How to get around San Francisco as a First Time Visitor

Traveling to big cities for the first time can be daunting, but the transportation doesn’t have to be.  I’ve got everything you need to know about how to get around San Francisco. 

Some of the links in this post contain affiliate links. What does that mean you ask? I may earn a small commission, but you won’t pay any extra. These links also help fund and support my page.

First time to San Francisco or only have a couple of days? Check out my guide for two days in San Francisco below.

How to get to San Francisco from the airport

Before you can figure out how to get around San Francisco, you have to figure out how to get TO San Francisco. 

Whether you’re arriving at SFO or Oakland the answer is the same.  The easiest way into the city from the airport to San Francisco is by Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART).  This is the regional rail service that connects the entire Bay Area. 

Landing at SFO?  Be sure to read my in depth guide on getting from SFO to downtown San Francisco.

Getting around San Francisco once you’re in the city

You’ve arrived in the city at your hotel.  Now what? 

How to get around San Francisco by car

As someone who has had a rental car in San Francisco more than once I do not recommend it unless you are only staying for a night then driving north to wine country or south towards Santa Cruz and Monterey.  This is for a number of reasons.  

The first being hotel parking is insanely expensive.  At hotels around Union Square don’t be surprised if you have to pay $60 or more per night for parking.  And street parking is another headache to deal with in any major city, especially in popular tourist zones. 

The second reason is you truly do not need a car in the city.  You can get just about anywhere a first time visitor would want to go by public transit.  And if not, a rideshare will still be cheaper than a rental and parking. 

Walking around San Francisco

San Francisco is famous for its hills, but that shouldn’t deter you from walking around the city.  In fact, you can walk a relatively flat route from Fisherman’s Wharf through North Beach and Chinatown all the way to Union Square and the SoMa district.  I would know, I’ve done it.  

I love walking while traveling, it is a great way to explore local neighborhoods, find unique shops, cozy cafes and the best hole in the wall dining spots.  Plus as a bonus, the more you walk, the more food you can sample while visiting. 

Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, I never travel without my favorite waterproof sneakers.

And, if like me you also like to take walking tours to get better acquainted with both the layout and history of the city, check out this San Fran Ghost Tour.  

Rideshares

San Francisco (and Silicon Valley) is where rideshare services first originated.  This means you have endless options from the original services Uber and Lyft to the new driverless cars from Waymo and Zoox.  That said, the cost of taking a rideshare every time will start to add up.  And traffic can be terrible.

Once while in San Francisco on a work trip, I was leaving a meeting that was a bit of a walk to the nearest BART station for me to get back to the airport.  Not only did I have to wait for the rideshare, but then we ended up sitting in traffic for so long that I got my stuff, thanked the driver, and walked to the BART anyways.  Thankfully I was able to expense the ride. 

Time of day and location definitely matter when calling a rideshare. 

San Francisco public transportation

The public transportation system is still the best way to navigate San Francisco.  This is especially true if you are car free and need to know how to get around San Francisco without a car. 

In addition to BART, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) operates buses, streetcars and the world famous cable cars.  Between all of these options you can get just about anywhere you need to in the city.  

San Francisco public transit vs BART

What is the difference between San Francisco Muni service and BART?  The Muni has the city run above ground transit, whereas BART is the regional (often underground) rail transit. 

Why does this matter?  It matters because their systems are not fully integrated together when it comes to payments and passes.  

Clipper card or Muni mobile pass?

The Clipper is the “all-in-one” card you can use for any type of transit in the Bay Area.  This includes BART, water taxis, and the Muni buses and streetcars.  You can get a physical or digital Clipper card. You can also add Clipper to your Apple or Google wallet.  With this card you can add money and basically use it like a debit card and just tap for each ride as you need it.  Or you can purchase single ride fare tickets with Clipper.

Sounds great right?  Well BART and the Clipper do not offer discount passes for visitors .  This is where the Muni pass comes into play.  

Muni Pass

Through the Muni Mobile app, you can purchase a 1, 3, or 7 day Visitor Passport. This passport offers unlimited rides on all Muni transportation including cable cars.  Note: this excludes BART as it is not part of SFMTA.

For example, a 1-day Visitor Passport costs $15.  Whereas a single cable car ride is $9 and a single ride (good for 2 hours with transfers) on the bus or streetcar is $2.85.  So if you ride the cable car once and the bus/streetcar two separate times (beyond the 2 hour window) you are basically paying the same amount.  From there, any additional rides are a bonus and essentially free.  If you wanted to take the cable car twice this pays for the whole day.  

Not interested in riding the cable cars?  No problem. They have a separate day pass that has unlimited rides for buses and streetcars, with no cable car rides for $5.70.  Again, two separate rides (outside of the 2 hour window) will pay for the pass. 

One thing to note on the day pass and visitor passport, this resets each day at midnight.  The pass is not 24/72/168 hours from when it was activated. If you purchase a single day pass or passport, and you purchase it at 5pm it will still reset at 12:00am.  So if you get a 3 day pass, it will reset at midnight on the 3rd day.

• Day pass – $5.70 unlimited rides (excludes cable cars)
• 1-day Visitor Passport – $15 unlimited rides (includes cable cars)
• 3-day Visitor Passport – $35 unlimited rides (includes cable cars)
• 1-day Visitor Passport – $47 unlimited rides (includes cable cars)

Find all available Muni fare options here. 

Tap to pay

If you don’t think you need a pass at all, or maybe you are spending more time on BART or the water taxis which don’t offer discount passes, then skip the extra step of the Clipper card and just tap to pay with your phone or credit card.  

With BART you will need to tap the gate both entering and exiting the station.  Then you will be charged the fare for that distance.  Two stops in the city will be less than 6 stops from the airport into downtown.  You can use the BART fare calculator to get accurate pricing. 

Final thoughts on how to get around San Francisco

For first time visitors save your money and sanity and skip the rental car.  Walk and use public transportation to get around the city. If you find yourself in a location that has limited transit options, this is the best time to use a rideshare service. 

As far as transit passes, I think the day pass (no cable car) is the best deal.  If you really want to take the cable cars, plan out your trip so you do those all on one day and then purchase the 1-day Visitor Passport for that day specifically.  If you are visiting for a weekend, it will be cheaper to buy them for each day than a 3-day Visitor Passport, unless you *really* love the cable cars and want to ride them every day. 

FAQs on how to get around San Francisco:

Additional posts on San Francisco, CA