Option 1: VTA 60 Airport Flyer Bus / BART Green Line Train
- Travel time: 2 hours
- The fastest way to get from San Jose Airport to downtown San Francisco involves takingVTA route 60 (Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority) from the Airport towards Milpitas Station. You can pick up the VTA Route 60 Bus from their dedicated entrances at each terminal:
- Terminal A: Stop 7
- Terminal B: Stops 5 & 6
- At Milpitas Station catchBART**** – San Francisco Bay Area’s rapid transit (subway) system. From here, catch BART’s Green Line and continue to downtown San Francisco. Get off at Powell St., Montgomery St., or Embarcadero Stations downtown.
- Consider purchasingClipper Card, the Bay Area’s integrated fare card to the city.
- Fare for VTA is $2.50. Fare for BART is $9.50.
- Cheapest
Option 2: VTA 60 Airport Flyer Bus / Caltrain
- Travel time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- The fastest way to get from San Jose Airport to downtown San Francisco involves takingVTA route 60 (Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority) from the Airport to (towards Winchester Transit Center) Santa Clara Station. You can pick up the VTA Route 60 Bus from their dedicated entrances at each terminal:
- Terminal A: Stop 7
- Terminal B: Stops 5 & 6
- At Santa Clara Station catchCaltrain (commuter rail) northbound to San Francisco 4th and King Street Station. CatchMuni (metro system) to reach your final destination in downtown San Francisco. Or walk the final portion.
- Note: Caltrain offers Express train service but not from Santa Clara. Backtrack to San Jose Diridon Station (downtown San Jose) or forward Sunnyvale Station to ride express.
- Consider purchasingClipper Card, the Bay Area’s integrated fare card to the city.
- Fare for VTA is $2.50. Fare for Caltrain is $10.50. Fare for Muni is $3.00.
Option 3: Shuttle Bus
- San Jose Airport offers a number of shuttles but not all will head to downtown San Francisco. Call ahead and check. Learn more here.
Option 4: Taxi / Rideshare
- Travel time: 45-90 minutes
- Undoubtedly, the most expensive option from our list but the most private. In addition to taxis, Uber and Lyft offer private rideshare services from the airport. Expect to pay at least $60-120 for a ride. Be aware of surge pricing and heavy traffic crossing the Bay Bridge or heading up the San Francisco Peninsula.