Originally Posted by
fwoomp
Just found this thread, don't know if it still matters, but…you can take public transit from the airport to SF, and get within spitting distance of the Embarcadero. You want a Samtrans bus (if you arrive early enough) 292 or (later) 397.
I've never taken either of these into the city (although I used to take the 292 to the airport within San Mateo County) so I can't speak to safety and whatnot. These are commuter buses for airport/airline employees, so you'll be riding with a lot of them at the start, but I don't know what the clientele is like along the whole route.
I wouldn't be worried about the clientele along the route, but I would be worried about what to do when you get to Embarcardero. You'll probably be safe on the bus, but in the city from 1am 'til dawn? Nobody around except junkies. SF has a massive homeless problem, and in the wee hours of the morning there's nobody around except homeless people who are, for whatever reason, not sleeping. Nothing is open except Denny's, and you can't eat five hours' worth of pancakes (I've tried).
If I were you, I'd definitely just spring for an airport hotel room (split three ways, it's not that much, surely?). But failing that, I'd shelter at the airport and not go to the city 'til the sun comes up.