San Francisco

Travel to San Francisco

Flying to the USA is becoming ever cheaper as more carriers offer the flights and with over 30 airports across the UK offering direct flights to San Francisco International there's often great deals to be had if you're flexible on departure date and airport.

On arrival in San Francisco

On arrival at the airport there are plenty of ways to get to your accommodation, and before you leave it's best to check whether your hotel offers a free shuttle bus as this can save quite a bit of money. There's a variety of bus options ranging from the local bus network to arranging a private shuttle, which is great if there's a big group. Trains also serve the airport, there's a high speed connection with the city which also connects with the commuter rail to the suburbs. Taxis and car hire are also available, so you can easily make your way independently too.
San Francisco International Airport website

Getting around San Francisco

San Francisco is a large city and walking around can get quite tiring, so it's great that they have the USA's best public transport system to help you along. There's a city metro as well as one serving a larger region, both of which are perfect for beating the traffic. The historic cable cars are often too crowded to be useful on the weekends but try midweek for an unforgettable experience. Other options include the bus network as well as the famous streetcars. Driving around is a good option so long as you're staying outside of the central areas. Roads in central San Francisco get very congested, not to mention the confusing road systems! Likewise taxis in the centre can be slow and expensive.

Travelling further afield

The train network opens up an exciting range of destinations from Los Angeles to Chicago and Seattle. Intercity coach travel is a great option for visiting other cities inexpensively and it's possible to get almost anywhere if you're patient enough. For a faster way to see more of the USA internal flights are great and San Francisco has two regional airports. Ferries from the bay can give you a different way of exploring the more immediate east coast area throughout California.