San Francisco Airport Transfers

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the main airport, about 14 miles south of San Francisco. Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK) is the useful second airport, about 20 road miles east of San Francisco. SFO normally gives the simpler rail arrival because BART leaves from the International Terminal. OAK also connects directly to BART, but its airport train first runs to Coliseum. (SFO location, checked 2026-09-28; OAK location, checked 2026-09-28)

At SFO, BART is the main rail option. The station is on Level 3 of the International Terminal. Domestic-terminal passengers can take the free AirTrain to the Garage G/BART stop. BART then serves four downtown San Francisco stations, so choose the one nearest the accommodation. SFO also lists SamTrans buses, airporters, taxis and ride-hailing. Use BART for a hotel near a downtown station, SamTrans for a route stop, and a taxi or ride-hailing vehicle when luggage or arrival time makes door-to-door travel more useful. (SFO public transit, checked 2026-09-28; SFO ground transportation, checked 2026-09-28)

From OAK, cross the road outside Terminal 1 baggage claim and follow signs to the Oakland Airport BART station; Terminal 2 is a short walk away. The airport Connector links OAK with Coliseum. AC Transit Route 73 also links the airport and Coliseum, but San Francisco travellers still need an onward BART journey. (OAK station, checked 2026-09-28; OAK airport FAQ, checked 2026-09-28; AC Transit Route 73, checked 2026-09-28)

BART publishes about 30 minutes from SFO to downtown San Francisco. That is the airport-to-BART-station leg, not a hotel arrival time. Add the AirTrain or terminal walk, baggage and immigration, the wait for a train, and the final walk or local connection. Embarcadero, Montgomery Street, Powell Street and Civic Center serve different parts of the city, so the best station depends on the address. (BART SFO connection, checked 2026-09-28; SFO public transit, checked 2026-09-28)

OAK’s airport operator publishes an eight-minute journey between the airport and Coliseum. BART’s current airport information describes the Connector leg as approximately nine minutes and an average wait of 4.5 minutes. The onward trip from Coliseum to San Francisco and the final hotel walk are separate. Use BART’s trip planner for the full route instead of adding a generic city estimate. (OAK airport connection, checked 2026-09-28; OAK airport FAQ, checked 2026-09-28)

SamTrans does not publish one SFO-to-hotel duration because Routes 292, 397 and ECR OWL follow different corridors and stop patterns. Route 292 links San Francisco, SFO and Hillsdale Shopping Center. Route 397 provides limited overnight service between San Francisco and Palo Alto, while ECR OWL serves the airport at night. Select the stop closest to the accommodation and read the current route timetable before leaving the terminal. (SamTrans airport service, checked 2026-09-28; SamTrans schedules, checked 2026-09-28)

BART does not publish one airport fare for every visitor. The fare depends on the exact entry and exit stations, so use the official calculator for SFO or for the Coliseum-to-San Francisco leg after landing at OAK. BART accepts contactless bank cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Clipper. Each passenger aged five or older needs a separate card or device, and the same payment method must be used to enter and exit. BART no longer sells or accepts paper tickets. (BART fare calculator, checked 2026-09-28; BART payment information, checked 2026-09-28)

SamTrans publishes an adult local/express fare of $2.25 with cash or mobile payment, or $2.05 with Clipper. Its adult day pass is $4.50. Exact cash is required on the bus; the driver does not make change. Clipper provides the lower adult fare and free two-hour transfers between SamTrans local and express routes. These prices cover SamTrans, not BART or Muni after arrival. (SamTrans fares, checked 2026-09-28; SamTrans how to buy, checked 2026-09-28)

AC Transit publishes a $3.00 adult local cash fare and $2.75 with Clipper or contactless payment. Its local day pass is $6.50 in cash or $6.00 with Clipper or contactless payment. Route 73 is useful for the OAK–Coliseum airport leg, but a traveller continuing to San Francisco also needs the separate BART fare. (AC Transit fare update, checked 2026-09-28)

For SFO taxis, the airport tariff lists $4.15 for the first one-fifth mile, $0.65 per minute for waiting or traffic delay, and a $6.00 surcharge on San Francisco taxi rides originating at SFO. Bridge tolls are extra. The SFMTA publishes a current fare-estimate table, but it does not provide one guaranteed downtown total; the meter, traffic, any waiting time and bridge tolls affect the fare. OAK does not publish one fixed taxi price to San Francisco; check the chosen provider’s fare before travelling. (SFO taxi tariff, checked 2026-09-28; OAK airport FAQ, checked 2026-09-28)

SFO BART’s current station timetable shows weekday trains toward San Francisco from 5:00 a.m. and frequent daytime departures, with trains continuing until just before midnight. The airport station has Yellow Line service toward Antioch and Red Line service toward Richmond; check the destination display before boarding. The timetable is route-specific, so confirm the travel date in BART’s planner before leaving the terminal. (SFO BART station, checked 2026-09-28; BART SFO connection, checked 2026-09-28)

OAK’s published airport service window is 5:00 a.m. to midnight on weekdays, 6:00 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays, and 8:00 a.m. to midnight on Sundays and holidays. BART says the OAK Connector takes approximately nine minutes and has an average wait of 4.5 minutes; the airport’s own FAQ gives eight minutes for the airport–Coliseum journey. Use the live planner because the station page says there is no PDF timetable or real-time train tracking for this service. (BART OAK connection, checked 2026-09-28; OAK station, checked 2026-09-28; OAK airport FAQ, checked 2026-09-28)

SamTrans publishes route timetables rather than one airport-bus interval. Route 292 is daily from San Francisco through SFO to Hillsdale Shopping Center. Route 397 is marked limited overnight service, and ECR OWL is the night route for SFO; the current schedules page lists the ECR OWL timetable effective 2 August 2026 and the 397 timetable effective 14 June 2026. Route 120 has one daily terminal run from Colma: 4:41 a.m. on weekdays and 4:43 a.m. on weekends. (SamTrans airport service, checked 2026-09-28; SamTrans schedules, checked 2026-09-28)

SFO BART does not cover every early or late flight. Its published station timetable starts at 5:00 a.m. on weekdays and shows the last northbound airport departures shortly before midnight. If the flight arrives after the rail window, use an SFO taxi, an approved ride-hailing pick-up or a bus whose route timetable covers the arrival. SFO places taxis on the center islands outside Arrivals and lists ride-hailing pick-up on Level 5 of the Domestic Garage. (SFO BART station, checked 2026-09-28; SFO ground transportation, checked 2026-09-28)

Sunday is more restrictive at both airports. OAK BART publishes service from 8:00 a.m. to midnight on Sundays and holidays. SFO’s station page provides a separate Sunday/Holiday timetable, so use that date-specific column rather than copying weekday departures. For an early Sunday departure, arrange a taxi, ride-hailing trip or a bus that has a published trip at the required time. (BART OAK connection, checked 2026-09-28; SFO BART station, checked 2026-09-28)

SamTrans gives SFO wider overnight coverage than BART. The airport operator states that SamTrans operates 24/7 from SFO, with limited late-night service on ECR OWL and 397. Route 292 serves the terminals during the day and evening, while Route 120 has the single early terminal trip listed above. ECR OWL’s timetable warns that the route does not operate in the middle of the day, so do not treat it as an all-day service. (SFO public transit, checked 2026-09-28; SamTrans airport service, checked 2026-09-28; SamTrans ECR OWL timetable, checked 2026-09-28)

For the return trip, work backward from the flight and include the terminal transfer. At SFO, AirTrain connects the domestic terminals with the BART station; at OAK, the airport station is across from Terminal 1 and a short walk from Terminal 2. Check the operator planner for disruptions, allow time for luggage and security, and choose the airport transfer whose published service window covers the whole journey. (SFO public transit, checked 2026-09-28; OAK station, checked 2026-09-28)