Agreed. Airtrain seems to take just as long (with waiting for the next tram and the long walk from the garage elevator), and the people watching during you rbrisk stroll is much better.

A couple of notes if you haven't been to SFO in a while:

1. As of last year, there is finally a skybridge connecting terminal 1 (NW domestic, DL, CO, AS, among others) to the terminal 1 Airtrain stop: no longer a need to make the mad dash through the parking garage or the long walk through the International terminal.

2. As of 1/2008, BART has once again reconfigured peninsula service. In this chapter of the BART vs San Mateo County saga, BART has eliminated the direct connection between SFO and Millbrae; instead, trains run either between downtown SF and SFO or between downtown SF and Millbrae. If you want to get from SFO to the Millbrae Intermodal Station (including Caltrain), you now have to take any BART train north to San Bruno, the first stop, then transfer across the platform to a southbound Millbrae train, again one stop. It's not a huge deal but it does add some time and unnecessary confusion.

We always walk to Terminal 1. It's a nice walk to see the International concourse, then go downstairs. If there's time we stop at Ebisu for some sushi, beer, and miso soup.

I've always disliked the airtrain at SFO, although having the new skybridge at Term 1 has made it somewhat more user friendly.