How to Get Around San Francisco on the Cheap

San Francisco's lively neighborhoods, excellent food and wine, vibrant fine arts scene and famous tourist attractions make it a popular destination. Fortunately, getting around the city on the cheap is fairly easy, and there are lots of transportation options.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Jackets
• Money Belts
• Walking Shoes
• Maps
• Travel Guides
• Travel Services
• Maps
• Jackets

1. Leave the car at home, or park it at your hotel. Parking is expensive and hard to find in San Francisco, and you will probably find it easier and more affordable to depend on public transit.

2. Get a good guidebook, preferably one with lots of transportation information and point-to-point transit details.

3. Walk! The hills of San Francisco can be challenging, but the city is still lots of fun on foot.

4. Use the "Muni" (San Francisco Municipal Railway) system. In spite of its name, this includes buses and streetcars. Consider getting a Muni Passport, which will get you around more cheaply than individual tickets. These are available in one-, three- and seven-day options.

5. Hop onto a cable car. This may not be the cheapest option of all, but it can be lots of fun, and you will see some excellent views.

6. Ride the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system. This is the subway connecting San Francisco to Oakland, Berkeley and other cities and suburbs.

7. Ride a bike if you don't mind climbing the steep hills; there are bike racks on some Muni routes. Remember that the Bay Area offers fabulous trail rides for mountain bikers ' some of the routes are even fairly flat.

Tips & Warnings

• San Francisco can get cool and windy, even in the summertime, so bring a light jacket (preferably one that you can stuff into a day pack) and dress in layers if possible.
• With a Muni passport, you will also receive discounts at many local attractions.
• If you do decide to drive and park in San Francisco, don't forget to curb your wheels when you park on a hill.

on 3/21/2006 A new public transportation map just came out called PocketBay. It is the only map of San Francisco and its public transportation that fits in a wallet. It covers all the main areas down to Noe Valley, the main roads, and comprehensive detail on the city's public transit including MUNI, BART, and CalTrain.