SFO to downtown on Bart?
 

Checking out the Bart web site, this looks pretty easy. About 15 minutes to downtown or am I incorrectly reading the schedule? Which stop(s) would I take if I wanted to visit Fisherman's Wharf and/or Chinatown.

Thanks in advance,

More like 30 minutes if you time it right and don't have to buy a ticket. I'd say Embarcadero for Fisherman's Wharf and Montgomery or Powell for Chinatown.

Thanks Rob. Thinking about taking the kids for a mileage run. :D Might be fun to take the early flight in from Jfk and spend a few hours in the city before heading back.

For 3 on BART with the fare increase (and you can't get discount kids tickets at the station, same day), you might want to consider a taxi for at least 1 direction. It will cost $8.10 per person, each way.

If feeling adventurous, the SamTrans kX bus is much faster and cheaper than BART. $4.50 o/w IIRC. Takes twenty minutes from mid-Market to SFO Int'l terminal. Haven't taken it from the airport though...

Just to clarify, BART is 8.10 per person each way ;) Taxi can also be good since it'll drop you off directly at Chinatown or Fisherman's wharf - both are a fair walk away from BART, or another $2 per person (possibly each way) on Muni. Other fun places to go include the Ferry Building, Cable Car Museum, and California Academy of Sciences.

Also, watch out on the KX bus if you've got anything other than small carry-on luggage.

Any good reason for the insanely high cost to go SFO-SF?

I just took a friend out there by car who kept remarking on the BART charges for a short trip.

BART's been having financial trouble and they're trying to make up some of the budget shortfall by soaking people going to SFO on the assumption that lots of them are single or double trip people that won't care (or know a better way to get into the city) about paying an extra $10 round trip.

No matter the cost, the kids will love riding the BART. My wife and are are in our 60's and we still get a big kick out of it even though it takes us longer to go from SFO to Walnut Creek by BART than it does to fly from SAN to SFO. I wasn't aware of the fare increase, but I wouldn't travel any other way in the Bay Area if BART is an option.

Depending on how much time you have, I'd suggest BART one way to Powell St., Walk up Grant Ave. through Chinatown (the southern entrance to Chinatown isn't more than 10 minutes from BART) all the way over through North Beach and down to the Wharf, and then take a taxi back.

BART raised the airport access fee from $1.50 to $4 each trip. They also moved a scheduled 10% fare increase for January, 2010, up to this past summer. It's costing me $29RT now each time I use local express bus to Walnut Creek, and then BART to SFO (BART portion is $20). Still cheaper than parking off airport for a week.

Tom in Hong Kong

Looks as though, from this thread, that the cheapest way to get downtown is on the SamTrans bus.

Any other options? I'd really probably rather take BART, but $8.10? I'm going to SF not Sacramento. :D

tho samtrans is cheaper $$$ wise, there is the freeway factor which even on a good day can be a cr*pshoot. i always take bart to/from sfo as it's 31 minutes from montgomery street to the international terminal with "no traffic on the freeway ;) (and with the bay bridge being phuglied (i.e. closed), bart may be the quickest way to go

1. BART is crazy busy right now while the bay bridge is closed. Now almost all this additional traffic is to the east bay so it doesnt directly affect downtown SF-SFO, but the stations are going to be much more crowded.
2. BART is a lot easier when traveling with more than just a rollboard than the bus (IMO)

Indeed, Bart is just insane right now. If the Bay Bridge is closed much longer, the KX bus is going to look better and better. 101 within SF can be a pain due to Bay Bridge traffic, but it's now like having your own personal freeway with the Bay Bridge closed. I'd go for that if it works out timing and luggage wise.