English 
Deutsch 
Español 
Français 
Italiano 
How to get from San Francisco Airport (SFO) ✈️ to the City Center
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the fifth busiest airport in the USA and is located 21 km south of the city center. Upon arrival, you can reach downtown San Francisco by Metro, Taxi, Uber, Lyft, Private transfer or Rental car.
This guide compares all available airport transfers at San Francisco Airport (SFO) according to classic travel factors. This includes travel time, cost per person (pp), a short route description and official links to book or buy tickets.
Transfer comparison
Overview of all airport transfers from San Francisco Airport to the City Center
| Transport | Travel time | Cost | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Metro 💸 | 40 Min. | $ 9.65 | Details |
 |
Taxi ⏱️ | 25 Min. | $ 40‑50 | Details |
 |
Private Shuttle |
25 Min. | $ 145 | Details |
 |
Uber | 25 Min. | $ 30‑40 | Details |
|
Lyft | 25 Min. | $ 30‑90 | Details |
 |
Rental car | 25 Min. | Individ. | Details |
Travel tips:
• The optimal transfer depends on the number of travelers, budget and available time.
• There may be waiting times at the taxi rank if there are high volume of passengers. In this case, a pre-booked transfer (e.g. via Welcome Pickups) is the more faster and comfortable option.
Infos here, tickets on-site ↗
Travel time:
40 minutesCost:
💸 US$ 9.65 ppDescription:
BART Metro ‘Yellow Line’ from San Francisco Airport (BART Station in section International Garage G) to “Civic Center / UN Plaza” Station, both directly in Downtown
Official local taxis
Travel time:
⏱️ 25 minutesCost:
US$ 40-50Description:
Taxi from San Francisco Airport (all terminals) to downtown San Francisco, the Civic Center or directly to your accommodation in the city center
Book a private transfer ↗
Travel time:
25 minutes (+pickup)Cost:
US$ 145Description:
Comfortable private transfer (GetYourGuide) from San Francisco Airport (nameplate in the Arrival Hall) to downtown San Francisco or directly to your accommodation
Order an Uber ride ↗
Travel time:
25 minutes (+pickup)Cost:
US$ 30-40Description:
Uber from San Francisco Airport (pick-up location according to Uber app) to downtown San Francisco, the Civic Center or directly to your accommodation
Order a Lyft ride ↗
Travel time:
25 minutes (+pickup)Cost:
US$ 30-90Description:
Lyft from San Francisco Airport (pick-up location according to Lyft app) to downtown San Francisco, the Civic Center or directly to your accommodation
Hire a rental car ↗
Travel time:
25 minutes (+pickup)Cost:
Depending on the companyDescription:
Rental Car from San Francisco Airport (Rental Car Center via AirTrain Blue) to downtown San Francisco, the Civic Center or directly to your accommodation & moreRoute from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to central San Francisco (Civic Center)
AD
Lonely Planet Pocket San Francisco
San Francisco compact travel guide
Things to know about San Francisco:
1. The Golden Gate Bridge isn’t really red – the official paint color is International Orange
2. The Chinese fortune cookie was invented by a Japanese resident of San Francisco
3. The tide is so fast in the Bay that some sailboats end up moving backwards in strong currents