San Francisco - Alison Bing [233]
Typically, a small car might cost $40 to $60 a day or $175 to $300 a week, plus the 9.5% sales tax. Unless your credit card covers car-rental insurance, you’ll need to add in $10 to $15 a day for a loss/damage waiver. Most rates include unlimited mileage; with cheap rates, there’s often a per-mile charge above a certain mileage.
To rent a motorcycle, contact Dubbelju (Map; 415-495-2774; www.dubbelju.com; 689a Bryant St; 27); rates start at $99 per day.
MAJOR CAR-RENTAL AGENCIES
Alamo Rent-a-Car (Map; 415-693-0191, 800-327-9633; www.alamo.com; 750 Bush St; 7am-7pm; 2, 3, 4, 76; Powell-Mason, Powell-Hyde)
Avis (Map;415-929-2555, 800-831-2847; www.avis.com; 675 Post St; 6am-6pm; 2, 3, 4, 76)
Budget (Map; 415-292-8981, 800-527-0700; www.budget.com; 321 Mason St; 6am-6pm; 2, 3, 4, 38)
Dollar (Map; 800-800-5252; www.dollarcar.com; 364 O’Farrell St; 7am-7pm; 2, 3, 4, 38)
Hertz (Map; 415-771-2200, 800-654-3131; www.hertz.com; 325 Mason St; 6am-6pm Mon-Thu, to 8pm Fri & Sat; 2, 3, 4, 38)
Thrifty (Map; 415-788-6906, 800-367-2277; www.thrifty.com; 350 O’Farrell St; 7am-7pm; 2, 3, 4, 38)
Car Share
Car-sharing is a handy alternative to rentals that spares you pick-up/drop-off and parking hassles: reserve a car online for just an hour or two or all day, and you can usually pick up/drop off your car within blocks of where you’re staying. It also does the environment a favor: fewer cars on the road means less congestion and pollution, especially given the fuel-efficient and hybrid models.
Zipcar ( 866-494-7227; www.zipcar.com) rents Prius Hybrids and Minis by the hour for flat rates starting at $8.33 per hour, including gas and insurance, or by day for $62.10; a $25 application fee and $50 prepaid usage are required in advance. Drivers without a US driver’s license should follow instructions at www.zipcar.com/apply/foreign-drivers. Once approved, cars can be reserved at www.zipcar.com or at 866-4ZIPCAR. Check the website for pick-up/drop-off locations.
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TAXI
Fares start at $3.50 at the flag drop and run about $2.25 per mile. Add at least 10% to the taxi fare as a tip ($1 minimum). Cabs are easiest to hail along Downtown streets; elsewhere you may need to call. Credit cards are often accepted, but ask before getting into the cab, or stop at an ATM along the way. The following taxi companies have 24-hour dispatches.
Arrow Taxicab (415-648-3181)
DeSoto Cab (415-970-1300)
Green Cab (415-626-4733; www.greencab.com) Fuel-efficient hybrids; worker-owned collective.
Luxor Cab (415-282-4141)
Yellow Cab (415-333-3333)
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TRAIN
Easy on the eyes and carbon emissions too, train travel is a good way to visit the Bay Area and beyond. Three major train lines serve San Francisco, offering relaxing, scenic transit alternatives to traffic snarls, airport hassles and air pollution.
Throughout this book, venues readily accessible by BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit; 415-989-2278; www.bart.gov; 4am-midnight Mon-Fri, 6am-midnight Sat, 8am-midnight Sun) are denoted by followed by the name of the nearest BART station. The fastest link between Downtown and the Mission District also offers transit to SF airport, Oakland and Berkeley. Within SF, one-way fares start at $1.75.
BART tickets are sold in machines in BART stations, and you’ll need your ticket to enter and exit. If your ticket still has value after you exit the station, it is returned to you with the remaining balance. If your ticket’s value is less than needed to exit, use an Addfare machine and pay the appropriate amount. Bicycles can be carried on BART, but not in the commute direction during weekday rush hours.
Four of the system’s five lines pass through SF before terminating at Daly City or SFO. At San Francisco BART stations, a 25¢ discount is available for Muni