By plane
There are three major airports in the San Francisco Bay Area: San Francisco International IATA: SFO, located about 10 miles south of the city is the largest, a major international airport with numerous passenger amenities; Oakland International IATA: OAK, in the East Bay) is smaller and serves destinations in the U.S. and Mexico; and Mineta San Jose International IATA: SJC, in Silicon Valley) serves the U.S. and only a few international flights to Mexico. All are served by discount airlines such as Southwest, though OAK and SJC tend to have more low-cost flights than SFO. All three airports may be reached by inexpensive public transit SFO and OAK are both served by the regional BART system, though OAK requires a separate shuttle bus ride, though SJC is the most inconvenient to San Francisco SJC is served by San Jose's VTA Light Rail and the regional Caltrain line. Private pilots should consider Oakland ICAO: KOAK rather than SFO, as the separate general aviation field there is more accommodating to light aircraft.
By train
Amtrak, +1 800 872-7245, (http://www.amtrak.com) serves the Bay Area with long-distance and intercity trains. Two long distance trains, the California Zephyr (http://www.amtrak.com/ser...) to Chicago and the Coast Starlight (http://www.amtrak.com/ser...) between Seattle and Los Angeles, serve the Bay Area with stations in Martinez and Emeryville, with the Coast Starlight also stopping at Oakland's Jack London Square Station and San Jose. From Emeryville, passengers may take an Amtrak California (http://www.amtrakcaliforn...) Thruway bus over the Bay Bridge to San Francisco's Amtrak stop at 101 The Embarcadero near the Ferry Building and usually several other downtown destinations note that Amtrak passengers are not subjected to any extra charge for the bus.
Two shorter distance Amtrak routes also serve the Bay Area: The Capitol Corridor (http://www.capitolcorrido...) runs 16 times daily 11 on weekends and holidays between Sacramento and Emeryville, with some trains also serving San Jose, with connections to Caltrain in San Jose, Amtrak bus at Emeryville, and BART at Richmond or the Oakland Coliseum station. Additionally, the San Joaquins (http://www.amtrak.com/ser...) runs 4 times daily between Bakersfield, Stockton and Emeryville. Travelers on the San Joaquins can connect to Amtrak bus at Emeryville or the BART at the Richmond station. For both trains, discount BART tickets can be purchased in the cafe car.
By car
From the east, the entrance to the Bay Area is superhighway Interstate 80, which wends its way all the way from New York several thousand miles to pass through Lake Tahoe and Sacramento and end up in San Francisco.
From the south, the lovely Highway 101 runs from Southern California through the Central Coast to Silicon Valley and up the Peninsula to San Francisco. Some people prefer Highway 5, which travels more directly through the San Joaquin Valley to highway 580 and then into the Bay Area through the East Bay.
From the North Coast or the Pacific Northwest, the story is similar. Coastal highway 101 is more scenic, while highway 5 is efficient but somewhat boring. Interstate 5 intersects interstate 80 in Sacramento, however, when coming from the north, Interstate 505 can be used to bypass Sacramento and get to the Bay Area quicker.
Parking rates in San Francisco can go up to around $30. You can park at BART parking lots:For example:Park in Colma parking garage $2 all day, free weekends and round trip BART from Colma to Moscone Center wouldcost $6.50 for one person, so two people could park and train for $15 as opposed to $25 for all day parking at the center.