Search Flights from San Francisco to Frankfurt

Approximate Travel Distance
Approximate Flight Duration
Popular Airlines
Popular Airport
5677 Miles
11 hour 20 min
Frankfurt Airport

Cheapest San Francisco Frankfurt Flight Tickets

15 May 2024
from $16743

Transportation to San Francisco Airport from the City Center

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. 

Last Updated: 10 Jun 2019

Transportation to Frankfurt City Center from Airport

Frankfurt Airport

Located 12 km southwest of the city center, Frankfurt Airport is a major international airport serving the city of Frankfurt, Germany. You can get to the city center from Frankfurt Airport by train, bus, taxi and rental car.

Train

The commuter rail line runs directly from Frankfurt Airport to the city center, making it a quick and easy transportation alternative. The S-Bahn commuter rail line operates directly from the Frankfurt Airport Station in Terminal 1 to the Frankfurt Central Station in the city center. S-Bahn lines S8 and S9 provide transportation to Frankfurt Central Station from the airport. The total trip takes about 10 minutes and trains run every 15 minutes during peak hours. 

Bus

Buses are another transportation alternative you can use to get to the city center from the airport. There are many different bus lines and routes that provide direct transportation to the city. Buses are a convenient and reliable method of transportation to get to the city. There are bus stops located at both terminals.

Taxi

Another convenient transportation alternative to get to the city center from the airport is by taxi. Taxis are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from both terminals. The trip from the airport to the city center by taxi takes about 30 minutes. 

Last Updated: 10 Jun 2019

Rhein Main Afb Airport

As there are no scheduled flights from Frankfurt Rhein Afb Airport, you can get to the city from Frankfurt am Main International Airport, which is 15 kilometers away from the former. To get to the Frankfurt’s city centre, one of Germany’s major cities of commerce, art and culture, you can use public transportation vehicles such as shuttles, public buses, trains or ride your bicycle if you have one.

Bus

You can take buses to travel between the terminals at Frankfurt International Airport. These bus rides take about 10 minutes and enables passengers to travel between terminals easily.

Hotel Shuttles

Many hotels located in the city centre such as ACHAT Hotel, Best Western Amedia Frankfurt Airport, Holiday Inn Express Frankfurt Airport, Holiday Inn Frankfurt Airport North, InterCityHotel Frankfurt Airport, Mercure Hotel Frankfurt Airport Kelsterbach, NH Hotel Frankfurt Airport West, NH Frankfurt Niederrad, Ramada Frankfurt Messe and Ramada Niedernhausen Micador provide free or low priced shuttle services from Frankfurt International Airport. These shuttles are one of the most economic ways to travel for this route.

Airport Shuttles

You can also use the airport shuttles services, provided by private companies, which directly transport passengers to the many locations at city centre from the airport. To use the airport shuttle services, you must make a reservation by phone or on the internet before your arrival. If you give your flight information to the shuttle staff, shuttle driver will wait for you at a close location to the terminal you will be landing on and take you directly to your destination in the city centre. Traveling by airport shuttles does not usually take too much time, but in order not to be late to your destination you should consider the traffic jam which occurs occasionally. You can make reservation for the airport shuttles by yourself or through travel agencies.

Carsharing

Carsharing is also a low priced and comfortable way to travel to city centre from Frankfurt International Airport. You can take an available shared-use car by going to the carsharing location in P29 parking lot, just outside the Terminal 1. You can use the carsharing services at a cheaper price by registering to system in advance.

Rent-a-car

You can easily rent a car by going to many international rent-a-car company offices at the airport. To use the rent-a-car services in Frankfurt International Airport, you must first make sure that you have your valid driver licence and other  travel papers which may be required complete. You can contact the rent-a-car offices in the airport by phone or e-mail to get information about the papers required for the car rental, procedure and any other matters you would like to know about. By renting a car from an office at the same terminal where your flight is, you can directly get aboard without needing to transfer between the terminals.

Taxi

You can find a taxi in front of each of the Frankfurt International Airport’s terminals any time of the day. In Frankfurt, like in many other cities, taxis are one of the easiest and most comfortable ways to travel to city centre from the airport. Taxis in front of the terminals accept credit cards as well, but do not forget that you need a credit card available for foreign use. There are also large taxis that can carry up to seven passengers together at the airport. Traveling from airport to the city center takes about 20 – 30 minutes, depending on the traffic. Taxi fares may differ depending on the distance and the traffic situation but you can form an opinion about the average fare you need to pay by talking to the taxi driver in advance.

Train

You can travel directly to the locations like Frankfurt city centre, Hanau, Mainz, Aschaffenburg or Wiesbaden from the airport thanks to the train station which is connected directly to these cities. One of the biggest pros of traveling by train is it is cheaper than many other alternatives such as taxi or rent-a-car. Although traveling by train takes longer than taxis or rent-a-cars, espcially when there is no traffic, but it still saves time in case of a traffic jam. By taking the trains running on various routes such as S8, 21, S9, 55 or 75, you can travel to Frankfurt city centre or many other locations in Germany directly.  You can travel at a cheaper price by making a reservation through Rail & Fly service.

Last Updated: 11 May 2017

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Wingie offer the cheapest San Francisco-Frankfurt flights?

When you search for San Francisco-Frankfurt flights, Wingie directly gathers and compares instant data from all airlines. You can see all San Francisco-Frankfurt flights together for the date you are looking for and choose the most suitable flight.

Which airports can I use for San Francisco-Frankfurt flights?

For San Francisco-Frankfurt flights, you can use Embarkader Airport, San Francisco Intl. Airport as departure airport, and Frankfurt Airport, Frankfurt Hahn Airport, Neu-Isenburg Airport, Rhein Main Afb Airport, Frankfurt (Main) Railway Station for arrival.

How many kilometers is the flight distance from San Francisco-Frankfurt and how long does the flight take?

The flight distance between San Francisco-Frankfurt is 9135 kilometers in total. The flight between the two cities takes 11 hour 20 minutes.

Which day is the most convenient for San Francisco-Frankfurt flights?

When the average prices are examined, the most suitable day for San Francisco-Frankfurt flights is Tuesday.

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