San Diego Transportation

Planning a Trip

Visitor Information -- In downtown San Diego, the Convention & Visitors Bureau (ConVis; tel. 619/236-1212; www.sandiego.org) has an International Visitor Information Center located on the Embarcadero at 1040 1/3 W. Broadway, at Harbor Drive. Daily summer hours are from 9am to 5pm; for the remainder of the year it's open daily from 9am to 4pm. ConVis offers great info and deals on its website, but you can also get your hands on the glossy Official Visitors Planning Guide from the information center. The guide includes information on member accommodations, dining, activities, attractions, tours, and transportation. ConVis also publishes San Diego Travel Values, featuring discounts on hotels, restaurants, and attractions (it's available online, too).

In La Jolla, ConVis operates a walk-up-only facility at 7966 Herschel Ave., near the corner of Prospect Street. This office is open daily in summer, from 11am to 7pm (Sun 10am-6pm); from September to May the center is open daily but with more limited hours.

If you're driving into town, the San Diego Visitor Information Center, 2688 E. Mission Bay Dr. (tel. 800/827-9188 or 619/276-8200; www.infosandiego.com), is between Mission Bay and I-5, at the Clairemont Drive exit. This private facility books hotels and sells discounted admission tickets to a variety of attractions. There's plenty of parking; stop in between 9am and dusk.

The Coronado Visitors Center, 1100 Orange Ave. (tel. 866/599-7242 or 619/437-8788; www.coronadovisitorcenter.com), dispenses maps, newsletters, and information-packed brochures. Inside the Coronado Museum, it's open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm.

You can also find staffed information booths at the airport and the train station.

Browse for online information in advance of your trip at the following websites: www.discoversd.com and www.infosandiego.com, for general information; www.lajollabythesea.com, for details on La Jolla's offerings; and www.sandiegonorth.com, for information on excursion areas in northern San Diego County, including Del Mar, Carlsbad, Escondido, Julian, and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

If you're thinking of attending a play or some other performance while you're in town, contact the San Diego Performing Arts League (tel. 619/238-0700; www.sandiegoperforms.com) for a copy of What's Playing?, which contains information on upcoming shows. The calendar is also available online. Half-price day-of-show tickets are available through the league's Arts Tix program.

San Diego Art + Sol (tel. 619/236-1212; www.sandiegoartandsol.com) is a cultural marketing campaign guided by ConVis. The website lists performances and exhibits scheduled for any specific date, and you may also request a free copy of the biannual magazine, which contains a 6-month calendar of events and cultural itineraries.

San Diego has two major print publications: The daily San Diego Union-Tribune and the alternative (and free) San Diego Weekly Reader. "Night & Day," the U-T's weekly entertainment supplement, which comes out on Thursdays, will give you the nuts and bolts of what's going on in town that week. For a more complete list of happenings, check the Reader, which also comes out on Thursdays, and can be found all over the city at bookstores, cafes, liquor stores, and other outlets; a condensed version called the Weekly is found in hotels and tourist areas. Check the free San Diego CityBeat for a truly alternative take on San Diego. It's distributed throughout the city on Wednesdays.

Getting There

By Plane

San Diegans have a love-hate relationship with San Diego International Airport (tel. 619/231-2100; www.san.org), also known as Lindbergh Field. The facility (airport code: SAN) is just 3 miles northwest of downtown, and the landing approach is right at the edge of the central business district. Pilots thread a passage between high-rise buildings and Balboa Park on their final descent to the runway -- you'll get a great view on either side of the plane. The best part: We usually count the time from touchdown to gate-park in seconds, not minutes, and departures are rarely delayed for weather problems.

Lindbergh Field is the nation's busiest single-runway commercial airport -- all 600 daily arrivals and departures use just one strip of asphalt. And while its dainty size makes it easy for travelers to navigate, its truncated facilities make it virtually unusable for international travel. Most overseas visitors arrive via Los Angeles or points east (Air Canada and AeroMéxico are the only international carriers flying into San Diego). Domestically, the city is served by most national and regional airlines, although none utilize Lindbergh Field as a connecting hub. City officials are well aware of the critical need to enlarge or move the airport. Plans have ranged from a floating airport-at-sea (yes, really) to setting it in the Anza-Borrego Desert to conscripting Miramar Naval Air Station. The latest plan calls for a build-out of the current site.

Planes land at Terminal 1 or 2, while the Commuter Terminal, a half-mile from the main terminals, is used by regional carriers American Eagle and United Express and for connecting flights to Los Angeles (for flight info, contact the parent carriers). The Airport Flyer ("red bus") provides free service from the main airport to the Commuter Terminal, or there's a footpath. General information desks with visitor materials, maps, and other services are near the baggage claim areas of both terminals 1 and 2. You can exchange foreign currency at Travelex (tel. 619/681-1941; www.travelex.com) in Terminal 2 on the second level (inside the security area, near the gates); hotel reservation and car-rental courtesy phones are in the baggage-claim areas of terminals 1 and 2.

If you are staying at a hotel in Carlsbad, Encinitas, or Rancho Santa Fe, the McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad (CLD) may be a more convenient point of entry. The airport is 42 miles north of downtown San Diego and is served by United Express from Los Angeles.

Overseas visitors can take advantage of the APEX (Advance Purchase Excursion) reductions offered by all major U.S. and European carriers. In addition, some large airlines offer transatlantic or transpacific passengers special discount tickets under the name Visit USA, which allows mostly one-way travel from one U.S. destination to another at very low prices. Unavailable in the U.S., these discount tickets must be purchased abroad in conjunction with your international fare. This system is the easiest, fastest, and cheapest way to see the country.

Arriving at the Airport -- Immigration & Customs Clearance -- International visitors arriving by air, no matter what the port of entry, should cultivate patience and resignation before setting foot on U.S. soil. U.S. airports have considerably beefed up security clearances in the years since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and clearing Customs and Immigration can take as long as 2 hours.

Getting Into Town from the Airport
By Bus -- The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS; tel. 619/233-3004; www.transit.511sd.com) operates the San Diego Transit Flyer -- bus route no. 992 -- providing service between the airport and downtown San Diego, running along Broadway. Bus stops are at each of Lindbergh Field's three terminals. The one-way fare is $2.25, and exact change is required. If you're connecting to another bus or the San Diego Trolley, you'll need to purchase a Day Pass; free transfers are no longer given. A 1-day pass starts at $5 and is available from the driver or online. The ride takes about 15 minutes, and buses come at 10- to 15-minute intervals.

At the Transit Store, 102 Broadway, at First Avenue (tel. 619/234-1060), you can get information about greater San Diego's mass transit system (bus, rail, and ferry) and pick up passes, free brochures, route maps, and timetables. The store is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

By Taxi -- Taxis line up outside terminals 1 and 2. The trip to a downtown location, usually a 10-minute ride, is about $10 (plus tip); budget $20 to $25 for Coronado or Mission Beach, and about $30 to $35 for La Jolla.

By Shuttle -- Several airport shuttles run regularly from the airport to points around the city; you'll see designated pickup areas outside each terminal. The shuttles are a good deal for single travelers; two or more people traveling together might as well take a taxi. The fare is about $8 per person to downtown hotels; Mission Valley and Mission Beach hotels are $12; La Jolla, $31 ($9 for each additional person); and Coronado hotels, $16. Rates to a residence are about $8 more than the above rates for the first person. One company that serves all of San Diego County is Super Shuttle (tel. 800/974-8885; www.supershuttle.com).

By Car -- If you're driving to downtown from the airport, take Harbor Drive south to Broadway, the main east-west thoroughfare, and turn left. To reach Hillcrest or Balboa Park, exit the airport toward I-5, and follow the signs for Laurel Street. To reach Mission Bay, take I-5 north to I-8 west. To reach La Jolla, take I-5 north to the La Jolla Parkway exit, bearing left onto Torrey Pines Road.

By Bus

Greyhound buses serve San Diego from downtown Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and other Southwestern cities, arriving at the downtown terminal, at 120 W. Broadway (tel. 800/231-2222 or 619/239-3266; www.greyhound.com). A number of hotels, Horton Plaza, and the Gaslamp Quarter are within walking distance, as is the San Diego Trolley line. Buses from Los Angeles are as frequent as every hour, and the ride takes about 2 1/2 hours. One-way fare is $22 and round-trips are $35. You can whittle the price down by purchasing nonrefundable tickets or by getting them in advance online.

Greyhound is the sole nationwide bus line. International visitors can obtain information about the Greyhound North American Discovery Pass. The pass can be obtained from foreign travel agents or through www.discoverypass.com for unlimited travel and stopovers in the U.S. and Canada.

By Train

Trains from all points in the United States and Canada will take you to Los Angeles, where you'll need to change trains for the journey to San Diego. You'll arrive at San Diego's Santa Fe Station, downtown at the west end of Broadway, between India Street and Kettner Boulevard. It's within walking distance to many downtown hotels and the Embarcadero. Taxis line up outside the main door, the trolley station is across the street, and a dozen local bus routes stop on Broadway or Pacific Coast Highway, 1 block away.

Amtrak (tel. 800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com) trains run between downtown Los Angeles and San Diego about 11 times daily each way. They stop in Anaheim (Disneyland), Santa Ana, San Juan Capistrano, Oceanside, and Solana Beach. Two trains per day also stop in San Clemente. The travel time from Los Angeles to San Diego is about 2 hours and 45 minutes (for comparison, driving time can be as little as 2 hr., or as much as 4 hr. during rush hour). A one-way ticket to San Diego is $29, or $43 for a reserved seat in business class.

International visitors can buy a USA Rail Pass, good for 15, 30, or 45 days of unlimited travel on Amtrak. The pass is available online or through many overseas travel agents. See Amtrak's website for the cost of travel within the Western, Eastern, or Northwestern United States. Reservations are generally required and should be made as early as possible. Regional rail passes are also available.

By Boat

San Diego's B Street Cruise Ship Terminal is at 1140 N. Harbor Dr., right at the edge of downtown (tel. 800/854-2757 or 619/686-6200; www.sandiegocruiseport.com). Carnival Cruise Lines (tel. 888/227-6482; www.carnival.com) counts San Diego as a year-round home port, while several others, including Holland America Line (tel. 877/932-4259; www.hollandamerica.com), Royal Caribbean (tel. 866/562-7625; www.royalcaribbean.com), and Celebrity (tel. 800/647-2251; www.celebritycruises.com) make seasonal stops here.

By Car

Three main interstates lead into San Diego. I-5 is the primary route from San Francisco, central California, and Los Angeles; it runs straight through downtown to the Tijuana border crossing. I-8 cuts across California from points east such as Phoenix, terminating just west of I-5 at Mission Bay. I-15 leads from the deserts to the north through inland San Diego; as you enter Miramar, take Hwy. 163 south to reach the central parts of the city.

If you're planning a road trip, being a member of the American Automobile Association (AAA) offers helpful perks. Members who carry their cards with them not only receive free roadside assistance, but also have access to a wealth of free travel information (detailed maps and guidebooks). Also, many hotels and attractions throughout California offer discounts to AAA members -- always inquire. Call tel. 800/922-8228 or your local branch, or visit www.aaa-calif.com, for membership information.

Visitors driving to San Diego from Los Angeles and points north do so via coastal route I-5. From points northeast, take I-15 and link up with Hwy. 163 S. as you enter Miramar (use I-8 W. for the beaches). From the east, use I-8 into the city, connecting to Hwy. 163 S. for Hillcrest and downtown. Entering the downtown area, Hwy. 163 turns into 10th Avenue. If you are heading to Coronado, take the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge from I-5. Maximum speed in the San Diego area is 65 mph, and many areas are limited to 55 mph.

San Diego is 130 miles (2-3 hr.) from Los Angeles; 149 miles from Palm Springs, a 2 1/2-hour trip; and 532 miles, or 9 to 10 hours, from San Francisco.

We complain of increasing traffic, but San Diego is still easy to navigate by car. Most downtown streets run one-way, in a grid pattern. However, outside downtown, canyons and bays often make streets indirect. Finding a parking space can be tricky in the Gaslamp Quarter, Old Town, Mission Beach, and La Jolla, but parking lots are often centrally located. Rush hour on the freeways is generally concentrated from 7 to 9am and 4:30 to 6pm. Be aware that San Diego's gas prices are often among the highest in the country. Also note that, generally speaking, we're not the best drivers in the rain -- vehicles careening out of control during the first couple of winter dousings keep the Highway Patrol and local news channels very busy. For up-to-the-minute traffic info, dial tel. 511.

Note on driving to Mexico: If you plan to drive to Mexico, be sure to check with your insurance company at home to verify exactly the limits of your policy. Even if your insurance covers areas south of the border, you may want to purchase Mexican car insurance because of the two countries' different liability standards. Mexican car insurance is available from various agencies (visible to drivers heading into Mexico) on the U.S. side of the border.

Car Rentals -- I'd love to tell you that public transportation is a good way to get around, as in New York City or London, but the distances between attractions and indirect bus routings usually make it inefficient. Those staying downtown will find plenty to see and do within easy reach (including Balboa Park and Old Town), but otherwise, if you don't drive to San Diego with your own car, you'll probably want to rent one. You can reach virtually all sights of interest using public transportation, but having your own wheels is a big advantage.

All the major car-rental firms have an office at the airport, and several have them in larger hotels. Note for Mexico-bound car renters: Some companies, including Avis, will allow their cars into Mexico as far as Ensenada, but other rental outfits won't allow you to drive south of the border.

If you're visiting from abroad and plan to rent a car in the United States, keep in mind that foreign driver's licenses are usually recognized in the U.S., but you should get an international one if your home license is not in English. International visitors should also note that insurance and taxes are almost never included in quoted rental-car rates in the U.S. Be sure to ask your rental agency about additional fees for these. They can add a significant cost to your car rental.

Check out Breezenet.com, which offers domestic car-rental discounts with some of the most competitive rates around. Also worth visiting are Orbitz, Hotwire.com, Travelocity, and Priceline.com, all of which offer competitive online car-rental rates.

Saving Money on a Rental Car -- Car-rental rates vary even more dramatically than airline fares. Prices depend on the size of the car, where and when you pick it up and drop it off, the length of the rental period, where and how far you drive it, whether you buy insurance, and a host of other factors. A few key questions could save you hundreds of dollars:

• Are weekend rates lower than weekday rates? Ask if the rate is the same for pickup Friday morning, for instance, as it is for Thursday night.
• Does the agency assess a drop-off charge if you don't return the car to the same location where you picked it up?
• Are special promotional rates available? If you see an advertised price in your local newspaper, be sure to ask for that specific rate; otherwise, you may be charged the standard cost.
• Are discounts available for members of AARP, AAA, frequent-flyer programs, or trade unions?
• How much tax will be added to the rental bill? Local tax? State use tax?
• How much does the rental company charge to refill your gas tank if you return with the tank less than full? Though most rental companies claim these prices are competitive, fuel is almost always cheaper in town.

Demystifying Renter's Insurance -- Before you drive off in a rental car, be sure you're insured. Hasty assumptions about your personal auto insurance or a rental agency's additional coverage could end up costing you tens of thousands of dollars, even if you're involved in an accident that was clearly the fault of another driver.

If you already hold a private auto insurance policy, you're most likely covered in the United States for loss of or damage to a rental car and liability in case of injury to any other party involved in an accident. Be sure to find out whether you're covered in the area you're visiting, whether your policy extends to everyone who will be driving the car, how much liability is covered in case an outside party is injured in an accident, and whether the type of vehicle you are renting is included under your contract. (Rental trucks, SUVs, and luxury vehicles or sports cars may not be covered.)

Most major credit cards (especially gold and platinum cards) provide some degree of coverage as well, provided they're used to pay for the rental. Terms vary widely, however, so be sure to call your credit card company directly before you rent.

If you're uninsured, your credit card will probably provide primary coverage as long as you decline the rental agency's insurance and as long as you rent with that card. This means that the credit card will cover damage or theft of a rental car for the full cost of the vehicle. (In a few states, however, theft is not covered; ask specifically about state law where you will be renting and driving.) If you already have insurance, your credit card will provide secondary coverage, which basically covers your deductible.

Note: Though they may cover damage to your rental car, credit cards will not cover liability, or the cost of injury to an outside party, damage to an outside party's vehicle, or both. If you do not hold an insurance policy, you may seriously want to consider purchasing additional liability insurance from your rental company, even if you decline collision coverage. Be sure to check the terms, however. Some rental agencies cover liability only if the renter is not at fault; even then, the rental company's obligation varies from state to state.

The basic insurance coverage offered by most car-rental companies, known as the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), can cost as much as $20 a day. It usually covers the full value of the vehicle with no deductible if an outside party causes an accident or other damage to the rental car. Liability coverage varies according to the company policy and state law, but the minimum is usually at least $15,000. If you are at fault in an accident, you will be covered for the full replacement value of the car, but not for liability. Some states allow you to buy additional liability coverage for such cases. Most rental companies will require a police report to process any claims you file, but your private insurer will not be notified of the accident.

Driving Rules -- San Diegans are relatively respectful drivers, although admittedly we often speed and sometimes lose patience with those who don't know their way around. We also have a tough time driving in the rain -- watch for spinouts and hydroplaning vehicles when traveling in our rare wet weather.

California has a seat-belt law for both drivers and passengers, so buckle up before you venture out. State law requires drivers to use hands-free cellphone technology (drivers age 17 and under cannot use a cellphone at all); text messaging while driving is also illegal. The first-offense fine for both is $20. Smoking in a car with a child age 17 and under is punishable by a $100 fine; an officer cannot pull you over for this, but can tack it onto another infraction. You may turn right at a red light after stopping unless a sign says otherwise; likewise, you can turn left on a red light from a one-way street onto another one-way street after coming to a full stop. Pedestrians have the right of way at all times, not just in crosswalks, so stop for pedestrians who have stepped off the curb. Penalties in California for drunk driving are among the toughest in the country. Speed limits on freeways, particularly Hwy. 8 through Mission Valley, are aggressively enforced after dark, partly as a pretext for nabbing drivers who might have imbibed. Also beware of main beach arteries (Grand Ave., Garnet Ave., and Mission Blvd.). Traffic enforcement can be strict -- random checkpoints set up to catch drunk drivers are not uncommon.

Parking -- Metered parking spaces are found in downtown, Hillcrest, and the beach communities, but demand outpaces supply. Posted signs indicate operating hours -- generally Monday through Saturday from 8am to 6pm. Be prepared with several dollars in quarters -- some meters take no other coin, and 25¢ usually buys only 12 minutes, even on a 2-hour meter. Most unmetered areas have signs restricting street parking to 1 or 2 hours; count on vigilant chalking and ticketing during the regulated hours. Three-hour meters line Harbor Drive opposite the ticket offices for harbor tours; even on weekends, you have to feed them. If you can't find a metered space, there are plenty of hourly lots downtown. Parking in Mission Valley is usually within large parking structures and free, though congested on weekends and particularly leading up to Christmas.

Downtown parking structures on Sixth Avenue (at Market and K sts.) have helped ease parking woes, but it's still a challenge. Of special concern are game nights -- and days -- at PETCO Park (Apr-Sept). Unless you're staying downtown or want to attend the game, it's best to avoid the baseball traffic and head elsewhere for dining or nightlife.

Curb Appeal -- Street-parking rules are color-coded throughout the city. A red curb means no stopping at any time. Blue curbs are used to denote parking for people with disabilities -- the fine for parking in these spaces without a distinguishing placard or a disabled license plate is $400 (out-of-state disabled plates are okay). A white-painted curb signifies a passenger loading zone; the time limit is 3 minutes, or 10 minutes in front of a hotel. A yellow curb is a commercial loading zone -- which means that between 6am and 6pm Monday through Saturday, trucks and commercial vehicles are allowed 20 minutes to load or unload goods, and passenger vehicles can unload passengers for 3 minutes (from 6pm-6am and all day Sun, anyone can park in a yellow curb zone, though some yellow zones are in effect 24 hours -- be sure to check any nearby signage). A green curb designates short-term parking only -- usually 15 or 30 minutes (as posted). Unpainted curbs are subject to parking rules on signs or meters.

Street Maps -- The Convention & Visitors Bureau's International Visitor Information Center, 1040 1/3 W. Broadway, along the downtown Embarcadero (tel. 619/236-1212; www.sandiego.org), provides an illustrated pocket map. Also available are maps of the 59-mile scenic drive around San Diego, the Gaslamp Quarter, Tijuana, San Diego's public transportation, and a "Campgrounds and Recreation" map for the county.

The Automobile Club of Southern California has 10 San Diego offices (tel. 619/233-1000; www.aaa-calif.com). It distributes great maps, which are free to AAA members and to members of many international auto clubs, and it sells auto insurance for those driving within Mexico.

Car-rental outfits usually offer maps of the city that show the freeways and major streets, and hotels often provide complimentary maps of the downtown area. The Transit Store, 102 Broadway, at First Avenue (tel. 619/234-1060), is a storehouse of bus and trolley maps, with a friendly staff on duty to answer specific questions.

If you're moving to San Diego or plan an extended stay, I recommend the Thomas Guide, available at bookstores, drugstores, and large supermarkets for $25 (www.thomasmaps.com). This all-encompassing book of maps deciphers San Diego County street by street.