$2–3 gets you from SFO into San Francisco, slowly
SamTrans is the local bus system serving SFO, with daytime runs every 20–30 minutes and late-night gaps as long as 60 minutes. It’s the cheap play if you’re heading to South San Francisco, the Peninsula, or into the city after BART shuts down around midnight.
Buses stop on the departures level at Terminals 1, 2, 3, and International; look for the blue SamTrans signs along the terminal roadway. First-timers complain the stops are less obvious than the BART station in International, so budget an extra 10 minutes to walk the loop and find the right pole.
From SFO to downtown San Francisco, expect 60–90 minutes on routes like the 292 or 398, compared with roughly 30 minutes on BART to Powell. Riders describe the ride as “meandering through the Peninsula,” so this is about saving money, not clock time.
Standard SamTrans fares sit in the $2–3 range, and the buses accept Clipper cards used across the Bay Area. If you pay onboard with cash, drivers require exact change, and regulars say digging for bills and coins slows boarding at busy stops.
SamTrans runs 24/7 to SFO, which is why locals grab it after the last BART trains stop just before 1 a.m. Late-night service can drop to one bus every 60 minutes, so missing a departure at 1:40 a.m. might have you standing on the curb until after 2:30.
Lines have changed over the years, including the old KX express that used to run faster into downtown. Some visitors still show up asking for KX because of outdated blog posts, but now they’re usually directed to the 292, 398, or a local that feeds into BART or Caltrain.
Regular airport workers often ride SamTrans only for a short hop, like SFO to Millbrae BART or a nearby Caltrain station, then switch to rail for the faster leg into downtown. Peninsula residents also time shift starts and flight departures around the late-night timetable to avoid those 60-minute gaps.
To keep it simple, pick up a Clipper card at SFO before riding, check the 292 and 398 schedules for your arrival time, and build in a 30-minute buffer if you’re traveling after midnight.
Step-by-step: Taking SamTrans from SFO
- 1. After landing at Terminal 1, 2, 3, or International, follow signs to “Departures/Upper Level” and walk outside to the terminal roadway.
- 2. Look for blue “SamTrans” bus stop signs; at International Terminal, these sit along the upper-level curb near the center island.
- 3. Decide your route: for downtown SF, check current timetables for routes such as 292 or 398; for the Peninsula, match your stop (e.g., San Bruno, Millbrae) to the correct line on the SamTrans map.
- 4. Buy or load a Clipper card in the terminal or use an existing card, or prepare exact cash in the $2–3 range before you reach the stop.
- 5. Check real-time arrivals on a transit app and note that late-night headways can stretch to 60 minutes between buses.
- 6. When the bus arrives, board through the front door, tap your Clipper or pay cash, then keep your luggage close; overhead racks are limited.
- 7. Pull the yellow cord or press the stop button 1 block before your stop (e.g., near 3rd Street downtown or your Peninsula cross street) and exit through the rear door if it’s open.
- 8. If you’re transferring to BART or Caltrain at a station like Millbrae, follow the posted signs from the bus stop platforms and allow at least 10–15 minutes to walk and catch your train.