Search Flights from San Francisco to Birmingham

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. 

Birmingham is a city located in West Midlands, England, at the basin of the Severn and Trent rivers. It is the one of the biggest cities in the country and the second most populated city in the country, after London. Those who want to travel to Birmingham fly into Birmingham Airport. The city contains five main areas that are intertwined. The first zone covers the area known as New Street, which is the innermost part of the city and considered the city center.

When it comes to urban transportation most of the city is accessible by bicycle or on foot. The executive body responsible for the public transportation network in the city is Network West Midlands. This institution encourages citizens and visitors to use bicycles to get around in the city. Buses provide transportation to most parts of Birmingham as well. Many of these bus lines are run by National Express West Midlands. There are also Diamond Buses that operate throughout the city. If you are planning on riding multiple buses throughout the day we would recommend buying a day ticket, also referred to as a daysaver, because it is more economical than buying a single trip ticket.

Single fare or daysaver tickets for National Express West Midlands buses can be purchased on board from the driver but you must have the exact fare, the driver cannot give you change. Therefore we recommend that you have the exact fare ready before boarding the bus. You can also purchase different ticket options with longer validity from the Pavilion Shopping Centre, which is located in close proximity to the Moor Street Station.

There are many public transportation alternatives in the city that provide transportation to the airport. Most of these options provide transportation to the airport from the city center or from the main train station. Birmingham Airport is located about 10 km from the city center.

Air-Rail Link

The Air-Rail Link is a people mover located above ground that provides transportation between the airport and Birmingham International Station. The Air-Rail Link operates from 5:15 am to 2 am and runs every 2 minutes. The total travel time between the airport and Birmingham International Station is 2 minutes.

Train

Once you get to Birmingham International Station via the Air-Rail Link you can take a train to New Street Station. The total trip to New Street Station from Birmingham International Station can vary between 10 and 20 minutes. Trains run every 5 to 15 minutes and operate from 6:15 am to 11:15 pm. Trains are usually more expensive when compared to buses. The rail service is provided by London Midland and has an extensive network throughout Birmingham. You can find maps detailing the train routes in tourist information offices located in various parts of the city. The fare for the train can vary depending on the region you will be traveling to. There are 3 main train stations in Birmingham. New Street Station is considered the main station and is located in the city center.

There are four different train lines that run throughout the city. The yellow line runs between Wolverhampton and Northampton, the green line runs between Hereford, Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa, the red line runs between Redditch and Lichfield Trent Valley, and the blue line runs between Rugeley Trent Valley and Walsall.

There are also longer lines that provide transportation to neighboring cities. The majority of the train lines intersect at certain points so passengers can easily transfer between lines.

Bus

Bus number 900 provides transportation to the city center from the airport. This bus runs every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes at night and on Sundays.

Bus number 97 also provides transportation to the city center from the airport but it followers a longer route. However, one advantage that bus number 97 has is that it operates 24 hours a day. This bus runs every hour on the hour. Bus number 966 provides transportation from the airport to Solihull and Erdington.

This bus runs every 30 minutes during the day and every hour, on the hour, at nights and on Sundays. There is no central bus station in the city, instead buses depart from various parts of the city.

The majority of the buses pass through the Bull Street, Colmore Row, Moor Street, and Priory Queensway areas. Buses generally operate from 5 am to midnight.

There are two routes that buses follow, the Inner Circle, which runs through the city center and the Outer Circle, which avoids entering the city center and runs along the outskirts of the city center.   

There are also bus services that provide transportation between the suburbs, hospitals, and shopping centers. However these services run less frequently at night and on Sundays.

Coach

There are also coach services that provide transportation from the airport to Birmingham’s Digbeth Coach Station. The fare for these coach services are approximately the same as city buses. These coach services also operate at night.

Tram

The tram line in the city is referred to as the Midland Metro, so make sure not to mistake it for an underground metro line. Unfortunately, there is no tram line that provides transportation to the city center from the airport. There is only one tram line that operates throughout the city.

This line operates between Snow Hill Station, Wolverhampton, Jewellery Quarter, West Bornwich, Wednesbury and Bilston. The tram operates from 6:30 am to 11:30 pm on weekdays and on Saturdays. On Sundays the tram operates from 8 am to 11 pm.

Taxi

Getting to the city center from the airport by taxi takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Taking a taxi is very convenient however keep in mind that taxi fares in Birmingham are quite high.

Ferry

Ferry boats can be used as a public transportation alternative in the Gas Street Basin. However the city is not accessible from the airport by ferry.

Rental Car

There are 7 different international rental car companies at Birmingham Airport. You can rent a car from the rental car offices located at the airport or book your vehicle in advance by making a reservation online.