San Francisco to Tahoe Without a Car
A set of wheels isn’t required to reach Northern California’s top winter destination.
With winter sports in full swing, Tahoe is sure to be on many must-visit lists this year.
The good news? The trek is doable without a car. But since it is a longer trip, we recommend an overnight stay. South Lake Tahoe is easier to navigate sans vehicle because of Tahoe Transportation District’s ongoing efforts to make the area more accessible and because many resorts offer complimentary shuttle services. Uber, Lyft, and traditional taxis are also available.
Once you’re in Tahoe, hit the slopes at a ski resort of your choice—resorts are easier to access without a car than rental homes because of the aforementioned shuttle services—followed by a day of relaxation or exploration. You can take a lake cruise, enjoy a sunset helicopter ride, or ditch the skis for skates and hit the ice rink.
How to Get to Lake Tahoe Without a Car
There are several options for getting yourself to Tahoe. FlixBux is one of the least expensive. A nearly five-plus-hour bus ride from San Francisco’s Caltrain Station in SoMa brings you to Reno. Once there, take a shuttle to the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, and hop on the South Tahoe Airporter, which will drop you at a variety of resorts in town. The total cost is about $100.
If you are looking for a ride to a specific resort, try a shuttle bus from Tahoe Ski Trips. Pick up locations vary around the Bay Area and luxury buses take skiers and snowboarders to big name resorts like Heavenly, SugarBowl, Northstar, and Kirkwood. Both day trips and longer stays are available.
Similar in price, Amtrak’s California Zephyr train runs from Emeryville to Truckee (as well as Reno). A one-way ticket in coach starts around $75. But private rooms are available for a premium, too, if you’d like to snooze through the nearly seven-hour chug. To get across the Bay to the Emeryville station, just select “San Francisco” as your departure destination, and Amtrak will add connecting bus service from downtown.
If you’re willing to spend a little more money, non-stop flights from Oakland to Reno are just under an hour and cost around $150, depending on when you book your flight. (To get to the Oakland International Airport, it’s a 30-minute BART ride from downtown San Francisco. Take a train to the Coliseum station, and from there, transfer to BART's automated people mover direct to the airport.)