SFO Airtrain
 

Yesterday (Tuesday) the Red line Airtrain at San Francisco airport (clockwise full circle) was operating an amended service. It started at garage 'G', calling at all stations as usual until terminal 1. It then reversed, running 'wrong direction' non-stop back to garage 'G', (much to the alarm of some of the passengers, despite there being a train attendant on board who made frequent announcements). Passengers for International 'A' were advised to alight at 'G' and walk across the departure floor.

Please follow the discussion in our Travel->San Francisco forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, United and TravelBuzz.

What drives me crazy is the single-train service I frequently see late night. I like to park in the G garage and take the clockwise train to terminal 3. Upon my return, I take the counter-clockwise train two stops and get off at G (before the rental car excursion). When they run the single train, as I've had happen 3 times now at 1am when I really just want to get home, they run the clockwise train only - meaning I have to go to all the terminals then all the way to the rental car center and back before getting to G. I usually get pissed off and make the long walk with my suitcase, laptop, and rather heavy tool bag instead.

I never take the AirTrain no matter where I'm going. I suppose I would take it if I were going to the rental center but pretty much everything at SFO is accessible with a 10 minute walk, so I see no need to take the train.

The walk from T3 to international landside, then up, over, down, onward to G garage, then up again does get a little tiresome when carrying heavy tools. If it were just a rolling suitcase, I might agree - but I don't travel as a man of leisure. I find it far easier to park in G8 and slip right into the station. If I wanted that sort of hassle I'd park in long-term.

Very good points. I personally find it remarkable that the AirTrain tracks stop just a few hundred feet short of the long-term garage. Of course, given how the rest of SF doesn't seem to function, this is really no surprise.

That originally wasn't supposed to be the long term garage, no? Personally, I'd probably never ride the Airtrain unless for some reason I had to go to the rental lot.