Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [253]
The most recent line to this system is not a newcomer at all, but is, in fact, an encore performance of rejuvenated 1930s streetcars from all over the world. The beautiful, retro multicolored F-Market & Wharves streetcar runs from 17th and Castro streets to the Embarcadero; every other streetcar continues to Jones and Beach streets in Fisherman’s Wharf. This is a quick, charming, and tourist-friendly way to get up- and downtown without any hassle.
BART BART, an acronym for Bay Area Rapid Transit ( 415/989-2278; www.bart.gov), is a futuristic-looking, high-speed rail network that connects San Francisco (starting just south of the airport) with the East Bay—Oakland, Richmond, Concord, Pittsburg, and Fremont. Four stations are on Market Street (see “Streetcar,” above). One-way fares range from $1.75 to $11, depending on how far you go. Machines in the stations dispense tickets that are magnetically encoded with a dollar amount. Computerized exits automatically deduct the correct fare. Children 4 and under ride free. Trains run every 15 to 20 minutes, Monday through Friday from 4am to midnight, Saturday from 6am to midnight, and Sunday from 8am to midnight. In keeping with its futuristic look, BART now offers online trip planners that you can download to your PDA, iPod, or phone.
The 33-mile BART extension, which extends all the way to San Francisco International Airport, opened in June 2003. See above for information on getting into town from the airport.
By Taxi
This isn’t New York, so don’t expect a taxi to appear whenever you need one—if at all. If you’re downtown during rush hour or leaving a major hotel, it won’t be hard to hail a cab; just look for the lighted sign on the roof that indicates the vehicle is free. Otherwise, it’s a good idea to call one of the following companies to arrange a ride; even then, there’s been more than one time when the cab never came for me. What to do? Call back if your cab is late and insist on attention, but don’t expect prompt results on weekends, no matter how nicely you ask. The companies are Veteran’s Cab ( 415/552-1300), Luxor Cabs ( 415/282-4141), De Soto Cab ( 415/970-1300), and Yellow Cab ( 415/626-2345). Rates are approximately $3.10 for the first 1⁄5 mile and 45¢ each fifth of a mile thereafter.
By Car
You don’t need a car to explore downtown San Francisco. In fact, with the city becoming more crowded by the minute, a car can be your worst nightmare—you’re likely to end up stuck in traffic with lots of aggressive and frustrated drivers, pay upwards of $30 a day to park (plus a whopping new 14% parking lot tax), and spend a good portion of your vacation looking for a parking space. Don’t bother. However, if you want to venture outside the city, driving is the best way to go.
Before heading outside the city, especially in winter, call 800/427-7623 for California road conditions. You can also call 511 for current traffic information.
CAR RENTALS All the major rental companies operate in the city and have desks at the airports. When we last checked, you could get a compact car for a week for anywhere from $165 to $315, including all taxes and other charges, but prices change dramatically on a daily basis and depend on which company you rent from.
Some of the national car-rental companies operating in San Francisco include Alamo ( 800/327-9633; www.alamo.com), Avis ( 800/331-1212; www.avis.com), Budget ( 800/527-0700; www.budget.com), Dollar ( 800/800-4000; www.dollar.com), Enterprise ( 800/325-8007; www.enterprise.com), Hertz ( 800/654-3131; www.hertz.com), National ( 800/227-7368; www.nationalcar.com), and Thrifty ( 800/367-2277; www.thrifty.com).
Car-rental