Drive a Car

The most popular way to get to Napa Valley from San Francisco is by car. Typically it takes about an hour to drive from San Francisco to Downtown Napa during the week, and sometimes up to two hours on the weekend. You can take a scenic route across the Golden Gate Bridge to wine country or, alternatively, use the Bay Bridge to travel through the East Bay to get to Napa Valley.

Private Transportation Services

Private transportation services, such as limousines, SUVs or buses, may be reserved for airport transportation. (Many of the same services can also be booked for Napa Valley winery tours.) Most services can schedule your appointments for both individuals and groups as well as arrange dining reservations. The benefit is these drivers not only know the “secret routes” – they also know how to keep you extremely comfortable.

San Francisco Bay Ferry

The San Francisco/Vallejo Bay Ferry provides a scenic and leisurely route to Napa Valley. The San Francisco Ferry Building, located at the foot of Market Street along the Embarcadero waterfront in downtown San Francisco, is accessible by BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) from SFO. The Vallejo Ferry Terminal is just a block away from the Vallejo Transit Center, then use the connecting VINE Transit bus service to the Napa area.

Amtrak San Joaquins

Amtrak San Joaquins offers a comfortable and convenient way to travel to Napa Valley from the Bay Area and Central Valley. To get to Napa Valley, travelers can take the Amtrak San Joaquins train to the Martinez station and transfer onto Amtrak Thruway Bus Route 7. Three stops later, travelers arrive at the Soscol Gateway Transit Center in Napa, located next to downtown and a short walk to Oxbow Public Market, the Napa Valley Wine Train, Napa Valley Welcome Center and many other enjoyable activities.

Rental Cars and Ride Share

All major airports offer car rental stations to help visitors get to Napa Valley. In the city of Napa, you will find Enterprise, Avis, or Budget for car rental services.

Download a ride share from the App Store or sign up with UBER or Lyft to request a ride. Ride share services are prevalent through the San Francisco Bay Area and they can take you directly to your location in and around Napa Valley.

Traffic Tips

To avoid rush-hour traffic when driving – set your trip to drive at unusual times – especially late night (after 8pm).

Utilize carpool High Occupancy Vehicle “HOV” lanes. San Francisco rewards drivers who combine passengers. Take full advantage of the diamond lanes to speed past much of the traffic. Make sure to note the times for HOV exclusive right to the special high-speed lanes on signs throughout Bay Area highways.