CZ: Best stop in SF?

[crescent2]

Hi again,

Round two of questions:

Older female, possibly two of us, taking CZ from Denver to Emeryville and SF next spring or summer. After getting off in Emeryville, I guess we would take the Amtrak bus to SF? Which stop is safest and most convenient for taxis in SF? I have read in another post to avoid the Ferry Bldg. in favor of the stop at the Hyatt Regency, for that poster's question. I've only spent one night in SF (flew in and out) several years ago and am not familiar at all with the area. After spending a night or maybe two in the SF area, I/we would like to take the Coast Starlight south.

Any suggestions for safe hotels for me/us? Hotel would need to be convenient to get to by taxi after leaving the CZ, and convenient for taxi or other easy transportation to catch the southbound CS a couple of days later.

Any other tips are also very welcomed. Thanks!

 

[JoeSF]

The stop at the Hyatt is definitely better in terms of access to taxis (right in fron of a major hotel), also BART/Muni Metro Embarcadero station, California St Cable Cars and the F-line historic streetcar. Ferry Building is OK and really only a five minute walk from the Hyatt; if your train is on time then it should be safe and busy in the early evening.

Best areas for hotels (I am a local) are Nob Hill (basically anything north of Post Street), Union Square (within two blocks) and Fisherman's Mharf which is popular with tourists but not so much with locals. I think the Amtrak bus serves Fisherman's Wharf area too as well as Market Street near Union Sq. In all cases you will have good local transit service so once you get to your hotel get info on the best Muni lines, and buy a Muni multiday "Passport" which will include unlimited bus, light rail, streetcar and cable car rides (single ride cable car tickets are $6.00, no transfers or returns).

 

[Peregrine66]

Based on my experience earlier this year, I would suggest that the best way to get to downtown San Francisco from the Zephyr is not to use the Amtrak bus at all, but to get off the train at Richmond and take the BART line to Embarcadero (or other station more appropriate for your destination).

This especially applies if the Zephyr is running early (yes it does happen), as the bus will wait until its scheduled departure time, and then goes via Oakland station, allowing just enough time to get caught up in the peak rush hour traffic.

This may cost you a few $$$ extra, but (vacation) time is way more valuable than that.

 

[George Harris]

Based on my experience earlier this year, I would suggest that the best way to get to downtown San Francisco from the Zephyr is not to use the Amtrak bus at all, but to get off the train at Richmond and take the BART line to Embarcadero (or other station more appropriate for your destination).

Bad idea for one or two older women. Not the best part of the area, particularly for a train which, if late will arrive after dark. The Amtrak bus is quite convenient. We are regular users but coming up from Fresno.

 

[Shanghai]

I always use the Ferry Pier, although I agree that the Hyatt would be best for a taxi.

San Francisco has more than its share of "strange" people. After all, it is in California!!

 

[PRR 60]

Hi again,

Round two of questions:

Older female, possibly two of us, taking CZ from Denver to Emeryville and SF next spring or summer. After getting off in Emeryville, I guess we would take the Amtrak bus to SF? Which stop is safest and most convenient for taxis in SF? I have read in another post to avoid the Ferry Bldg. in favor of the stop at the Hyatt Regency, for that poster's question. I've only spent one night in SF (flew in and out) several years ago and am not familiar at all with the area. After spending a night or maybe two in the SF area, I/we would like to take the Coast Starlight south.

Any suggestions for safe hotels for me/us? Hotel would need to be convenient to get to by taxi after leaving the CZ, and convenient for taxi or other easy transportation to catch the southbound CS a couple of days later.

Any other tips are also very welcomed. Thanks!

My wife and I stay at the Hyatt. We usually arrive by air and simply take BART from SFO to Embarcadero with the hotel right there. Arrival by Amtrak is easy if you have a bus that stops at the Hyatt (some do not), but even from the Ferry Building stop (just south of the actual Ferry Building), it is a short walk. We are not fans of the Wharf area (too touristy - yeah, we're tourists, but we like to pretend we are not). The Hyatt can be pretty pricey if there is a convention taking up rooms, but sometimes it is not too bad considering it is San Francisco. If you get an upper floor room looking out on the bay, the view can't be beat.

 

[crescent2]

Thanks all, keep the suggestions coming!

Yes, I/we definitely want to avoid that "Oh my goodness, what am I doing HERE?!" feeling. :help: This will for all practical purposes be a first time visit, and we know nothing about the area or how to get around in it.

 

[George Harris]

Thanks all, keep the suggestions coming!

Yes, I/we definitely want to avoid that "Oh my goodness, what am I doing HERE?!" feeling. :help: This will for all practical purposes be a first time visit, and we know nothing about the area or how to get around in it.

Since we live here, we do not know a lot about the hotel situation. As far as getting around town, we are primarily users of Muni within the city and the other tranporation systems out of it. Yo do have some strange characters on the busses, but not too badly. This is a highly transit oriented city. If you deal with driving and parking you quickly understand why. It is not accidental. It is intentional. You can go on-line and find muni maps, fare information, etc. For information: Regular fare is $2.00. Post age 65, it is 75 cents. There are many players in the transit game here. Muni is within the city of San Francisco only. The "heritage' streetcars that operate on Market Street and the Embarcadero are functionally part of the Muni transit system. Muni is both bus and light rail. When you get on, be sure to get and hold on to your transfer. This little piece of paper is good for 90 minutes of bus riding anywhere in the city. Bus drivers sometimes tear them long, so it may be good for more. There is of course BART. Maps and schedules are available on-line. If you go north of the city it is Golden Gate Transit, goldengatetransit.org. On the East Bay side, it is AC transit, www.actransit.org. South of San Francisco there is Samtrans, which is San Mateo county's bus system, www.samtrans.com. At Palo Alto this intersects with VTA, www.vta.org which is the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, the bus system throughtly that county and the San Jose light rail system. Their systems intersects with AC Transit (and fo course BART) at the Fremont BART station. Then we have the ferrys, and there is more than one of them. A list of who the are is found on www.baycrossings.com/ferry.php. Oriented toward north bay points is goldengateferry.org. Another system calling themselves "the largest fleet on the bay" is www.blueandgoldfleet.com. There are also ferrys to East Bay points and a few other places operated by sanfranciscobayferry.com. Most fo these operate from the Ferry Building or the Pier 39 / Pier 41 area or both. Then there is Caltrain, the San Francisco to San Jose commuter service which has a few trains that go as far as Gilroy on weekdays, but if you go out there you can not get back to SF the same day. There is also the Stockton to San Jose commuter service, www.acerail.com. Finally, let's not forget the numerous Amtrak-California trains between Sacramento and Oakland, some continuing on to San Jose.

The cable cars are a tourist thing, with their own much higher price to ride.

Market Street can be used as a classroom for study of urban transit methodologies. On the street you have 1. diesel bus, 2. electric trolly bus, 3. streetcars. One level down, 4. Light Rail. Two levels down, 5. BART "Heavy" rail.

 

[sechs]

Any suggestions for safe hotels for me/us? Hotel would need to be convenient to get to by taxi after leaving the CZ, and convenient for taxi or other easy transportation to catch the southbound CS a couple of days later.

I think that the best choice for a hotel is really going to depend on what you plan on doing in the City.