber pickups at domestic terminals are on Level 5 of the Domestic Garage. At the International Terminal, Lyft, Uber and Wingz pickups are at the Departures/Ticketing Level roadway center-island zones 12–17. Wingz uses different pickup points at domestic terminals: the Arrivals Level at Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and Terminal 3.
Terminal curbsides are for active pickup and drop-off only; vehicles cannot wait there or on airport roadways. If you are driving to collect someone, SFO’s Cell Phone Waiting Lot allows waits of up to one hour. The Rental Car Center is accessible by the AirTrain Blue Line.
What should you confirm before traveling?
Check BART service hours and your pickup point before choosing a route from the airport.
BART airport service hours are 4:58 a.m. to midnight on weekdays, 5:47 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays, and 8:08 a.m. to midnight on Sundays. Its broader system hours are 5:00 a.m. to midnight on weekdays, 6:00 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays, and 8:00 a.m. to midnight on Sundays. For a specific departure or planned delay, use BART’s Trip Planner.
Before you go, check the official site for current service hours, fares and pickup instructions. This is especially useful if you are arriving late or using a rideshare, since pickup locations differ by terminal and provider.
FAQs
Where is the SFO BART station?
It is on Level 3 of the International Terminal. The free SFO AirTrain connects the other terminals to the station.
How long is the BART ride from SFO to downtown San Francisco?
The ride takes about 30 minutes. Take a northbound Yellow Line train toward Antioch or a Red Line train toward Richmond.
Where do taxis pick up passengers at SFO?
Taxi pickup is at designated roadway center-island zones on the Arrivals/Baggage Claim Level of all terminals.
Can a driver wait at the terminal to collect someone?
No. Terminal curbsides are for active pickup and drop-off only. Drivers waiting for arriving passengers can use SFO’s Cell Phone Waiting Lot for up to one hour.