BART is almost always faster, so much so that even if it's a longer walk to the station you will probably be better off with BART. The trains are underground for the entire journey so they do not have to compete with surface traffic like Muni does, and there are only a few stops on BART compared to many on Muni.
The best resource for finding out which public transit route to take for your specific circumstances is the official Trip Planner: http://tripplanner.transit.511.org
Under "Additional Options" you can force it to include or exclude BART or Muni, if the default settings don't give you an option for each.... more
The parking situation in that part of mission is actually not too bad. I've lived near 14th and mission for 5 years now and had a car for about 2 of those years. You'll find the most spaces east of mission street, between mission and folsom. I would normally find a space within 5 to 10 minutes on most nights in between 14th and 16th, and mission and folsom. The one thing i would caution you against is leaving anything at all visible in your car. Make sure everything is in your trunk, glove box or you just take it with you, because a lot of windows get smashed in this neighborhood. Also be mindful of the street you're parking on after hours coming home from a night out. Keep to the main streets as much as possible because unfortunately there is some crime in the way of muggings to be aware of in this neighborhood as well. So you don't necessarily need a garage spot if you want to save money, however there are a few in the area for somewhere between $250 and $300 if you want to go that way.... more
Pete,
Parking for rent is more difficult to find in Noe Valley because it is a neighborhood with less commercial activity and therefore without many parking garages and lots. The Mission district has more of those.
In both neighborhoods you may be able to find signs that read 'garage for rent.' The simplest way is, of course to go on Craigslist and search the postings and/or post one with what you are looking for yourself.
Parking/garage costs vary. Get a sense of them on the parking websites that other agents have already mentioned as well as on Craigslist.... more
The SFMTA web site has the application on line. Print it, fill it out, follow the directions, scan it and send it in with the requested documents and the check for $100.
Or carry it down to the South Van Ness address and wait for it to be procesed that day.... more
I live on the north slope of P.H., have been here for 50 + years, there is no parking thanks to Zynga, the Culinary Academy, Whole Foods and whatever else has invaded our neighborhood. Our once quiet, clean neighborhood has become a garbage dump for people cleaning out their cars, the, probably, toxic black dust that invades our homes from the constant traffic up and down the block from people looking for non-exsistent parking. How fun it is to watch them pull into a driveway thinking it is a parking space! My neighbors and I have had many cars ticketed and/or towed for overlapping our driveways preventing us access to our homes. We have experienced people banging on our doors late at night wanting to know where their cars are and even had a window broken by someone who was upset that his car was towed.
I love the "Hill", so many memories here, but it's time for me to leave.... more
It really depends where in western addition. You should drive around the area about the times you would be coming home and see what the parking situation is first hand. Evenings are tougher than the daytime.... more
Street parking in Russian Hill is horrific...I strongly suggest getting a parking spot in a nearby garage as it will save you a half-hour circling Russian Hill to find parking each night after work!... more
There was a public hearing today at City Hall regarding the proposed meter installation in Dogpatch. For three hours, residents spoke out against the meters, 2 minutes at a time. Evidently, the opinions
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Agree that San Mateo to Sausalito could be a pretty rough daily commute. Think I'd try to stay in SF for a bit and see how it goes.
I drove from Upper Noe Valley to work in Palo Alto for a year, and it was totally manageable. Our apt was less than 5 minutes from 280 S entrance, and if I left a bit before 8AM, would get to work in about 40 minutes. Leaving after then was a bit rougher, though.
Eric mentioned Burlingame. I did Burlingame to Palo Alto for a year before that, and I loved living there. Took about 30 minutes to get to Palo Alto (had to go through Hillsborough), but imagine the commute from there to Sausalito would be only about 5-10 mins shorter than if living in San Mateo.
Good luck with whatever you decide!... more
Perhaps you live, work or do business in the Potrero and Dogpatch area? Or perhaps you have clients and friends who do…  There is a plan to start to bring parking meters to the area, including parts
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I agree with a few of the folks to pick a more affordable city in the middle of the two. I've done the commute both ways (lived in Palo Alto and commuted to SF, lived in SF and commuted to Sunnyvale), and I don't care how good the public transit options are-- the commute stinks. Burlingame (if you can find something in your price range) or San Mateo (which has a recently redone downtown) get my votes.... more
Jonny Ringo - you definitely want to live in the city. I frequently assist Google employees in their relocation here. They've got a long commute to get to the Google HQ, but all find it to be worth living in the city for. Areas I would recommend for neighborhood style (nightlife, dining, energy, safety, and easy hwy access): Mission, Russian Hill, North Beach, Mission Dolores, Cow Hollow, Pacific Heights, Cole Valley. As a younger person myself, and having lived in the city for 10 years, I do not like SoMa at all - the blocks are too long (double a normal city street, so 4 blocks is a 20 min walk), and the nightlife is still too few and far between for me to feel safe or interested. Good luck! And let me know if you need any advice on neighborhoods - I'm a pro!... more
It all depends on where exactly you are commuting from an. Relgardess, e it is possible to cover 70% of the city within 20 minutes in a car even during rush hour. Parking though is a whole other thing.... more
Where are you going to and where from? If you live in the City and commute to Silicon Valley forget 20 minutes. If you need to cross the bridge, either of them, it's longer as well. If you live in outer sunset and need to go downtown how are you electing to travel? Muni or car? Depending on where downtown it can take well over 30 minutes. If you live closer in, it's considerably shorter.
I guess that unless your question is more specific, it's impossible to give a good answer to it.... more
Take advise from Kevin & Jovana as they honestly answered yor question: commute in peak hours is crazy! Really, you have to live somewhere in the middle. If any help needed with buying a home in a new place, please let me know. There is no obligation on your part.... more
I have a client who is a professor at Stanford and lived in Palo Alto for many years. They had long wanted to live in San Francisco. The professor commutes by car to Stanford and finds it easy enough.They chose to live close to the 280 Fwy so that the commute is more direct.
It would seem that the Stanford commute would be best by car and the Berkeley commute could be via public transportation, which also makes it a sustainable choice.
The benefits of living a the City may outweigh the commutes! If you take advantage of the San Francisco's dining and entertainment...it may personally offset the extra effort it requires to travel to your workplaces.
San Francisco also classically has a fairly stable real estate market in terms of your ability to resell. If you are looking to buy at a time like this, you timing is great! You should be able to find a small condo in an area where you can take advantage of a high walk score, indicating the actual walking accessibility of services & entertainment for from your new urban home. So you may not need to use your car much when you are "home" in San Francisco.... more