2019 AGM Lodging and Transportation
San Francisco is home to an excellent public mass transportation system and many fine hotels.
AGM Transportation to Pride Meet
The venue of the meet, Chabot College in Hayward, CA, is not particularly easy or quick to get to from downtown SF by public transportation, particularly for those who must bring large field implements. It is about a 45 minute drive from the Castro neighborhood. We have arranged transportation from downtown SF to the meet and back for AGM participants. Tickets for $10 are available in our web store. The meeting location is the parking lot of the Safeway on Market at Church; meet in front of See’s Candies. We will depart at 7:00am sharp. Vans will return from the meet after our dinner event, about 8:30pm; if you’d like to depart SF later or return earlier, we will provide transportation between the track and the closest BART station in Hayward.
Lodging
Homestays – Interested in getting more out of your visit and meeting the locals? Stay with a club member! Homestays are subject to availability, please email 2019ifragm@gmail.com for more information.
Other Lodging Options – Hotel aggregator websites like Kayak.com or Booking.com make hotel comparisons easy. AirBnB, VRBO, and other short term rental companies are another great option. Note: Most areas of San Francisco are quite safe, day and night. Even in areas with higher amounts of crime, such as The Tenderloin, the vast majority of crimes do not involve visitors to the city. Wherever you stay, be smart, stay aware if your surroundings, and be respectful towards the people around you.
Sharing a Room – If you’d like assistance in finding a roommate for the meeting, please email us your request at 2019ifragm@gmail.com.
Transportation
San Francisco is in close proximity to two major international airports. Once you are here, getting around the San Francisco area is very easy by train, subway, bus, and ride-share, and even by bike and scooter. Garage and street parking are available throughout the city, but are expensive.
Getting Here
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) – About 13 miles south of downtown San Francisco, SFO is the primary Bay Area airport serving flights from most of the US, Europe, and Asia. The attached BART station provides direct train access to downtown SF in about 30 minutes, every 15-20 minutes from about 5am until midnight. Check your favorite flight comparison site (eg, flights.google.com or kayak.com) to find the best flight for you.
Oakland International Airport (OAK) – Oakland International is another option for flights to the Bay Area, particularly for those who wish to stay in the East Bay. OAK connects to the BART train system in 8 minutes via a connector train, to the Coliseum station, every 6-20 minutes, from about 6am until midnight. Check your favorite flight comparison site (eg, flights.google.com or kayak.com) to find the best flight for you.
Getting Around
Muni Metro – The SFMTA’s Muni system of buses, light rail, street car, and cable cars knit the many neighborhoods of San Francisco together. Tickets can be purchased from booths (all accept cash, many accept credit cards), exact change on board, through the MuniMobile App, or with a Clipper Card. MuniMobile and Clipper Cards are recommended to avoid fare surcharges and for easy access. All individual Muni trips cost $2.50 when using a Clipper Card or MuniMobile, $2.75 when using cash.
BART – Bay Area Rapid Transit’s network of commuter trains connects communities around the Bay Area to each other and to the airports. Tickets must be purchased in advance at a ticket booth, and for the proper fare depending on the trip’s distance. A Clipper Card is recommended to avoid fare surcharges, and you can conveniently add money to the card for multiple trips.
Ride-Share – Uber and Lyft both operate in the Bay Area. At SFO, most standard rides pickups occur on the Departures level; shared rides from domestic terminals pick up from the Domestic Garage on Level 5. Estimated fares and more information here.
Scooter – Scooter travel is the latest craze. Skip and Scoot are two companies that offer access to a network of electric scooters around San Francisco. Their scooters can be unlocked using their mobile apps.
Bike – Several bike-share companies exist in San Francisco. SFMTA’s Ford GoBike is an extension of the public mass transit system and offers both traditional and e-bikes (named GoBike Plus); bikes can be rented at stations or with a Clipper Card. Startup JUMP provides electric-assisted bikes, rented with their app. Comparison review.
Questions? Please contact us at 2019ifragm@gmail.com for more information.