Practical Information for visiting San Francisco

Muni runs the buses, the light rail and the historic streetcars on Market Street, and covers the city well. A day pass or a Clipper card is the simplest approach, and contactless bank cards now work on most services.

Cable cars are part of the Muni system with a higher flat fare. Three lines survive of what was once a network; the Powell-Hyde is the scenic one.

BART connects to the airport, the East Bay and down the peninsula, and is the sensible way in from SFO.

Walking is rewarding but the hills are real — check the gradient before committing to a route.

Do not hire a car unless you are leaving the city. Parking is expensive, the hills require kerbing your wheels by law, and break-ins are endemic.

Ferries to Sausalito and Tiburon are a good way to see the bridge.

Coverage for mobile networks is excellent with widespread 5G, as you would expect of this city, and BART tunnels have signal.

US prepaid SIMs and eSIMs are easy to obtain; check roaming before arriving, as American plans are expensive.

Wi-Fi is free in cafes, libraries, museums and along Market Street on the city network.

Payment is overwhelmingly card and phone; some small businesses are cashless entirely, and tipping is prompted at the terminal.

Power is 120 volts on flat two- and three-pin sockets.

San Francisco’s reputation is worse than the reality for violent crime and entirely deserved for property crime.

• Car break-ins are the defining problem — smashed windows and stolen bags, in minutes, in broad daylight, including at scenic viewpoints and trailheads. Leave nothing visible and nothing in the boot.
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• Phone snatching and bag theft in crowded areas and on transit.
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• The Tenderloin, and parts of SoMa and mid-Market, have open drug markets and visible distress. They are not especially dangerous to pass through in daylight but are unpleasant and best avoided at night.
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• Earthquakes: drop, cover and hold on. Buildings are well engineered.
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• The ocean at Ocean Beach has severe rip currents and is not for swimming.
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• Hills and fog: dress in layers and watch your footing on steep wet pavements.

American healthcare is extremely expensive and there is no safety net for visitors. Comprehensive travel insurance is not optional; an ambulance ride alone can cost thousands of dollars.

No vaccinations are required beyond routine cover.

Urgent care clinics handle minor problems far more cheaply and quickly than an emergency room, and are the right first stop for anything not life-threatening.

Tap water is excellent — it comes from the Sierra Nevada by gravity through the Hetch Hetchy system and is barely treated.

Wildfire smoke in late summer can push air quality to hazardous levels for days; check the index and use an N95 if it is bad.

Sun and cold together: the fog hides strong ultraviolet, and people burn while feeling chilly.

Pharmacies are widespread and some open late.

Emergency number: 911 for police, fire and ambulance. 311 is the city line for non-emergencies, including reporting a car break-in.

Medical. Emergency rooms must stabilise anyone, then bill heavily. Urgent care is the cheaper route for minor issues. Carry your insurance details and be prepared to pay and claim.

After a car break-in, file a police report online for the case number your insurer will want; recovery is unlikely.

Earthquake: drop to the floor, get under a table, hold on, and stay inside until the shaking stops. Phones receive an early-warning alert through the ShakeAlert system.

Air quality alerts during fire season are published by the regional air district.

Many countries maintain consulates in the city.