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| | San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is 15 mi. south of downtown. It is busy but well organized and relatively easy to navigate. (General information 650-821-8211.) To arrange transportation into the city from the airport call SFO Travelers Aid (650-821-2735.) Amtrak has service to the BART station at Richmond where you can catch the Bay Area’s subway system into the city. Beware though, BART service within the city is limited and may not put you where you want to be in San Francisco. |
San Francisco is California’s only city with an extensive and widely useful public transportation system. The San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI) includes busses, subway cars, streetcars, and the city’s famous cable cars. Single-ride fares are $1.50. (Info: 510-464-7700.) The Bay Area Rapid Transit System (BART) is the area's speedy inter-city transportation system. Fast and clean, BART’s only disadvantage is that it has limited service within San Francisco. It is, however, perfect for getting to Oakland or Berkeley. Single rides $1.50. To Berkeley $3.50.
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| The San Francisco Chronicle is the city’s daily newspaper, featuring local, national and international news, as well as reviews of events in the city. Generally quite good, the paper was recently criticised by some for sending its correspondents to cover the Burning Man festival rather than Hurricane Katrina. The SF Weekly is San Francisco's alternative news weekly, analogous to the Villiage Voice or the LA Weekly. It features award-winning investigative news along with reviews of films, music, and other goings-on about town. |
| The 415 area code covers all of San Francisco county as well as most of Marin county over the Golden Gate Bridge to the north and part of San Mateo county to the south. The 510 area code covers the East Bay area including Berkeley and Oakland. Pay phones can be found along Market Street as well as in other commercial centers around the city. Nearly all hotels and hostels have phone service. Cheap international calling cards can be found in the Mission district. |
Most public library branches have computers with internet access as well as wireless networks. Try their main library (100 Larking St. at Grove, Ph: 557-4400), the Chinatown branch (1135 Powell St. near Jackson), or the North Beach branch (2000 Mason St. at Columbus). Many San Francisco hotels and hostels have free internet access, including the incredible Green Tortoise Guest House (494 Broadway Ave. Ph: 834-1000) which has a hostel-wide wireless internet network. Cafe Sapore (790 Lombard St. Ph: 474-1222), between North Beach and Fisherman’s Wharf at the bottom of the famously crooked Lombard Street, is a classy cafe with a wireless network that you can use if you purchase a coffee or one of their quiches, focaccia sandwiches or pastries.
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| There is a post office on 1355 Market St. (Ph: 800-275-8777 or 931-1053). The postal code is 94102. |
| If you need a meal as well as a change of clothes try Brainwash (1122 Folsom St. Ph: 255-4866. Open M-Th 7am-11pm F, Sa 7am-midnight, Su 8am-11pm). This laundromat also has a cafe with breakfast, salads, burgers and other entrees ($4-9). Wash $2-4 per load depending on size, dry $.25 per minute. |
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