San Francisco has four separate ways to move around, and visitors routinely buy the wrong one. Here is what each is actually for.
How do the options compare?
| Mode | Cost | Where it goes | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muni bus and Metro | About $2.85; free 18 and under | The whole city | Almost every trip |
| BART | Distance-based; about $11 to SFO | Market St, the Mission, the airport, East Bay | The airport and fast downtown hops |
| Cable car | $9 a ride | Three routes over Nob and Russian Hill | One memorable ride |
| F-line streetcar | Normal Muni fare | Castro to Fisherman’s Wharf | The waterfront, with a stroller |
| Ferry | Varies by route | Sausalito, Tiburon, Oakland, Alameda | A half-day trip on the bay |
| Bay Wheels bikes | About $1 to unlock plus per minute | Flat neighborhoods and the waterfront | Short hops where the hills allow |
Which pass should you buy?
If you are making three or more Muni trips in a day, the day pass at about $5.70 pays for itself. If two of those trips are cable cars, the Visitor Passport at about fifteen dollars is the better deal, because it is the only pass that includes them. If you are here with children, remember that their rides are already free.
What about the hills?
They decide more than the map suggests. The Powell-Hyde cable car, the 22-Fillmore and the N-Judah all exist because walking those routes is genuinely hard. If you are pushing a stroller, favour the flat corridors: the Embarcadero, Crissy Field, the Marina and the Mission.
Prices and hours were checked in September 2026 and can change, so confirm before you go.
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What is the difference between Muni and BART?
Muni is the city system: buses, light rail, historic streetcars and cable cars, one flat fare, and it goes everywhere in San Francisco. BART is the regional rail network with only a handful of stations inside the city, all on Market Street and in the Mission, plus a direct line to the airport. Locals use both, usually in the same week.
Do children ride free in San Francisco?
On Muni, yes: everyone 18 and under rides free, with no income test, residency requirement or application. Cable cars are the exception, where riders aged 5 to 18 need a free pass from SFMTA. On BART, children 5 to 18 pay half fare with a Youth Clipper card and under-fives ride free.
Is BART or Uber better from SFO?
BART is about eleven dollars a person and thirty minutes to downtown, with no traffic risk. A rideshare is typically thirty-five to sixty-five dollars and can take longer at rush hour. With small children in car seats, the rideshare may still win, since California car seat law applies to Uber and Lyft with no exemption.
Is the cable car public transport or a tourist ride?
Both, but price it as an attraction. Nine dollars a ride with no transfers is a lot for a short hop, and the queue at Powell and Market can be long. The California Street line is the one locals still use, and the F-line streetcar gives you similar charm at the normal fare.
How do you pay for transit in San Francisco?
Tap a Clipper card or a contactless bank card or phone at the gate or farebox. Paper tickets are gone on BART, and cash on Muni costs slightly more than tapping.