Getting Around San Mateo
Find the best way to access the city from anywhere.
San Mateo Airport information
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Approximate taxi fare: $33.58 USD
Located within San Mateo County, San Francisco International Airport is one of the world’s 30 busiest airports, serving more than 44 million passengers in 2012. The four-terminal airport recently unveiled its new Terminal 2 after a $383-million renovation. The new 640,000-square-foot terminal offers a number of shops and restaurants and a pedestrian bridge to AirTrain, the airport’s fully automated people mover. Nearly all of the airport’s eateries are branches of local restaurants, bars and cafes, while the airport’s mix of bookstores, gift shops, travel outfitters and luxury boutiques have ties to local purveyors as well.
Traveling between terminals is easy thanks to AirTrain, a fully automated people mover that runs 24 hours a day. AirTrain’s Red Line collects all terminals and terminal garages, as well as provides direct access to the BART station. AirTrain’s Blue Line connects all terminals and terminal garages, as well as provides direct access to the BART station and the airport’s Rental Car Center.
San Francisco International offers hourly, daily and long-term parking options. Conveniently located in the center of the airport, the five-level domestic parking garage offers short-term parking for $2 per 20 minutes with a $28 daily maximum, as do the two international parking garages. Long-term parking costs $2 per 20 minutes with an $18 daily maximum. The airport also provides direct service to the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Rapid Rail and San Mateo County Transit (SamTrans) bus system.
The airport is also home to the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, a 7,000-square-foot public exhibition space with various transportation artifacts. Designed to resemble a 1930s San Francisco air terminal, the library and museum are open Sunday through Friday from 10 AM to 4:30 PM. Admission is free and groups of up to 250 people are welcome to hold private events in the sprawling space.
Airline carriers serving San Francisco International Airport
AeroMexico
Air Canada
Air China
Air France
Air New Zealand
AirTran Airways
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
All Nippon Airlines
Asiana
British Airways
Cathay Pacific
China Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Emirates
EVA Air
Frontier Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines
Japan Airlines
JetBlue
KLM
Korean Air
LACSA
LAN
Lufthansa
Philippines Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Southwest
Sun Country
Swiss International Air Lines
TACA
United Airlines
United Express
US Airways
Virgin America
Virgin Atlantic
WestJet
XL Airways France
Approximate taxi fare: $33.58 USD
Located within San Mateo County, San Francisco International Airport is one of the world’s 30 busiest airports, serving more than 44 million passengers in 2012. The four-terminal airport recently unveiled its new Terminal 2 after a $383-million renovation. The new 640,000-square-foot terminal offers a number of shops and restaurants and a pedestrian bridge to AirTrain, the airport’s fully automated people mover. Nearly all of the airport’s eateries are branches of local restaurants, bars and cafes, while the airport’s mix of bookstores, gift shops, travel outfitters and luxury boutiques have ties to local purveyors as well.
Traveling between terminals is easy thanks to AirTrain, a fully automated people mover that runs 24 hours a day. AirTrain’s Red Line collects all terminals and terminal garages, as well as provides direct access to the BART station. AirTrain’s Blue Line connects all terminals and terminal garages, as well as provides direct access to the BART station and the airport’s Rental Car Center.
San Francisco International offers hourly, daily and long-term parking options. Conveniently located in the center of the airport, the five-level domestic parking garage offers short-term parking for $2 per 20 minutes with a $28 daily maximum, as do the two international parking garages. Long-term parking costs $2 per 20 minutes with an $18 daily maximum. The airport also provides direct service to the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Rapid Rail and San Mateo County Transit (SamTrans) bus system.
The airport is also home to the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, a 7,000-square-foot public exhibition space with various transportation artifacts. Designed to resemble a 1930s San Francisco air terminal, the library and museum are open Sunday through Friday from 10 AM to 4:30 PM. Admission is free and groups of up to 250 people are welcome to hold private events in the sprawling space.
Airline carriers serving San Francisco International Airport
AeroMexico
Air Canada
Air China
Air France
Air New Zealand
AirTran Airways
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
All Nippon Airlines
Asiana
British Airways
Cathay Pacific
China Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Emirates
EVA Air
Frontier Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines
Japan Airlines
JetBlue
KLM
Korean Air
LACSA
LAN
Lufthansa
Philippines Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Southwest
Sun Country
Swiss International Air Lines
TACA
United Airlines
United Express
US Airways
Virgin America
Virgin Atlantic
WestJet
XL Airways France
San Mateo Train information
Caltrain Light Rail
Caltrain is a commuter rail system that serves 40 stations from Gilroy to San Francisco. Caltrain also offers several shuttles between stations and points of interest, for example, shuttles from the Millbrae Intermodal Station serve major hotels in the Burlingame Bayside area. Caltrain passengers can also connect with Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) via the Millbrae Intermodal station, where BART offers a shuttle train to San Francisco International Airport every 20 minutes for $1.50 per passenger.
A commuter rail system that serves the San Francisco Peninsula through South Bay to San Jose and Gilroy, Caltrain operates along 33 stations, including a San Mateo station. Caltrain passengers can connect with Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) via the Millbrae Transit Center, and from there, get to San Francisco International Airport. Caltrain operates on a zone fare schedule; the San Mateo station is situated in Zone 2. Travel within one zone runs $3 per person one-way, $6 for a day pass, $20.25 for an 8-ride pass and $73 for a month-long pass; travel within two zones runs $5 per person one-way, $10 for a day pass, $35.25 for an 8-ride pass and $126 for a month-long pass. Travel between three zones runs $7 per person one-way, $14 for a day pass, $50 for an 8-ride pass and $179 for a month-long pass; travel within four zones runs $9 one-way, $18 for a day pass, $64 for an 8-ride pass and $232 for a month-long pass; travel between five zones run $11 per person one-way, $22 for a day pass, $74.50 for an 8-ride pass and $285 for a month-long pass; travel between six zones runs $13 per person one-way, $26 for a day pass; $94.25 for an 8-ride pass and $338 for a month-long pass.
Caltrain is a commuter rail system that serves 40 stations from Gilroy to San Francisco. Caltrain also offers several shuttles between stations and points of interest, for example, shuttles from the Millbrae Intermodal Station serve major hotels in the Burlingame Bayside area. Caltrain passengers can also connect with Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) via the Millbrae Intermodal station, where BART offers a shuttle train to San Francisco International Airport every 20 minutes for $1.50 per passenger.
A commuter rail system that serves the San Francisco Peninsula through South Bay to San Jose and Gilroy, Caltrain operates along 33 stations, including a San Mateo station. Caltrain passengers can connect with Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) via the Millbrae Transit Center, and from there, get to San Francisco International Airport. Caltrain operates on a zone fare schedule; the San Mateo station is situated in Zone 2. Travel within one zone runs $3 per person one-way, $6 for a day pass, $20.25 for an 8-ride pass and $73 for a month-long pass; travel within two zones runs $5 per person one-way, $10 for a day pass, $35.25 for an 8-ride pass and $126 for a month-long pass. Travel between three zones runs $7 per person one-way, $14 for a day pass, $50 for an 8-ride pass and $179 for a month-long pass; travel within four zones runs $9 one-way, $18 for a day pass, $64 for an 8-ride pass and $232 for a month-long pass; travel between five zones run $11 per person one-way, $22 for a day pass, $74.50 for an 8-ride pass and $285 for a month-long pass; travel between six zones runs $13 per person one-way, $26 for a day pass; $94.25 for an 8-ride pass and $338 for a month-long pass.
San Mateo Ground information
SamTrans Bus Line
Operated by the San Mateo County Transit District, SamTrans is a daily local bus service that operates throughout a 446-square-mile service area that covers San Mateo County and parts of San Francisco and Palo Alto. Serving nearly 13 million passengers each year, SamTrans runs along 49 routes, including seven routes throughout the San Mateo area. Passengers can access Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Caltrain service at the Millbrae station, as well as ride to the San Francisco International Airport on routes 292 and 397. SamTrans fares vary by route and range from $2 to $5 for cash fare options.
Rental Cars
Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Fox, Hertz, National and Thrifty all service the San Francisco International Airport’s Rental Car Center. The center is accessible via the AirTrain Blue Line.
Taxis
Taxis can be hailed at the San Francisco International Airport’s designated taxi zones on the Arrivals/Baggage Claim Level of all four terminals. Fares average $33.58 from the airport to San Mateo, with an additional $2 pass-through airport departure fee.
Operated by the San Mateo County Transit District, SamTrans is a daily local bus service that operates throughout a 446-square-mile service area that covers San Mateo County and parts of San Francisco and Palo Alto. Serving nearly 13 million passengers each year, SamTrans runs along 49 routes, including seven routes throughout the San Mateo area. Passengers can access Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Caltrain service at the Millbrae station, as well as ride to the San Francisco International Airport on routes 292 and 397. SamTrans fares vary by route and range from $2 to $5 for cash fare options.
Rental Cars
Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Fox, Hertz, National and Thrifty all service the San Francisco International Airport’s Rental Car Center. The center is accessible via the AirTrain Blue Line.
Taxis
Taxis can be hailed at the San Francisco International Airport’s designated taxi zones on the Arrivals/Baggage Claim Level of all four terminals. Fares average $33.58 from the airport to San Mateo, with an additional $2 pass-through airport departure fee.