Search Flights from San Francisco to Auckland

Located 21 km from the city center, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a major transit center for passengers, particularly those traveling from Asia. San Francisco International is the second busiest airport in California, following Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Every year SFO handles a significant number of both domestic and international flights. There are a variety of transportation alternatives passengers can utilize to get to and from the airport.  

San Francisco International Airport stands out for the comfortable and exceptional services it offers. The airport features services aimed at meeting your every need, from comfortable passenger lounges, to restaurants that offer a wide variety of cuisines and a vibrant array of stores where you can go shopping.

San Francisco International Airport is accessible by taxi, bus, train, rental car, and personal car as the airport contains parking lots that offer short-term and long-term parking options.

Train

There are two rail systems that you can use to get to San Francisco International Airport from the city center. The first is the rapid-rail system, the BART. The BART starts running in the early hours of the morning, providing easy and fast transportation between SFO and the northern and southern parts of the city.

The other rail system that you can use to get to SFO is the CalTrain. This train departs on the hour, every hour, every day of the week, until 10 pm. This train provides transportation between San Francisco and San Jose and SFO.

Taxi

One of the most convenient and fastest transportation alternatives to get to SFO from the city center is by taxi. Taxi fares are calculated based on the kilometers traveled. A taxi from downtown San Francisco can cost between 42 and 62 dollars and takes about 20 minutes. For more information on taxi companies and their contact information please visit San Francisco International Airport’s website.

Bus

SamTrans buses provide transportation between the San Francisco city center and the airport. These public buses are operated by San Mateo County and run between San Mateo, various parts of San Francisco and San Francisco International Airport. SamTrans lines KX, 292, 397, and 398 run directly to the airport terminals. Buses stop at the arrivals and baggage claim level of Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 and at Level 1 of the International Terminal.

Rental Car

Renting a car is another transportation alternative to get to the airport. There are many rental car companies located in the city. You can drop off your rental vehicle at the Rental Car Center before your departure. From the Rental Car Center the AirTrain Blue Line provides access to the airport terminals and it operates 24 hours a day, every day of the week. Rental car companies that you can choose from include Alamo, Dollar, Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, National, Budget, Fox and Thrifty.

Bike

San Francisco International Airport contains bike assembly stations and parking areas for those who want to access the airport by bike. The BART and SamTrans rapid rail systems provide passengers with bike/transit options and the airport features marked bicycle routes. Bike lovers can easily access the airport by bicycle.   

Airport Information

San Francisco International Airport is located 21 km from the city center. The airport covers an expansive area and operates domestic and international flights out of 4 terminals, Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3, and the International Terminal. The AirTrain automated system provides free transportation between each terminal, as well as the Rental Car Center and BART station. The AirTrain Red Line links all terminals, terminal garages and the BART Station. The AirTrain Blue Line links the Rental Car Center with all terminals, terminal garages, and the BART Station. SFO also contains a variety of services and amenities to meet passengers’ pre-flight and post-flight needs.

The airport features health services in the terminals, rental car offices, banks, a lost and found, wireless internet, charging stations, clothing stores where you can go shopping, restaurants and cafes, the Aviation Museum & Library, rotating exhibitions, spa services, children’s play areas, free yoga rooms, a market, and much more. 

The distance between the Auckland International Airport and the city center is about 25 kilometers. It is easy to travel between the two by taxi, bus, minibus, tram, shuttle or your own car.

While the transport within the city is not very complicated, different public transport vehicles are connected. It is therefore very easy to get off from one vehicle and to get on another.  There is no single type of bus in the city:  buses are operated in different colors, capacities and by different companies. There is also a sea trolley serving in the Auckland waters famous for its beautiful harbor.

You can rent a sea taxi owned by Reubens Cruises, which is a little more expensive than ferry transportation, for a day or hour. Apart from this, there are many public transportation vehicles such as trams named Motat, shuttles, ferryboats, trains. Three most popular public transportation vehicles in Auckland city, buses, trains and ferries, are connected to each other.

These three main means of transport complement each other, enabling the development of urban transportation. Traveling around the city is not so easy, but it is possible to visit certain points. You can tour the city with bicycles for 2 people provided by Jafa Cabs free of charge. For more detailed information on transport within the city, call Rideline (36 6400), which operates between 7 am and 7 pm.

You can take advantage of the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) tram, belonging to Museum of Transportation and Technology, which provides transportation between local attractions and visitor places in Auckland with an adult fare of 16 dollar per person. The sea transportation service operated by the Waiheke Shipping Company offers very good opportunities. It serves with two kinds of ferries, one only for passengers and one for cars. This service, which organizes flights to Great Barrier Island, a busy tourist attraction, 6 days a week during summer season, is often preferred by passengers. It is easy to get to the city center from Auckland International Airport which is located 25 kilometer south of the city. Auckland offers a convenient transportation service to its passengers with multiple options and is economical in terms of public transportation.

Bus

Buses are the most frequently used means of public transportation to travel within Auckland city as well as between the city and the airport. The easiest transportation from Auckland Airport to the city center is the Airbus Express buses operated by the airport. Departing every 10 minutes on weekdays, these buses operate from 7 am to 7 pm. On weekends, buses operate between 6 am and 7 pm and depart from the airport to the city center every 15 minutes.

Airbus Express buses have two different routes: one via Mt. Eden Road and the other via Dominion Road. The first and last stops of both routes are the airport and the city center. It takes about 40-45 minutes by express bus from city center to airport. Considering the fact that the trip would last a bit longer in busy hours, it might be beneficial for you to leave early. You can call +64 9 366 6400 for further information on the Airbus Express buses. Express bus tickets can be purchased online or by cash from the bus driver. Or it can be obtained from the hotel and hostels where the company is contracted and from ticket kiosks located right next to Airbus Express bus stops. One one-way Airbus Express bus ticket costs 16 dollars as of 2016; for customers with YHA / VIP cards, it is 12 dollars.

If you are traveling with two or more passengers, you can use the shuttle bus, which is a cheaper option than the Airbus buses. Because the shuttle bus fare is 15 dollars for a person and 20 dollars for two. Double-decker buses run by United Airlines operate hourly, between 10 am and 4 pm. The route of these buses departing from the city center airport terminal is via Mission Bay, Kelly Tarlton, Auckland Museum and Parnell to the bungee-jumping area in Freemans Bay. A one-way ticket of the city bus called Circular Link costs 1 dollar. With these buses that pass through Customs Street, Star City, Parnell, Newmarket, K Road and Ponsonby you can take a city tour and visit the Victoria Street market, Auckland Cathedral and Auckland Museum.

Train

Auckland's railway station, which is linked to all other major transport facilities such as ferryboats, buses, and shuttles, is located on Beach Road. The easiest way to reach here is to get Link buses that cost 1 dollar and pass through Customs Street regularly. You can also walk 700-800 meters, a walk that would last about 10 minutes, from the bus station in Auckland. You can buy your tickets for local and international trains departing from the train station online or from the station. You can find out more about train departure times and ticket prices by calling the support line (0800 802 802).

Super Shuttle and Taxi

The shuttles, which are smaller than buses going to Auckland Airport and all the major points in the city, is cheaper than taxis and is a means of quick transportation. Private shuttle and taxi companies in Auckland serve passengers at high standards. All taxis and shuttles can pick you up from the airport and take you anywhere you like. You can go to the city center with a shuttle or taxi waiting at Gate 8 at the international arrivals terminal and outside the Jetstar area and the domestic terminal. If you make a pre-reservation, your vehicle would be waiting for you outside the terminal upon your arrival.

Car Rental

There is no rush traffic except during the morning and evening hours at the bridge entrances and exits in Auckland, thus it is possible to easily get to the airport with the help of a navigation device by renting your own car from the airport. Due to the large number of car rental companies, there is an increase in prices due to the competition during the tourist season. If you make an online reservation before your travel, you can rent your car at much more affordable rates.