Take the scenic route: now you can get to SFO via ferry

FILE - The Golden Gate Ferry boat Del Norte departs from the Larkspur Ferry Terminal in Larkspur, Calif. for a run to San Francisco on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. Those heading to the San Francisco International Airport will now have a ferry option when looking to get to their flight. less FILE - The Golden Gate Ferry boat Del Norte departs from the Larkspur Ferry Terminal in Larkspur, Calif. for a run to San Francisco on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. Those heading to the San Francisco International ... more Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Take the scenic route: now you can get to SFO via ferry 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

Tired of squishing suitcases against surly BART commuters on your way to the airport? Also tired of shelling out piles of money for a Lyft? Now, East Bayites can take a leisurely trip to the airport instead: San Francisco Bay Ferry and San Francisco International Airport have teamed up to offer ferry rides and free shuttle buses to SFO on weekday mornings.

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Here's how it works: head to the Alameda Main Street Ferry Terminal or the Oakland Ferry Terminal, catch a ferry to South San Francisco, and a SFO Ferry Connector Bus will shuttle you for free to the airport in 20 minutes.

Overall, the trip from Alameda to the SFO International Terminal will take you around an hour and 15 minutes; the trip from Oakland to SFO will take around an hour and 5 minutes.

You can also take a shuttle and ferry combo on the way back from SFO to Oakland and Alameda on weekday afternoons/early evenings.

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It's a little bit of a slower route than other forms of transportation — a BART ride from 12th St. Oakland City Center to SFO takes about 45 minutes, and depending on traffic, riding Uber or Lyft might only take you 30 minutes. But it's potentially cheaper than any other option: if you use a Clipper Card, one-way fare is $8.10 (remember, the shuttle part is free). Meanwhile, BART from 12th St. Oakland costs $9.50, and Uber or Lyft from the East Bay might cost you upwards of $40.

That's not to mention the sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay or the full service bar on the ferry. All aboard.

Madeline Wells is an SFGate editorial assistant. Email: madeline.wells@sfgate.com | Twitter: @madwells22