Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
29
Value
Easy Riding: Ways to Save on
P
ublic Transportation
Muni passports can be a bargain for visitors who plan to take buses, streetcars,
or cable cars often. A 1-day passport is $11; a 3-day passport is $18; and a 7-day
passport is $24. (U sing the passpor t for the CultureBus requires an additional
$3). Kid and senior passpor ts don't exist, but Muni sells monthly y outh (5-17
years old) and senior (65+) passes for $10. Passports and $3 Muni maps (a nec-
essary it em) can be pur chased at the Visitor I nformation C enter on Hallidie
Plaza; at Tix Ba y Ar ea on Union S quare; at the baggage lev el inf ormation
booths at SFO; at the cable car ticket booths at Powell and Market streets, Hyde
and Beach str eets, and Ba y and Taylor str eets; and at sev eral drugst ores
throughout the city. Passes and passports can be found at the cable car ticket
booths at Powell and Market or Beach and H yde streets. Single-day passports
are available on boar d the cable cars as w ell. For other outlets , check Muni 's
website at
www.sfmuni.com
.
Dedicated tourists should consider investing in
Citypass,
which includes a
7-day Muni passport and tickets to several attractions—all at a significant dis-
count. You'll get admission to the California Academy of Sciences, a Blue & Gold
Bay Cruise, Aquarium by the Ba y, the San F rancisco Museum of M odern Ar t,
and the Exploratorium. Instead of the Exploratorium, you can opt to visit the de
Young Museum or the L egion of Honor (or both, if y ou see them on the same
day). If you can manage t o visit all of the abo ve, the Cit ypass price of $59 f or
adults and $44 for kids age 5 to 17 is very attractive. They can be purchased at
the participating attractions, at the Visitor Information Center at Halladie Plaza,
or online at
www.citypass.com
.
2
The F-M arket line was star ted up in
2000 and equipped with a collection of
carefully r estored vintage str eetcars fr om
around the U nited S tates and E urope.
These charming old-timers r un fr om the
Castro all the way along M arket Street to
the Embarcadero and F isherman's Wharf.
A popular method to r each the F erry
building and the piers, these cars ar e
packed during summer and on w eekends.
Muni buses, many of which ar e con-
nected to an o verhead electrical system,
run fr om 6am until midnight. B us stops
are indicated b y str eet corner signs and
yellow bands painted on utility poles and
curbs. Muni has 80 lines, so you can prob-
ably get to wher e y ou'd like to go . . .
eventually. This isn't exactly rapid transit.
Fares on buses and str eetcars are $1.50
for adults and 50¢ for childr en 5 to 17,
seniors 65 and o ver, and disabled individ-
uals. Kids under 5 ride fr ee. Exact change
is required. When you enter the front door
and drop your fare into the far e box, the
driver will hand you a paper transfer, valid
for up to 90 minutes of rides in any direc-
tion. Turnstiles inside the undergr ound
Muni stations accept only coins; change
machines are located on the walls next to
the BAR T ticket dispensers.
Note:
F ares
are higher for cable cars, the C ultureBus
(p. 177) and travel to Monster Park.
There is no simple way to handle stroll-
ers on either buses or str eetcars, although,
with the ex ception of the F-M arket cars,
streetcars ar e mor e spacious. I f y ou ar e
