San Francisco BART question

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user 6862

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Using BART and travelling from the airport (SFO) into downtown San Francisco (Embarcadero) are there views of the bay?

Thanks
 
Just a short section leaving SFO and on a clear day, possibly a little bit of a view after departing Daly City
 
Thanks to you both.

One of the short journeys we enjoy most is the Thruway bus from Emeryville to SFC across the Bay Bridge and wondered seeing the BART track fairly close to the Bay in places if it were the a similar good view. Haven't arrived at SFO before always by Amtrak.
 
Between SFO and Embarcadero, the only view of the bay is at the airport prior to going into the subway portion up to Colma. Between Colma and Glen Park there are some locations where the Pacific Ocean can be seen in the distance to the left (inbound), assuming the oft-present fog has not rolled in.
 
Between SFO and Embarcadero, the only view of the bay is at the airport prior to going into the subway portion up to Colma. Between Colma and Glen Park there are some locations where the Pacific Ocean can be seen in the distance to the left (inbound), assuming the oft-present fog has not rolled in.
Agreed.

One has a much better chance of seeing the Bay on approach to SFO than from BART.

If the OP is interested, Caltrain gives a much better chance of Bay views.
 
The bus connection from Emeryville to San Francisco will provide an excellent view of the Bay, especially if you sit on the right side of the bus, since the bus tends to travel in the right-most of the five lanes on the Bay Bridge.

None of the transit modes from the airport to San Francisco provide much of a bay view, with the possible exception of Samtrans buses, or Uber/Lyft vehicles, or taxis for two minutes along the shoreline. This section of highway is where Steve McQueen pulled over to have a heartfelt talk with gf Jacqueline Bisset in the movie “Bullitt”

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Thanks chakk, did mention that the Thruway bus is one of our favourite rides but it took the first time to work out it's bus right to get the best view. Was also thinking of the Samtrans bus, may give that a try. The bus stop at SFO is really in the bowels of the airport, you would have to know it's there.

Bullit, have to pull that out, such a good movie
 
Thanks chakk, did mention that the Thruway bus is one of our favourite rides but it took the first time to work out it's bus right to get the best view. Was also thinking of the Samtrans bus, may give that a try. The bus stop at SFO is really in the bowels of the airport, you would have to know it's there.
I always used to get off at Terminal A and get on at Terminal G

The stops aren't really in the bowels... just on the ground level. If you don't mind taking the circle around the terminals, you can even wait inside at Terminal A before dashing for the bus.
 
Flying into SFO one generally lands on the 28s. If not the 19s. Get a seat on the right side of the aircraft for the best possible views.
 
Quite like the idea of using a secret bus stop at Terminal I, it was the lack of daylight that made it look as though it were buried.

We wont have the choice of seats as not prepared to pay 10% extra to BA, but if we get lucky and are asked which side we'll ask for right side, thanks.

I think we've decided to try the bus as there may be better opportunities to get views of the Bay than from BART, but if it's foggy we'll probably use BART.
 
The BART line runs below ground for some of the time, can't quite remember which portions. I don't recall any great views... ?

Ed.
The only definite one I remember while taking BART trains, was that you can see the bay and the industrial docks for a brief bit of time between the eastern end of the BART Transbay Tunnel and the West Oakland station. I think there are a few brief moments where you can see the bay somewhere not far from Daly City, and somewhere on that line before you get to SF Airport station.

Side note: while this isn't on BART and you have to take SF city buses on your own to get there, I VERY, very highly recommend going to Bernal Heights Park. Some people say other points are better for views of the city, but to me this was my VERY favorite one I went to on my 2014 San Francisco trip. It was so good, that then(now demolished since), you could see the old Candlestick Park from there.
 
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