Arriving to the Conference
Local BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) airport train to downtown
Highly recommended! Details for riding below.
- SFO to Powell St. BART Station ($9.65 and 30 minutes)
- OAK to Powell St. BART Station ($11 and 35 minutes)
General BART website explaining travel from SFO or OAK to downtown San Francisco.
Below are very specific directions for traveling on BART from SFO to the San Francisco Hilton Union Square
1. Follow signs toward baggage claim.
2. Near the front of the airport look for signs mentioning BART or AirTrain. You will likely be guided to an elevator.
3. Take the elevator to level 3. You may then be in a walkway above a street. Continue up the escalator to reach the AirTrain.
4. Depending on your terminal, you will take one of the AirTrains to the "Garage G/BART" stop. TV style signs outside of the free (complimentary) AirTrain will tell you which way the AirTrain is going.
If you fly into the International Terminal, turn right when leaving customs, and take the escalator up to the departures level. Walk straight ahead and turn left at the art exhibit and you’ll see the station entrance.
5. Exit AirTrain at the "Garage G/BART" stop.
6. Purchase Clipper Transit card. Every rider must have their own card. The cost of the card is $3. It is unavoidable.
While it seems counterintuitive, you begin by swiping your credit card. Then you indicate the card type. Then you'll select to purchase a card for $3, if you don't already have one. Then you will add and subtract money based on how much you'd like to put on your card.
As of March 2022, from SFO to the Powell St. Station, which is the closest to the San Francisco Hilton Union Square, the fare is $9.65 (plus $3 for the card). If you'd like to purchase round trip, that would be $19.30 (plus $3 for the card). You can confirm rates by looking at the map (with prices listed to your destination) on the fare card machine.
The BART train DOESN'T operate 24 hours per day. Please check on our proposed travel times before pre-paying for return fare (there is no discount for purchasing a round-trip, just the convenience of not needing to reload your transit card).
Confirm your purchase amount. The machine will then give you your Clipper Transit card and a paper receipt.
7. Go through the gates to get to your train. You touch your card to the round pad at the top of the gate. You do not insert it into a slot. Take an escalator downstairs. Any train leaving from this station will get you to the Powell St. Station in downtown San Francisco. The ride is approximately 30 minutes. You can track your progress on the map in the train car, and by checking the station signs at each the station.
8. When you reach the Powell St. Station, you exit by going through a gate and touching your card to the pad again. If you don't have enough money on your card, there is a transit machine in the station where you can add more money. You will walk toward the signs that say "Powell St.". You will go up a few steps, and then up an escalator on your right.
9. At the top of the escalator the road immediately in front of you and to your left is Powell St. Walk to the left. You'll know you're on Powell if there are trolly cars and tracks in the road. Go 2 blocks until you reach O'Farrell St. Turn left and walk 2 full blocks (crossing Mason), to reach the main entrance of the Hilton (at 333 O'Farrell St., San Francisco, CA 94102), just before reaching Taylor St.
Departing from the Conference
Taxi to SFO (San Francisco International):
- Approximately $40-50
- Travel time: 20 minutes without traffic, 30-45 minutes during busy traffic
- Hotel Concierge or Front Desk staff can call a taxi for you, usually arriving in 5-10 minutes if they are not already waiting in front of the hotel.
- Call a taxi on your own at: 1 (415) 333-3333
Uber or Lyft to SFO:
Approximately $35-$65 depending on time of day
Taxi to OAK (Oakland):
- Approximately $50-70
- Travel time: 30 minutes without traffic, 70 minutes during busy traffic
- Hotel Concierge or Front Desk staff can call a taxi for you, usually arriving in 5-10 minutes if they are not already waiting in front of the hotel.
- Call a taxi on your own at: 1 (415) 333-3333