San Francisco Public Transportation Tips

Find information on San Francisco public transportation. There are many San Francisco transit options including cable cars San Francisco, buses, trains and more.

This section provides details on the public transportation San Francisco including pricing and which options are available. San Francisco Muni is the main San Francisco transit system. It’s made up of a few different types of transit options including cable cars, light rail (trains and street cars) and buses.

Cable Cars San Francisco

One of the most popular San Francisco public transportation options are the cable cars. Even if you aren’t heading to a specific destination, I’d highly recommend taking a cable can San Francisco while you are here.

There are still three remaining cable cars running in San Francisco. One of the lines, the California line, is going to be out of service temporarily from January – June 2011 for some much needed repairs. However, the other two lines are still fully running.

Learn more about the cable cars San Francisco including information on each of the three lines, cable car history, what you see along the way when you ride each line, pricing and more.

Light Rail – Trains and San Francisco Street Cars

The next of the San Francisco public transportation options are the Muni light rail trains. There are 6 different train lines that take passengers to and from locations along Market, south of Market to AT&T Park or west of downtown to the Civic Center and the Castro district.

These run mostly underground along the busier, downtown areas of San Francisco. However, they then come above ground once the trains get closer to AT&T Park and on the western side of the city.

There is one route with San Francisco street cars in the San Francisco public transportation system. The street cars runs along Market Street from the Castro, through Union Square and then down the Embarcadero to Pier 39 San Francisco. This line also stops across from Pier 33, which is where the ferries leave for your trip to visit Alcatraz.

Although it’s just one line, there are several different street cars running. All of the street cars are remodeled, above ground street cars from several different cities around the world. The ride is a little jerky at times, but it is a fun way to see the city as you head to your destination.

Buses

The most used option for San Francisco public transportation is the bus. There are over 50 different bus lines that take people throughout the city. This is a popular option for locals, so some of the buses can get pretty crowded.

However, this is a great option to help you save a little money while you are here. Here are some of the most popular San Francisco public transportation buses for those visiting the popular San Francisco attractions:

1 California: This bus line starts in downtown San Francisco and heads through Nob Hill. You can use this bus to get you up the steep hill to visit Grace Cathedral, the Fairmont Hotel or some of the other historical sites in Nob Hill. It also heads through China town San Francisco, so you can stop on your way up or on the way down to visit this fun San Francisco neighborhood.

14 Mission: This San Francisco transit bus goes along Market Street. It will take you to the Mission District to visit the historic Mission Dolores or for some great food.

30 Stockton: This is a really popular and really busy bus in San Francisco. It runs through Union Square, then through Chinatown, through North Beach San Francisco, stops just a few blocks away from Pier 39 San Francisco and Fishermans Wharf and finally ends up in the Marina District of San Francisco.

39 Coit: This bus runs from North Beach up the hill to Coit Tower. This bus line is really short, but is a great option if you don’t want to trek up the large hill to visit Coit Tower San Francisco.

71 Haight: This San Francisco public transportation bus also runs along Market Street and heads to the famed Haight and Ashbury district. You will drive through a few neighborhoods along the way, but it’s an easy and safe option to get you over to the SF neighborhood that was a hub of activity during the 60s and 70s.

Costs for San Francisco Public Transportation

The cost to ride all San Francisco Muni transportation options is $2 except for the cable cars. You can then ride any SF Muni bus, train or street car for an hour and a half on the same fare. After that hour and a half, you then need to pay another $2. Make sure you take a transfer ticket when you board and pay for your first ride.

The San Francisco cable car lines are a little pricier. It is $5 for a one way ride and you do not get a transfer with the cable cars. They are smaller and more popular, so this allows everyone a chance to ride them around San Francisco.

These are the main San Francisco public transportation options. It is easy to get around the city with any of these options mentioned above.