How to Get from San Francisco International Airport to Nob Hill

You can travel from SFO toward Nob Hill by BART, taxi, rideshare, or rental car. For a rail start, take BART to Powell Street; for a direct vehicle pickup, follow the airport’s designated taxi or app-based pickup instructions.

The BART station is in the International Terminal on Level 3. If you arrive at another terminal, take the free SFO AirTrain to reach it. Powell Street is served by the Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason cable cars as well as San Francisco Muni routes, offering connections across the city.

Taxis and rideshares have assigned pickup locations rather than a single shared curbside area. Check the pickup instructions for your service and terminal before heading outside.

From SFO, take a northbound Yellow Line train toward Antioch or a Red Line train toward Richmond to reach downtown San Francisco BART stations, including Powell Street. The ride from the airport to downtown takes about 30 minutes.

At Powell Street, the station is at 899 Market Street, at Powell and Market Streets. For a broader view of getting around San Francisco by public transport, consider how the city’s transit options fit your onward plans.

BART accepts contactless bank cards, Google Pay, and Apple Pay at its fare gates. Each rider age five or older needs an individual card or device, and you must use the same payment method to enter and exit. Clipper cards are also sold at machines at the SFO station and are accepted on BART and Muni.

BART stations have elevators and extra-wide fare gates. At Powell Street, reaching train level from the street requires two elevators: one at Ellis and Market Streets and another for the platform.

Taxis pick up at designated center-island zones on the Arrivals/Baggage Claim Level of every SFO terminal. Uniformed taxi coordinators are stationed at the taxi zones from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.. Fares are metered, and San Francisco taxi fares for trips originating at SFO include a $6.00 exit surcharge.

You can request a wheelchair-accessible taxi from a coordinator or by calling *1107 from an airport courtesy phone. Lyft and Uber pickups at domestic terminals are on Level 5 of the Domestic Garage; their International Terminal pickup is at the Departures/Ticketing Level center-island zones 12–17. Wingz uses separate pickup points, including the Arrivals Level at domestic terminals.

The Rental Car Center is accessible by the AirTrain Blue Line. If someone is driving to collect you, SFO’s Cell Phone Waiting Lot allows drivers to wait for arriving passengers for up to one hour. Terminal curbsides are for active pickup and drop-off only; vehicles cannot wait there or on airport roadways.

Before leaving the terminal, confirm your pickup point or transit connection and check for service changes. BART’s airport service begins at different times on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and trains run until midnight. Use BART’s Trip Planner for specific departures and planned delays.

The Nob Hill neighborhood guide can help you place the area in your San Francisco plans.

Before you go: Service hours and pickup arrangements can change, so check the official SFO and BART sites before you go.

Where is the BART station at SFO?

The SFO BART station is on Level 3 of the International Terminal. Use the free SFO AirTrain to reach it from other terminals.

Which BART trains go from SFO to downtown San Francisco?

Take a northbound Yellow Line train toward Antioch or a Red Line train toward Richmond. Both serve downtown stations, including Powell Street.

Where do taxis pick up at SFO?

Taxis use designated center-island zones on the Arrivals/Baggage Claim Level of all terminals. Uniformed taxi coordinators are stationed at those zones during staffed hours.

Can you pay for BART with a contactless card?

Yes. BART fare gates accept contactless bank cards, Google Pay, and Apple Pay. Use the same card or device to enter and exit, and each rider age five or older needs their own payment method.