So, does the parking authority give you a voucher for short term parking when checking in at long term?

Doesn't sound its that much of an inconvenience to then access the short term parking..

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Yes, it's a ticket that overrides the rate to the LT rate.

Thanks.. Its good to know SFO takes care of their customers..

I've had good experiences flying in and out of SFO.. but not as a local, needing to rent a parking spot.. usually just drop off the rental before catching the flight..

Just how bad has ParkSFO been? (i.e., people refused because the lot is so full they won't even valet.) I have a free week coupon I want to use next week, but disaster will strike if I end up in a last minute rush for parking at any price.

I've never had that. You might call them and find out how often it is and if there are certain days of the week it tends to happen. I parked on Friday, Sept. 30 and had the all-valet thing going. I see WineCountry posted they were completely soldout the following day.

On Wednesday, Oct. 12 at midnight, when I returned from a trip, they were fine - you could park anywhere - but WineCountry posted they were soldout the following morning by 8 am.

They were valeting on Sunday, Oct. 9 and Sunday, Oct. 2.

Yes. There will be signs indicating that the lt lot is full. You will then exit the lt lot, where someone will hand you a special voucher to use at the short term lot. When you leave the short term lot, you hand the voucher and your short term ticket to the cashier, and you will get the long term rates. The only inconvenience is the extra time to/from the long term lot on departure day, but a great time saver on return.

I'm surprised with the extra journey required.. some airport parking lots will stream you directly to short term if the lt parking lot is full..

Perhaps a design oversight..

I agree. It would be great if there were a sign on 101 before exiting at San Bruno directing people to the short term lot at SFO.

Another design issue I've pondered is why the Air Train system was cut off at the car rental facility rather than continuing to the long term parking lot. I'm sure there was a reason, but I haven't figured it out.

This one boggles the mind. If they had extended the AirTran a few hundred feet, they could have created an exit at the long term lot and gotten rid of all the blue long-term parking buses. Or was that simply too rational?

The multi-story long term lot wasn't originally supposed to be a long term public parking lot.

So building the tram extension after the fact, would have been too expensive you're saying..

What was the parking lot meant for in the first place?

Whether or not it was intended as a long term lot, it is now one. Even if it is extended after the fact, it would seem that the cost, when spread over several years, would be recouped from the cost savings from fuel, maintenance, and drivers' payroll.

But that would simply be lowering the rates for people who were willing to pay for short-term during that time. By making you go to LT and then get redirected to ST, they can recoup the higher rates from those who weren't originally interested in ST.


The train still uses fuel (electricity) and needs maintenance. Drivers' payroll is probably the only line item that can be eliminated, and it's not clear that that overall there would be a net savings.

Plus with a fast and frequent train, there would likely be revenue erosion on the daily or ST lots.

Sorry.. I missed how the costs can be recouped from the cost of savings from fuel, maintenance and driver's payroll.. being a LT lot

I get the part where rates would be lower for long term compared to short term.. ST has higher turnover, so probably less parking space time occupied..

But OP, said that going through long term, you get a voucher for long term rates in the short term parking lot.. I'm not too sure that a bait and switch is happening, resulting in higher revenue..

It's not. I was replying to a poster who said just put a sign up on 101 and let people go straight to ST when they're full.

That would erode the ST revenue since people who were interested in parking and paying for ST would be charged the lower LT price. The ticket system they use now only provides the discount to those interested in parking LT.