San Francisco public transit from SFO to Nob Hill area?
August 20, 2013 6:13 AM Subscribe
I'm travelling to San Francisco today for a conference. It'll be my first time there, and I'd like to take public transit from the airport to my hotel - the Fairmont, on Mason St. It looks like I can take a train (BART?) from the airport to Powell St., Montgomery St., or Embarcadero, and walk from there. Is it reasonable to ride the train at 7 PM with a largeish rolling carryon bag and a backpack? Which station should I walk from, if I don't mind a bit of a walk but want to avoid overly-sketchy areas?
FYI, San Francisco has pretty reasonably priced (<$20) shared ride vans that take you directly to your destination. They take awhile, but might be worth the peace of mind. Cabbing is another option, but that's closer to $55-60.
Yes, riding BART at that hour will be fine. The airport is one of the first stops, so it won't be very crowded. 7pm is also very early.
I would get off at Montgomery St., walk west on Post towards Union Square, turn right on Powell until you reach California. Those streets are pretty busy (therefore, safe), if I recall correctly.
posted by yaymukund at 6:30 AM on August 20, 2013
Yes, riding BART at that hour will be fine. The airport is one of the first stops, so it won't be very crowded. 7pm is also very early.
I would get off at Montgomery St., walk west on Post towards Union Square, turn right on Powell until you reach California. Those streets are pretty busy (therefore, safe), if I recall correctly.
posted by yaymukund at 6:30 AM on August 20, 2013
I commute on that BART line. People with luggage coming from SFO is totally normal. Take the Power street or Montgomery street exit. Head north rather than west, i.e. Powell or Kearny. The area is fine. There are probably more homeless people on the street than you might be used to because, hey, high tourist area. They won't hassle you.
It's very doable.
posted by blob at 6:31 AM on August 20, 2013
It's very doable.
posted by blob at 6:31 AM on August 20, 2013
Best answer: By the time you do the hokey pokey with your bag, pay for BART and Muni, you can do a SuperShuttle for the same price and you don't have to schlep your bag.
The BART fare is $8.50.
It's $17.00 on SuperShuttle
Frankly, I think it's worth the money. The walk from Market to Powell and Mason is all uphill.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:33 AM on August 20, 2013 [3 favorites]
The BART fare is $8.50.
It's $17.00 on SuperShuttle
Frankly, I think it's worth the money. The walk from Market to Powell and Mason is all uphill.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:33 AM on August 20, 2013 [3 favorites]
It's definitely doable. Taking BART (which is basically the Bay Area's subway system, though much of it is above ground) to Powell will allow you to walk straight up through Union Square, no sketchy bits required. The Montgomery station will take you up through the Financial District, also no sketchy bits. It's worth noting, though, that it's a pretty solid San Francisco uphill trek from either BART station, so you'll want to be prepared for that. The Cable Car will also go straight past your hotel from the Powell st station, but getting large bags on and off it is a pain (the operators are used to it and will probably help you though), and it's ridiculously expensive for such a short ride.
posted by JuliaIglesias at 6:34 AM on August 20, 2013
posted by JuliaIglesias at 6:34 AM on August 20, 2013
Cable car fare is $6. Just walk from BART.
(Muni passes are good on cable cars, but not BART (because it's a different system). If you're going to be using Muni and can get a 7-day pass (or whatever) at SFO (which is theoretically possible), then cable cars are perhaps reasonable.)
posted by hoyland at 6:37 AM on August 20, 2013
(Muni passes are good on cable cars, but not BART (because it's a different system). If you're going to be using Muni and can get a 7-day pass (or whatever) at SFO (which is theoretically possible), then cable cars are perhaps reasonable.)
posted by hoyland at 6:37 AM on August 20, 2013
Oh! The Fairmont, I somehow had the St. Francis in mind. Even stronger recommendation for SuperShuttle.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:38 AM on August 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:38 AM on August 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Yup, ignore my previous advice. I'm nthing Ruthless Bunny's SuperShuttle suggestion.
posted by JuliaIglesias at 6:57 AM on August 20, 2013
posted by JuliaIglesias at 6:57 AM on August 20, 2013
Best answer: This is definitely doable. My only concern is that the Fairmont is at the top of quite a steep hill, and you may not want to pull your luggage all the way up it. Your options are:
- BART to Powell Station, and walk north to the hotel.
- BART to Powell Station, and take the Powell & Mason cable car to the hotel. As JuliaIglesias points out, it might be a hassle getting your luggage on and off the cable car. Also, BART and MUNI are two separate organisations, so there is a separate fare for each.
- BART to Embarcadero Station and take the California Street cable car to the hotel. This is a more roundabout route, but lets you off closer to the front door of the hotel.
- Supershuttle
- Taxi
None of these routes takes you through anything like a sketchy area, but, as always, keep your eyes open.
While you are there, be sure to go next door to the Mark Hopkins and have a drink at the Top of the Mark.
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 7:06 AM on August 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
- BART to Powell Station, and walk north to the hotel.
- BART to Powell Station, and take the Powell & Mason cable car to the hotel. As JuliaIglesias points out, it might be a hassle getting your luggage on and off the cable car. Also, BART and MUNI are two separate organisations, so there is a separate fare for each.
- BART to Embarcadero Station and take the California Street cable car to the hotel. This is a more roundabout route, but lets you off closer to the front door of the hotel.
- Supershuttle
- Taxi
None of these routes takes you through anything like a sketchy area, but, as always, keep your eyes open.
While you are there, be sure to go next door to the Mark Hopkins and have a drink at the Top of the Mark.
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 7:06 AM on August 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
Nob Hill is actually a pretty tall, steep hill. It's not just a walk through a city neighborhood. You see the hill and say to yourself, "damn, that's a pretty big hill." But you will be fine.
Google walking directions says 17 minutes from Powell Street BART to the Fairmont Hotel, but only 10 minutes going downhill in the other direction. That sounds about right.
posted by ryanrs at 7:28 AM on August 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
Google walking directions says 17 minutes from Powell Street BART to the Fairmont Hotel, but only 10 minutes going downhill in the other direction. That sounds about right.
posted by ryanrs at 7:28 AM on August 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
Nob Hill is pretty safe since crime flows downhill. It's too much work to walk to the top of the hill to start trouble.
posted by ryanrs at 7:35 AM on August 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by ryanrs at 7:35 AM on August 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
Given the hill, my recommendation for this question has been to take BART to Montgomery, and a cab from there.
In my experience, Montgomery's the easiest for hailing cabs, and it's a short cab ride, but it saves you the hike up the hill with a bag. It really depends on your appetite for lugging your bag up a hill. As others have said, there are no sketchy areas there.
I personally wouldn't try to walk up Powell St., just because of the crowds of tourists, which I find more challenging to negotiate with a bag than a steep hill. And avoid Stockton as it is nothing but a construction site these days. If you're determined to walk, I'd say walk from Montgomery rather than Powell, but you're fine either way.
If you're attached to the idea of a cable car, get off at Embarcadero and take the California cable car -- it doesn't get nearly the crowds that the Powell St line does.
SuperShuttle is a reasonable alternative. I find it takes longer, but if you're in no hurry and the cost works for you, there's nothing wrong with it.
posted by gingerbeer at 8:19 AM on August 20, 2013
In my experience, Montgomery's the easiest for hailing cabs, and it's a short cab ride, but it saves you the hike up the hill with a bag. It really depends on your appetite for lugging your bag up a hill. As others have said, there are no sketchy areas there.
I personally wouldn't try to walk up Powell St., just because of the crowds of tourists, which I find more challenging to negotiate with a bag than a steep hill. And avoid Stockton as it is nothing but a construction site these days. If you're determined to walk, I'd say walk from Montgomery rather than Powell, but you're fine either way.
If you're attached to the idea of a cable car, get off at Embarcadero and take the California cable car -- it doesn't get nearly the crowds that the Powell St line does.
SuperShuttle is a reasonable alternative. I find it takes longer, but if you're in no hurry and the cost works for you, there's nothing wrong with it.
posted by gingerbeer at 8:19 AM on August 20, 2013
If your plan involves getting a cab up from the BART station, bring your Uber-enabled device. Getting a street-hail cab in San Francisco can be infuriating.
posted by MattD at 8:56 AM on August 20, 2013
posted by MattD at 8:56 AM on August 20, 2013
You can also use TaxiMagic or Uber, to summon a cab quickly to get up the hill from the montgomery station. With Uber it is $65 to downtown if you are sharing with other colleagues. Or take a SuperShuttle or similar for $17. It was $15 for me to get an Uber from the bottom of the hill to the top, and took 2 minutes to get the cab at 5pm. Considering I was carrying a lot of things, it was worth the money for the convenience.
I've walked up the hill in the past, and it was not the most fun thing in the world and is doable if you are OK showing up sweaty and tired. With a large roller bag and backpack, I would definitely say use a cab, shuttle or similar service and save yourself the hassle.
posted by mrzarquon at 9:01 AM on August 20, 2013
I've walked up the hill in the past, and it was not the most fun thing in the world and is doable if you are OK showing up sweaty and tired. With a large roller bag and backpack, I would definitely say use a cab, shuttle or similar service and save yourself the hassle.
posted by mrzarquon at 9:01 AM on August 20, 2013
It's not at all sketchy, but you do not want to pull a suitcase up the hill to the Fairmont. Take BART to Montgomery and get a cab at the Palace Hotel at Market/New Mongomery (the street on the south side of Market between 2nd and 3rd). As far as the Powell cable car goes, the weather is nice in SF these days, so there will likely be hundreds of people in line at the Market St turntable.
posted by rhizome at 10:28 AM on August 20, 2013
posted by rhizome at 10:28 AM on August 20, 2013
Everybody has already given you plenty of solid advice. All good plans here - you can't really go wrong.
But if I were you, I'd take BART, get off at Powell, then walk the hill. It's a big hill, yes, and steep; but if you're going to be in San Francisco you might as well walk a hill or two. The city's famous for these hills, so you might as well walk at least one, just to say you did it.
Unless you're enviably fit you'll be sweating when you get to the top, but there you'll be, you intrepid thing.
Oh, and after getting off at Powell St., don't go west. You'll quickly find yourself in the Tenderloin, which is not so much dangerous as it is off-putting.
posted by Pecinpah at 10:53 AM on August 20, 2013
But if I were you, I'd take BART, get off at Powell, then walk the hill. It's a big hill, yes, and steep; but if you're going to be in San Francisco you might as well walk a hill or two. The city's famous for these hills, so you might as well walk at least one, just to say you did it.
Unless you're enviably fit you'll be sweating when you get to the top, but there you'll be, you intrepid thing.
Oh, and after getting off at Powell St., don't go west. You'll quickly find yourself in the Tenderloin, which is not so much dangerous as it is off-putting.
posted by Pecinpah at 10:53 AM on August 20, 2013
Seconding BART to Montgomery and then a cab to your hotel. It'll work out the same or cheaper than SuperShuttle and might be faster (sometimes SuperShuttle routes passengers strangely and you have to wait for dropoff of people geographically closer to the airport, i.e. the outer Mission.)
Save the cable car for a day you don't have luggage.
posted by blnkfrnk at 11:17 AM on August 20, 2013
Save the cable car for a day you don't have luggage.
posted by blnkfrnk at 11:17 AM on August 20, 2013
Also, compare data from transit.511.org to Google transit. I find that Google's location data is great, but their timing is sometimes unrealistic. They also don't provide Muni alerts for their routes in the directions (so something that should be running according to Google actually doesn't because of some event.)
posted by blnkfrnk at 11:19 AM on August 20, 2013
posted by blnkfrnk at 11:19 AM on August 20, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks for the tips, all! I think I'm going to take SuperShuttle to the hotel, drop off my bags, and then head out for my walk unencumbered. Looking forward to seeing your city.
posted by pocams at 11:39 AM on August 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by pocams at 11:39 AM on August 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
SuperShuttle is just one shared ride van service, but there are others. I've tried a couple of them and they're all pretty much the same, so don't limit yourself unnecessarily.
Anyway, have a safe and fun trip!
posted by yaymukund at 12:14 PM on August 20, 2013
Anyway, have a safe and fun trip!
posted by yaymukund at 12:14 PM on August 20, 2013
I like RB's suggestion about Super Shuttle, although traffic is a bitch so BART might be faster. You could take BART to Powell and then take a cab (or Lyft or Sidecar which is way more reliable). It's technically not that far to your hotel but holy hell, it's a steep hill.
posted by radioamy at 2:44 PM on August 20, 2013
posted by radioamy at 2:44 PM on August 20, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by deanc at 6:25 AM on August 20, 2013 [1 favorite]