San Francisco - Transport from SFO to Chancellor Hotel

Hi fellow FTer's

I will doing an MR with my wife in a few weeks time and one of my legs is MIA-SFO on April 24, 2011 on AA.
I'll be staying at the Chancellor Hotel on Powell St. and wanted your expert advice on the best way to get to the hotel and back to SFO.

I see that the BART has a station on Powell St. but I'm not sure if the walk is far from the drop-off point and if it's safe at 7.30pm to walk the distance.

My other option is a shared van ride from SFO and then of course just hire a taxi.

What do you recommend?

Thanks much.
Triniflyguy.

At 7:30 pm it's safe to take BART from SFO, get off at Powell St & either walk up Powell (I think about 4-5 blocks) or take the Cable Car, which would be nice intro to SF. Going up Powel is slight uphill walk from Powell St. Station on Market St to Union Sq & your hotel. Take a look at the hotel website - it has a map of that area of downtown SF. Enjoy the yellow rubber duckies!

Hi fellow FTer's

I will doing an MR with my wife in a few weeks time and one of my legs is MIA-SFO on April 24, 2011 on AA.
I'll be staying at the Chancellor Hotel on Powell St. and wanted your expert advice on the best way to get to the hotel and back to SFO.

I see that the BART has a station on Powell St. but I'm not sure if the walk is far from the drop-off point and if it's safe at 7.30pm to walk the distance.

My other option is a shared van ride from SFO and then of course just hire a taxi.

What do you recommend?

Thanks much.
Triniflyguy.

but watch for panhandlers...usually not dangerous or anything, just annoying.

Thanks for the valuable information!!

What, may I ask, are panhandlers though? :confused:

they hang out on the streets "begging" for money. many along Market. mostly homeless and.or down-trodden...and mostly harmless. just walk by.

Thanks for the valuable information!!

What, may I ask, are panhandlers though? :confused:

they hang out on the streets "begging" for money. many along Market. mostly homeless and.or down-trodden...and mostly harmless. just walk by.

Thank you. At least I'll know what to expect when I get there.

I'm Looking forward to seeing this city!
The next leg of my MR after this would be SFO-SEA and am staying at the cedar brook lodge. I've heard there is also fantastic.

having traveled all over the US and Europe, AND having been in SF for over 30 years, I find that beggars/panhandlers/homeless people here ARE more aggressive than in other places. And more numerous in the tourist areas. In other cities, there may be more scammers - people selling overpriced miniature Eiffel Towers, or more expert pickpockets - but SF definitely has most places beat for people hanging out on sidewalks asking for money.

As someone who formerly worked in social services in the Tenderloin area , I would say that SF has no idea what to do with the hordes of people who come here with no resources.

having traveled all over the US and Europe, AND having been in SF for over 30 years, I find that beggars/panhandlers/homeless people here ARE more aggressive than in other places. And more numerous in the tourist areas. In other cities, there may be more scammers - people selling overpriced miniature Eiffel Towers, or more expert pickpockets - but SF definitely has most places beat for people hanging out on sidewalks asking for money.

As someone who formerly worked in social services in the Tenderloin area , I would say that SF has no idea what to do with the hordes of people who come here with no resources.

I strongly agree with this. It's important to mention the massive groups of homeless people here because they make a much stronger impression on tourists here than in other cities. They are generally not dangerous, but San Francisco's homeless population tends to be one of the first things people mention to me when they tell me they have recently visited SF.

Every big city has bums on the street begging for money. However, SF is in a league of its own. The bums are more aggressive, ruder and more likely to harass you if you don't give them money than anywhere else in the US.

While we may disagree on the relative status of homeless people in SF don't take that as a license to insult each other. We will have to agree to disagree.

thanks

squeakr
mod SFO

Thanks for the information guys. It's most appreciated.

We have our share of homeless people here in POS, some more prevalent in certain parts of the country. I certainly doubt this will affect my visit to SF but it may help me to continue to appreciate that some problems exist similar to one's hometown, in other cities and countries as well.

The shared vans will drop u off at your hotel no need to take a taxi if u search online u can get discount codes for super shuttle as ling as u book online.

The shared vans will drop u off at your hotel no need to take a taxi if u search online u can get discount codes for super shuttle as ling as u book online.

I haven't used the shared vans in quite a while, but posts here have indicated a rather poor service level these days. Bart is probably the best option for this poster, with a taxi a close second. I wouldn't recommend the shared vans (and Super Shuttle, in particular).

I take super shuttle a lot, used to take south and east bay - but their prices went up and service went down so I switched.

There is a lot of variability due to the driver (but this is true of taxi as well), so it's a personal choice based on value/cost/etc.

I usually travel alone and the shuttles are the cheapest option for me - but from where I live if it was for 2 people a taxi would be about the same cost. SFO taxis charge a 50% surcharge once you exceed a certain distance from the airport if you get the taxi there (at least that's the way it used to be) which you can avoid by called for one to pick you up instead of using the taxi que. Maybe someone who takes taxis can confirm if this is still the case.

I take super shuttle a lot, used to take south and east bay - but their prices went up and service went down so I switched.

There is a lot of variability due to the driver (but this is true of taxi as well), so it's a personal choice based on value/cost/etc.

I usually travel alone and the shuttles are the cheapest option for me - but from where I live if it was for 2 people a taxi would be about the same cost. SFO taxis charge a 50% surcharge once you exceed a certain distance from the airport if you get the taxi there (at least that's the way it used to be) which you can avoid by called for one to pick you up instead of using the taxi que. Maybe someone who takes taxis can confirm if this is still the case.

There is no 50% surcharge into SF, which is where the OP is going.

so has it changed entirely or is it still true for the Peninsula (which is where I live)?

so has it changed entirely or is it still true for the Peninsula (which is where I live)?


For out of town trips exceeding fifteen (15) miles beyond the city limits, the fare will be one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the metered rate; for trips exceeding fifteen (15) miles from San Francisco International Airport and not terminating within the city limits, the fare will be one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the metered rate except for those trips from San Francisco International Airport traversing through San Francisco going to Marin County or to the East Bay, the fifteen (15) mile limit will apply from the city limits of San Francisco as set forth above.