San Francisco Muni Buses & Streetcars

Bus Riding Guide for Visitors

Muni runs both modern and antique tramlines, like the F-Market line pictured here.

MUNI buses and streetcars

If you are considering renting a car in San Francisco, think again. The city's compact size, many one-way streets, and difficult or expensive parking makes driving more of a hassle than it’s worth. The “Muni,” San Francisco’s bus and streetcar system, can be quite crowded and sometimes irregular, too. But it is cheap—only $1.50 (youth, senior, disabled: $0.50) with a free transfer, and takes you most everywhere. Tickets are sold on the bus (exact change required), or in Muni metro stations. Transfers last 90 minutes in any direction, although bus drivers often give you tickets with extra time. This means that for many trips you can go roundtrip for just $1.50! If you plan to see a lot of San Francisco and stay for a few days, invest in a MUNI Passport (1-day: $11; 3-day: $18, 7-day: $24), which are for sale at the cable car turnaround, and other outlets. These passes include rides on the must-see cable cars, which are ordinarily $5 each way, so the pass quickly pays for itself! A monthly pass is also available for $45.

A more limited bus service runs during the night, but you may want to invest in a taxi instead. Taxis in San Francisco do not charge per-person as in many cities, and are therefore very affordable and quick if you travel in groups.

Reader comments:

Ed writes, "I made extensive use of the public transportation system, buses and cable cars, and found it very, very convenient. Some bus stops had the schedule listed and we never had to wait too long for transportation."

M.C. writes, “The bus passes/cable car passes are a best buy and I think you might want to tell other tourists like myself to think twice about renting a car if you're just going to stay in town...”

Everything you need to know:

Buses and Streetcars
Cable Cars
Luxurious Limousines
BART, Caltrains, and Ferries

Other Links:

511.org Public Transit information

San Francisco Muni Maps

BART information