Location of bus drop in SF

[ken123]

Your better option is to take BART all the way to Richmond, changing in Oakland. It's 1 hr 6 mins by BART SFO to Richmond, and your Amtrak train arrives there at 1:47pm. Plenty of time.

 

[BCL]

Your better option is to take BART all the way to Richmond, changing in Oakland. It's 1 hr 6 mins by BART SFO to Richmond, and your Amtrak train arrives there at 1:47pm. Plenty of time.

I think it should be clarified that you mean changing BART (not to Amtrak) in Oakland since weekday BART doesn't go from SFO to Richmond. It might work out, but the bigger issue would be accounting for a flight delay of more than an hour (not unusual in San Francisco).

 

[rickycourtney]

Taking BART to Richmond would work. That transfer between BART trains is easy and timed like clockwork (you just walk across a platform).

It's an option if you really want to take Amtrak but as BCL says, it doesn't leave much wiggle room for a delayed flight. Plus, it's likely more expensive than Greyhound. But if you can make it work, it will get you there a couple of hours sooner.

 

[George Harris]

Having been in San Francisco for a few years, I would say do not allow for any form of close connections and any point in this trip. SFO tends to have random and inexplicible delays both in and out. BART frequently has delays. If you don't have something in the neighborhood of 3 hours plus between plane arriving SFO and bus to train connection it is too close for comfort. I would say you would have no more than about a 50% or so chance of making it, particularly if you are not familiar with the various connection locations and processes. Frankly, I have had better experiences getting around on public transportation in places where I could not read the local language than some of the expxeriences I have had here.

By the way, at one time Northwest had a through flight from Tokyo to a couple of points in the US with point of entry at Seattle. However, a closer look showed you that only the number went through. There was a "change of equipment" noted in the schedule, so everybody got off teh plane at Seattle and got on another one when leaving on nominally the same flight number. Yes, everybody did go through customs at Seattle. By the way, my worst and silliest customes experiences have been with the US customs. Allow plenty of time for the experience and be prepared to answer various silly questions.

 

[BCL]

Taking BART to Richmond would work. That transfer between BART trains is easy and timed like clockwork (you just walk across a platform).

It's an option if you really want to take Amtrak but as BCL says, it doesn't leave much wiggle room for a delayed flight. Plus, it's likely more expensive than Greyhound. But if you can make it work, it will get you there a couple of hours sooner.

It's $50. I doubt the OP would be able to get the AAA discount. I looked up Greyhound for a random day, and SF-Truckee was $30 web special up to $44.50 fully refundable.

As far as BART goes, I've been through it all, including serious delays when someone decides to jump onto the tracks, fires, or other mechanical difficulties. Stations have been known to completely shut down due to "incidents". They'll try to restore service with a "bus bridge" to go around the affected stations, but how this works might depend on what equipment is on which side of the closure.

When there are serious delays, they won't even try to synchronize the trains for transfers any more. I also remember when I hadn't taken BART for a while I didn't realize that they'd changed the northbound transfer sync station from 12th St to 19th St. I suppose 19th gets fewer passengers entering/leaving, so they thought it was a better place for it. Even so, some people still think it's at 12th St or see the other train at the platform and try to make it (to secure a better seat). I've actually seen some people try to do this at 12th St, get out, and the doors on the other train close right in the face with the train leaving.

I'm familiar with BART having taken it (alone) since I was 5. If I miss my connection I can wait for the next one since I'm going home, which isn't going anywhere without me, although my wife might have an issue with me being home late. If a connection is missed (like to Capitol Corridor) I know my options left, right, and upside down. But someone who can't afford to miss a connection might be better off leaving plenty of extra time to handle unfamiliarity.

I'm frankly paranoid when I travel. When I reserved a rental car for Las Vegas, I specifically chose an agency that was open 24 hours. Several were closed midnight to 6 AM, including Enterprise, which had a lower rate. My flight was scheduled to arrive at about 10:30 PM. Well - my flight didn't arrive until about 11:40 PM, but the rest of my family (scheduled to arrive before my flight) didn't arrive until about 4 AM on another flight. So I wasn't stuck at the airport rental center waiting for Enterprise to open for the day. Mostly I was worried that I'd get to the counter just past midnight.

 

[ken123]

Quite right, BCL: I meant change BART trains in Oakland and then transfer to Amtrak in Richmond. You have 2.5 hours which should be plenty of time.

Another great option these days is Uber. Last time I called from SFO, the driver arrived within 2 minutes. Have him take you to Ferry Building, or if running late, divert to Emeryville. You can get fare quote online.

 

[Bill]

Just ask the bus driver to take you to your motel on the side and if it is close to the route I have been taken twice to the front door,slipped the driver a few bucks and I was happy and so was he.This has been in the winter when only a few of us were on the bus.

 

[Alberto]

Yes thats it

I didn realize that BART went out of San Francisco, so I´ll take AMTRAK in Richmond.

I was thinking about sightseeing the city, but after a long journey.. I´ll visit SF in the way back.

one last question, buying ticket at counter is the same price? Thanks really

 

[BCL]

Yes thats it

I didn realize that BART went out of San Francisco, so I´ll take AMTRAK in Richmond.

I was thinking about sightseeing the city, but after a long journey.. I´ll visit SF in the way back.

one last question, buying ticket at counter is the same price? Thanks really

The San Francisco Bay Area has many different public transportation systems. BART is just one of them. The system that serves only San Francisco is MUNI (San Francisco Municipal Railway - although they also operate a city bus service). Three other regional bus systems come into San Francisco, and two different water ferries.

Good luck. Still - have a few options available - especially Greyhound if you don't believe you will make the Amtrak bus. A lot of us are skeptical that you'll make the schedule because of a combination of unfamiliarity and/or delays. You're looking at unfamiliarity with the airport, finding your way to the BART station at the airport, getting on the right train, transferring at the right time, etc. The Greyhound bus I mentioned will also stop in Oakland, and if you miss your Amtrak connection, you could take BART to Oakland (19th St station) and then purchase a ticket for Greyhound.

https://www.greyhound.com/en/locations/terminal.aspx?city=892540

You can purchase a ticket at the Richmond Amtrak station, but they only self-service machines (Quik-Trak). Another option is to purchase a ticket on board the train. The conductor can sell you a ticket, but they charge a 25% surcharge unless you board at a station without a ticket counter or self-service machine. You would need a credit card for Quik-Trak. There are some discounts, but I'm not sure you would qualify, and many require being purchased several days in advance.