Search Flights from San Francisco to Heraklion

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. 

Although Heraklion is the largest residential area in Crete, especially the old city district is proper for walking. You can explore the whole city with a comfortable shoe, but you should always consider the weather. On the other hand, it is possible to explore the city by participating in the tours of many tourism agencies. Public transportation in the city is provided by buses. You can get to the whole city by buses, which will take you from the main bus stops A, B, and C.

Of course, there are many ferry and boat services in Heraklion, the biggest port city of Crete island. From there you can travel to many ports such as Santorini, Ios, Mykonos or Rhodes. Daily ferry service to Piraeus Port is also organized. It is possible to reach Athens from this port. You can rent a car in the city. Motorcycles and scooters, as well as cars, are quite common. It provides not only an ideal way of transportation to visit the city in warm weather but also an easy access to the other settlements of Crete Island such as Ayios Nikolaos and Chania. You can reach these cities by following the E75 highway. Traffic in the city can be really busy from time to time. Usually, there is an irregular traffic flow and road works are done. You can see the taxi almost everywhere in the city. However, it is not allowed to stop a taxi on the road, you need to use the taxi stops. You can see the taxi stops in front of the port, the bus station, and the airport. It is possible to use it not only for short trips but also as a private tour vehicle as well.

Taxis do not have a standard price policy, so if you can agree on the fare you can travel the whole city by having breaks at the important places of the city. All signs in Crete Island are written in English, using Latin alphabet as well as Greek alphabet, so you will not have trouble during transportation. The most used transportation vehicle from Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport to the city center is taxi. Buses are available for those who prefer to use public transportation. If you rent a car at the airport, you can easily reach the surrounding cities, not just the city center.

Bus

You can use the buses to the city center from bus stops at the airport terminal exit. The services are quite frequent, buses depart every 5 minutes. The services are rare only on Sundays. Buses start to pick up passengers early in the morning and continue its services until late in the evening.

Taxi

You can easily see the taxi stop when you leave the airport arrival terminal. Getting to the city center by taxi is easy and fast. If you wish, you can reserve a taxi for you by contacting the airport taxi station in advance.

Rent a car

Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport has 9 different vehicle rental companies that you can rent cars or motorbikes. You can make your vehicle rental operations online before your flight. You must remember that you must have international competence in order to be able to drive in Crete. The airport is located right on the E75 highway.