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Hertz car rental at San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport gives you a useful starting point before the city’s hills, bridges, and compact streets come into play. From SFO, you can head straight towards downtown hotels, follow the peninsula towards Silicon Valley, or connect with coastal routes without first navigating through central San Francisco.
By getting a Hertz car rental at San Francisco International Airport, your first route can be shaped around the part of the Bay Area you plan to visit. US-101 works well for downtown, SoMa, and the waterfront, while I-280 can be a better choice for western neighbourhoods, Daly City, or routes further down the peninsula.
Choosing Hertz car hire at San Francisco International Airport also helps when your plans include more than one side of the Bay Area. Before leaving the rental car centre, check your bridge route, parking garage, and arrival timing, as hills, one-way streets, visitor traffic, and toll roads can affect the drive quickly.
By renting a car at SFO airport, you can reach several key spots in a short drive:
- Downtown San Francisco is about 13 miles, around 20 to 35 minutes by car
- Golden Gate Park is about 15 miles, around 25 to 40 minutes by car
- PIER 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf are about 16 miles, around 30 to 45 minutes by car
- Exploratorium and the Embarcadero are about 15 miles, around 25 to 40 minutes by car
- Silicon Valley and Palo Alto are about 21 miles, around 30 to 45 minutes by car
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Location Information
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Driving & Quick Guide
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Travel Guide
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FAQs about car hire
Pick-up locations information
San Francisco International Airport
Mon-Sun 24 hours
780 McDonnell Road, San Francisco, 94128, United States
Driving in and around San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport connects quickly to US-101, I-380, I-280, and routes running north into the city or south along the peninsula. If your first stop is downtown, SoMa, Union Square, or the waterfront, US-101 is usually the most direct route. If you are heading towards Golden Gate Park, Ocean Beach, Daly City, or western neighbourhoods, I-280 may feel less crowded.
Parking is the main thing to plan in San Francisco. Garages are often easier than street parking, especially near Union Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Embarcadero, and museum areas. Street parking can include meters, permit zones, tow-away hours, steep kerbs, and street-cleaning restrictions.
If you cross the Golden Gate Bridge and return southbound into San Francisco, tolls apply, so check your Hertz toll terms before setting off.
A quick guide to San Francisco International Airport and beyond
SFO works well for city routes, peninsula drives, coastal trips, and Bay Area day plans. Here’s how you can explore the best of SFO by renting a car from Hertz San Francisco International Airport.
Pick your city route first
Use US-101 for downtown, SoMa, and central hotels. Use I-280 if your route points towards western San Francisco, Golden Gate Park, or the peninsula.
Park before busy districts
For Union Square, PIER 39, Chinatown, or the Embarcadero, choose a garage before entering the most crowded streets.
Time bridge drives carefully
For Sausalito, Marin Headlands, Muir Woods, or Napa routes, start early and allow extra time for bridge traffic on the return.
What cars can I hire at San Francisco International Airport?
The right vehicle for San Francisco depends on whether you are staying in the city, driving down the peninsula, or planning longer California routes. Smaller cars can help with parking, while larger vehicles may suit luggage, family trips, and road journeys beyond the Bay Area.
Vehicle availability can vary by booking date and travel period, but Hertz may offer options such as:
- Compact and economy cars: Well suited to lighter luggage, short city routes, tighter garages, and simple drives between SFO and central San Francisco.
- Sedans: A comfortable option for solo travellers, couples, and business visitors covering airport routes, downtown meetings, Silicon Valley, or nearby suburbs.
- SUVs: Helpful for families, extra bags, coastal roads, wine country routes, and longer drives towards Yosemite, Monterey, or Lake Tahoe.
- MPVs: Useful for small groups who need more cabin space for passengers, luggage, shopping, or day-trip items.
- Vans: A better fit for larger groups, sports equipment, family luggage, or routes with several suitcases.
- Premium vehicles: A refined option for business trips, scenic drives, special occasions, or comfortable city-to-city travel.
Electric Car Rental at San Francisco International Airport
Electric car rental at San Francisco International Airport can work well if your plans stay around San Francisco, the peninsula, Silicon Valley, airport hotels, shopping areas, and public garages. SFO provides EV charging in its public parking facilities, and San Francisco has charging points across many commercial garages, hotels, retail areas, and neighbourhood hubs.
If you are planning longer EV routes towards Napa, Monterey, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, or smaller coastal towns, check charging before leaving SFO. Hertz has a wide range of EV rentals, enabling you easy options to go green with an EV.
Value Added Services (VAS) – Enhance your rental experience
When renting a car at San Francisco International Airport, you can choose optional Hertz extras that may help with protection, roadside support, and family travel needs.
Available VAS products include:
- SuperCover: Gives added cover for selected rental risks, which can be useful for city drives, airport transfers, and longer California routes.
- Theft Protection: May reduce your liability if the rental vehicle is stolen, subject to the protection terms included in your booking.
- Hertz Premium Emergency Roadside Service: Provides additional support for certain roadside problems during the rental period.
- Infant seats: Suitable for babies who need a rear-facing seat from the airport to hotels, homes, or longer trip stops.
- Child seats: Helps younger children travel in a secured seat that fits their age and size requirements.
- High-back booster seats: Designed for older children who need extra height and support for safer seat-belt positioning.
- Collision Damage Waiver (CDW): May lower your responsibility for eligible vehicle damage, depending on rental terms, conditions, and exclusions.
Explore places within 30 miles of San Francisco International Airport
Palace of Fine Arts
15.4 miles from San Francisco International Airport (approx)
1000+ parking spots available nearby (approx)
11 active charging points nearby (approx)
Open daily, 5 AM to 12 AM
A landmark in San Francisco’s Marina District, the Palace of Fine Arts is known for its grand classical architecture, lagoon and landscaped surroundings. It is a popular stop for photography, relaxed walks and sightseeing, with easy access to nearby waterfront
The Walt Disney Family Museum
- 16 miles from San Francisco International Airport (approx)
- 1000+ parking spots available nearby (approx)
- 9 active charging points nearby (approx)
- Open Thu-Mon, 10 AM to 5:30 PM
Located in the Presidio, The Walt Disney Family Museum explores Walt Disney’s life, creative work and influence through galleries, photographs, films and original artefacts. It is a worthwhile stop for families, animation enthusiasts and visitors interested in the history behind some of Disney’s most recognisable creations.
Exploratorium
- 13.9 miles from San Francisco International Airport (approx)
- 3000+ parking spots available nearby (approx)
- 36 active charging points nearby (approx)
- Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM
Exploratorium is an interactive museum focused on science, art and human perception. Visitors can explore hundreds of hands-on exhibits covering everything from light and sound to biology and physics, making it especially popular with families, students and curious travellers.
Hertz Car Hire FAQs – San Francisco International Airport
Can I rent a car from Hertz at San Francisco International Airport?
Can I rent a one-way car from San Francisco International Airport?
Can I modify or cancel my San Francisco International Airport reservation?
Are there any special requirements to rent a car from Hertz at San Francisco International Airport?
Can I return my Hertz rental car to a different location than where I picked it up?
Benefits from day one.
- Up to 10% off the base rate on rentals in select countries
Up to 10% discount applies to base rates in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Benelux. 5% applies for the rest of the world. The discount applies to the base rate quoted (excluding taxes and any other charges). It does not apply to affiliated rates or rates that are already discounted.
- Add your spouse as a second driver without an extra fee
- Earn points redeemable toward free rental days and upgrades
Points are earned on per day time and mileage charges only. Free rental days cover base rate (time and mileage) only. Taxes, optional extras and any other fees are excluded. One-car-class upgrade applies to Compact, Intermediate, Standard & Full-size rentals with a maximum upgrade to a Premium. Additional terms and exclusions apply
- Skip the counter and go straight to your car
You can skip the counter once your membership is activated after your first rental. Available at select locations only.
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