Getting Around San Francisco: Transport Apps & Your First 48 Hours
San Francisco is compact, walkable, and well connected — BART runs straight from the airport downtown, and you can pay for almost everything by tapping a bank card. Here's what actually works.
The best default: BART, Muni, and your own two feet
The city is small enough to walk a lot of it. For longer trips, BART (regional rail) and Muni (the city's metro, buses and historic streetcars) cover the ground, and the cable cars handle the steepest, most scenic routes.
Just tap your bank card
You don't need to buy a ticket. Tap a contactless Visa, Mastercard, Amex or Discover — or Apple/ Google Pay — directly on BART, Muni and the cable cars. A Clipper card (also in your phone's wallet) works too if you'd rather have one transit card.
Getting in from SFO
BART runs from SFO's International Terminal to downtown in about 30 minutes for roughly $11.15 — tap your card at the gate and go. A taxi or rideshare runs $45–60 and is slower in traffic.
Apps you can reuse
- Google Maps / Transit — reliable BART, Muni and cable-car routing
- Uber / Lyft — everywhere here (it's their home city) for hills and late nights
Arrived launches soon. Get the right transport setup the moment you land.
Join the waitlistYour first 48 hours
- From SFO, take BART downtown (~30 min, ~$11.15), tapping a contactless card at the gate.
- Use the same bank card on Muni and the cable cars — no separate ticket needed.
- Keep Google Maps or Transit for routing, and walk the compact neighbourhoods.
- Save Uber or Lyft for the hills and late nights.
Do those four things and San Francisco's transport is sorted from the moment you land.
Frequently asked questions
- Which transport app is best in San Francisco?
- Google Maps and the Transit app both cover BART, Muni and the cable cars well. For rides, Uber and Lyft (both founded here) are everywhere. You don't strictly need a ticketing app, since you can tap a contactless bank card on most transit.
- Do I need a Clipper card in San Francisco?
- Not necessarily — you can tap a contactless Visa, Mastercard, Amex or Discover card (or Apple/Google Pay) directly on BART, Muni and the cable cars. A Clipper card (also available in your phone's wallet) is handy if you want one card for everything, but a bank card works.
- How do I get from SFO to downtown San Francisco?
- Take BART. It runs directly from SFO's International Terminal to downtown in about 30 minutes for roughly $11.15. Just tap a contactless card or Clipper at the gate. A taxi or rideshare is $45–60 and slower in traffic.
- Can I tap my bank card on BART and Muni?
- Yes — both BART and Muni accept contactless bank cards and mobile wallets at the gates and readers, charged the standard fare. It's the simplest option for visitors; no need to buy a separate ticket or card.
- How do I ride the San Francisco cable cars?
- The historic cable cars take Clipper and contactless payment as well as cash. They're as much an attraction as transport, so expect lines at the turnarounds — but riding one is worth doing at least once.
- Is San Francisco walkable?
- Very — the city is compact (about seven miles across) and many neighbourhoods are best on foot, hills aside. Use BART and Muni for longer hops and rideshare for the steep or late-night trips.
- Which ride-hailing app works in San Francisco?
- Uber and Lyft both operate heavily here — this is their home city. They're convenient for hills, nights and trips off the transit lines, though BART and Muni usually win on cost for the routes they cover.