Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
12
If your answer is yes, a weekly pass may be economical, but otherwise, the $1.50-
per-ride fare might work out to be cheaper. If the weekly pass's scheduling doesn't
suit you, consider a Visitor Passport, which is good starting on whichever day you
want it to start, but costs slightly more: 1-day passes are $11, 3 days are $18, and
a week is $24. Here again, I find that simply paying $1.50 per ride works out
cheaper considering the pace of most tourists. You can also secure an unlimited
weeklong pass that starts whenever you want by buying a CityPass (p. 98), which
you then simply wave at the bus driver (or cable-car conductor) for admission.
(They rarely check the actual validity date.)
The most convenient places to buy Muni passes include the booth at Market
and Powell streets (very crowded), as well as the Customer Service Center at 11
South Van Ness, at Market. There are also Muni booths at Hyde and Beach streets
and Bay and Taylor streets, both around Fisherman's Wharf. You can also buy
passes at the Muni information booths at the baggage claim areas at SFO (open
8am-8pm).
Between 1am and 5am, the regular bus service ceases and, instead, an inter-
mittent and limited “Owl” service is run. Before starting any late night, know the
schedule so that you don't end up stranded at a bus stop in the dark.
STREETCARS
Although San Francisco's street-level rail system dates to after the Civil War, most
of the modern lines use stations and facilities that date only to the mid-1970s, as
well as comfortable carriages built in the past few years. The streetcars are of lim-
ited usefulness to most visitors, because downtown, where tourists are most likely
to be, all the lines follow the same route: Market Street. Five of the six streetcar
lines stop underground in the same stations that BART does along Market Street,
and BART's price between the same stations is the same as Muni's, which means
that for short jaunts along Market (say, Civic Center to Embarcadero), it's irrele-
vant, price-wise, whether you choose Muni or BART. Streetcars, which run every
few minutes, all cost the same per ride ($1.50); maps are available from the Muni
site and info office (see the “City Buses” section, earlier).
West of the Civic Center stop, the streetcars fan out and travel different routes,
coming up from underground, and head to various residential neighborhoods.
Besides the F line, only the N line goes to places noted for tourist attractions; it's
useful for reaching the southern reaches of Golden Gate Park and the San
Francisco Zoo, as well as AT&T Park, south of the Bay Bridge landing.
There is one streetcar route, though, that you shouldn't miss: the F line. No,
that's not something dirty; it's a fleet of streetcars from around the world, lovingly
restored, that now run down Market Street to the Castro and around the
Embarcadero to Fisherman's Wharf (p. 110). This successful transit experiment is
also the only tram line to venture north of Market Street, which it does above-
ground the entire way, ensuring views.
Most of the F-line carriages carry a sign that describes where the car originally
ran, as well as its year of vintage. Some of them—such as the Italian ones, which
have wooden benches—are incredibly noisy as they rumble along, so finish up
your cellphone calls before boarding. If the whole concept of the refurbishment of
this rolling stock interests you, don't miss the excellent mini-museum devoted to
the project; it's located across the Embarcadero from the Ferry Building.
