Public Transports
To obtain plans of the network and for the subscriptions
Visitor Information Center - Tel : (415) 391-2000
Hallidie Plaza (en sous-sol) [Angle de Market Street
et Powell Street] The San Francisco Bay Area Transit
Information website includes links to the region's
transit systems at http://www.transitinfo.org
Train
BART, Bay Area Rapid Transit
- Tel : (510) 441-2278 Commuter train connecting SF
with the cities of East Bay (Oakland, Richmond, Concord,
Fremont and Berkeley). Please, note that the station
Coliseum allows you the connection with Oakland's
airport. It circulates in the 4-hour week at midnight,
on Saturday from 6 am to midnight, and on Sundays
from 8 am to midnight. Distributors of tickets are
in the entrance of all the stations. No possible subscription.
Cal Train - Tel : (800)
660-4287 It connects San Francisco with the peninsula
until San Jose. A single station to SCI-FI: Cal Train
Depot (4th and Townsend Street). It works every day
from 5 am till 22 pm and offers the weekend only a
night service.
Ferry
| Companies |
From |
To |
GOLDEN GATE TRANSIT
Tel : (415) 923-2000 |
San Francisco Ferry Building |
Sausalito Larkspur |
RED AND WHITE FLEET FERRY
Tel : (415) 546-2628 |
San Francisco Ferry Building
Pier 41 et Pier 43 1/2 |
Sausalito Tiburon Vallejo |
BLUE AND GOLD FLEET
Tel : (415) 705-5555 |
San Francisco Ferry Building
et Pier 43 1/2 |
Oakland Alameda |
Metro and Bus
San Francisco Municipal Railway, called MUNI
( 415 ) 673-6864, gathers all the intra-muros transports,
such as buses, Muni Subway and Cable Car.
You will obtain your tickets from the driver by paying
the exact amount. A ticket is generally valid
during 2 hours for a correspondence whatever is the
direction. There is as well subscription ' Pass '
from one day to one month.
MUNI Subway: 5 lines called letters
J, K, L, M and N that go all to Embarcadero.
To buy your note(ticket): there are distributors in
every station or ask for it from the driver.
Cable Car: only " mobile
ancient memorial to the world ", Cable Car charms
the tourists. Three lines serves the city.
Airports
SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
(S.F.I.A.) - Tel : (650) 761-0800
By the 101 or the 280 motorway via the 380, about
15 km at the south of SF downtown
SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
- Tel : (408) 277-4759 and http://www.vta.org.
4 km in the north of San Jose.
OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
- Tel : (510) 577-4000 More far from the downtown
than the S.F.I.A., it permits you to obtain often
very interesting air rates (for not direct flights).
Numerous public transport, shuttles and services
of taxis will take you there. Consult Yellow Pages,
columns Taxicab and Airport Deportation Service.
Taxis
You can hail them on the street, but it is not easy
to find one at rush hour, don't hesitate to book them
by phone ( no supplement ).
Some companies :
-
De Soto : (415) 673-1414
-
Yellowcab : (415)626-2345
-
Veterans Taxicab : (415) 552-1300
The custom is to leave 15 % of
the fare as tip.
Cars
It is necessary to get an official
driving licence of the State of California (from
16 years). It will be necessary for you to go to the
DMV " Department of Motor Vehicle
" which registers the vehicles (cost of $800), and
distributes licences and number plates. To find the
DMV the closest to your place, call 1 ( 800 ) 777-0133
or consult the following Internet site: www.dmv.ca.gov.
Or consult, in " White Pages " of your phone book,
the pages of the Government, in the section " California
State of ", column " Motor Vehicles Dept ".
To acquire a vehicle, two
options: the purchase or the rent - lease (the formula
which avoids a capital outlay, but more expensive
with interest rates higher than for a loan in the
purchase). For the new cars, shop around as various
dealers will give you different prices and deals.
The dealer takes charge of the registration of the
car (the license plate belongs to the buyer). During
the acquisition, "the bill of sale" will be put back
to you by the salesman. You will have to go to " Motor
Vehicle Department " to register the vehicle and to
obtain " Title ", document proving that you are the
owner. If you buy a second-hand vehicle, note that
the registration which is supplied by the garage is
valid only thirty days during which the owner should
register the car with the DMV.
The values of cars of different makes, model and
years can be found in the " Blue
Book ". If the purchase of your vehicle it
is done with a private person, have someone witness
the sale and the invoice which indicates the the brand
and the model of the vehicle, the colour, the year,
and that the car has no lien holders.
In every case it will be necessary
to insure the car. The department of state
imposes a minimum of $15 000 coverage a person, $30
000 accidentally for the physical injury and of $5
000 for damage to property (there are however variations
according to States). Contracts
" policy automobile " have a minimal duration of six
months.
The rules of conduct: American drive on the right
side. The limitation varies generally 55 to 65 miles
an hour according to States. It
is 25 or 35 miles an hour in city. Attention:
the speed is extremely controlled, even in the countryside.
You will find in the DMV the free guide of " California
Driver Handbook ", which will help you familiarize
yourself with Californian rules.
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