San Francisco, United States

Getting around San Francisco

How to travel around San Francisco — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-09

1. Muni and BART

City buses, metro and regional rail; Clipper card or contactless covers all.

Cost: USD 2.75

2. Cable cars

Slow, expensive and worth doing once; the Powell-Hyde line has the best views.

Cost: USD 8

3. Uber and Lyft

Both founded here and used constantly.

4. Cycling the bridge

Rent in Fisherman's Wharf, ride to Sausalito and take the ferry back.

5. Parking, and car break-ins

The city's defining property crime.

Watch outBreak-ins at tourist parking areas happen within minutes and in daylight. Leave nothing visible, including an empty bag.

Booking apps in United States

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

Uber

Nationwide ride-hailing with the fare shown before booking.

Coverage: Nationwide, including airport pickup zones.
Why it helps: Avoids the unofficial drivers who tout inside airport terminals at several times the licensed rate.

Lyft

The main US alternative to Uber, often cheaper on the same route.

Coverage: Nationwide.
Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.

Transit

Real-time transit planning across most US city networks.

Coverage: Most metropolitan areas.

Amtrak

Official booking for the national intercity rail network.

Coverage: Nationwide corridors.