Search Flights from San Francisco to Lima

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. 

Lima, which is the capital of Peru and also known as the City of the Kings, is a coastal city established on ocean shore in South America. The city, which is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Rimac River, is the center of policy, industry and education of Peru. Nevertheless, Lima is a city where crime rate and income level difference are very high. In the city, you can see shanty houses and luxurious buildings all together. 

In the city built on the foothills of the mountains, there are historical remains belonging to the Incas which are one of the ancient civilizations. Some of these remains are on archeological sites and some are in museums. There are many architectural structures inheriting to the city from the period prevailed by the Spanish.

With its interesting culture, Inca Pyramids, San Francisco Monastery, wonderful beaches, ocean waves for surfing enthusiasts, different cuisine and lively nightlife, Lima continues to welcome tourists all the year round. It is quite easy to travel around the historical city center of Lima consisting of straight roads and streets intersecting each other with right angles. Nevertheless, if you are going to Lima as a tourist, you will definitely need a means of transportation because the places you will want to see are not within walking distance or close to each other.

There is generally heavy traffic throughout the city. You can easily find a taxi in Lima. Apart from the green taxis operating at the airport, in the white taxis that you can find in the city center, driver and the passenger section is separated by a wire fence for safety. As a safer method, if you are going to use taxis frequently during your visit, you can call a taxi anytime you want by using an app that you can download on your smartphone. The taxis that are called with these applications are considered safer because they operate under certain companies. There is no taximeter in taxis. Fares are standardized according to regions, but you can bargain with the driver.

Public transportation in the city center is provided by metro and metrobus. The ticket price for metrobus is 1.5 soles for one pass. Today, there is only one completed metro route but new routes are being constructed. If you want to travel from Lima to other cities of Peru, it is recommended to use airlines rather than intercity buses or trains for safety reasons.

For domestic flights, it is required to pay 10 dollars as tax. The most comfortable means of transportation that can be used for travelling to the city center is shuttle service. For the passengers coming with tour companies, private buses are waiting at the airport. Car rental and airport shuttle service offered by hotels are other options for the transportation to the city center. It is aimed that it will be possible to travel to the city center from the airport by metro in 2019 thanks to the new metro route that is still under construction.

Airport Shuttle

You can easily reach the city center by using the shuttle services that you can find at the terminal exit. You can benefit from these services by yourself or in group and you will pay the amount depending on the situation. If you use the service alone, you will have to pay 25 dollars and if you travel in group, you will need to pay 6 dollars per person. The travel lasts about 45 minutes.

Hotel Shuttle

There are numerous hotels throughout Lima and some of them offer airport shuttle service. Even if this service is not provided by your hotel, you can get in contact with your hotel before your flight and ask your hotel to help you with transportation. For benefitting from airport shuttle service, you should make a reservation in advance and specify some information such as the number of guests or the amount of your baggage.

Taxi

You can easily and comfortably get to the city center by getting one of the green colored airport taxis waiting just outside the arrival terminal. You can recognize the airport private taxi drivers from the green cards hanging on their necks. There are also independent taxis waiting in front of the airport. They may take you to the city center at affordable fares but they are not recommended because of safety reasons. You can also call a taxi by using the app you will download on your smartphone. Since these taxis operate under certain companies, they are safer than the others. Transportation to the city center from the airport lasts about half an hour by taxi.

Car Rental

There are offices of car rental companies next to the exit of international arrival terminal. You can rent a car according to your budget and have a comfortable travel to the city center. You can also visit nearby places if you prefer renting a car. If your driver’s license is not appropriate for using a car abroad, you can rent a car with a driver. This is one of the most comfortable options.

Tour Bus

If you are coming to Lima with a tour company, the buses that will take their passengers to the city center or their hotels are waiting on a private parking area. You can see this area when you get out of the exit door. This is also a comfortable alternative.