Getting around · Oakland
Getting to and from OAK: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Oakland airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a metered taxi gets you to Downtown Oakland, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Park and Call. Below: every way to and from the airport, what it costs, whether to park or grab a ride, and how to fold the drive into your Leave-By Time so you reach security with room to get through the line. Check OAK TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminals
- 2
- Checkpoints
- 2
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- Yes
- Global Entry
- On site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from OAK — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
Metered
to Downtown Oakland
Drive time
15–25 min
10 mi to Downtown Oakland
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Fares to Downtown Oakland are on the meter, so the total depends on traffic and your exact address.
Terminal commercial curb in the ground transportation area. Metered taxis line up curbside outside the terminals. OAK does not publish a flat downtown fare, so the price is metered.
The OAK cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Park and Call. Park and Call lot at 1 Airport Dr, a few minutes from the terminals. There's a posted limit of about 30 minutes, so wait there until your traveler has their bags and is at the curb. Wait free for up to 30 minutes and stay in your car. If the lot is full, use a paid lot.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare OAKparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at OAK
Uber, Lyft, and Wingz pick up on the 3rd Curb at Sections 3C2-3C9.
Dropping off? Curbside stopping is for active loading and unloading only; you cannot wait at the curb. OAK has 2 terminals (1, 2), so confirm your airline's before your driver commits to a curb — find your terminal at OAK.
Driving to OAK — routes & drive time
OAK sits about 10 miles from Downtown Oakland, a drive of roughly 15–25 minutes via I-880 to downtown Oakland; Hegenberger Road links the freeway and the airport — closer to the high end at rush hour. That drive time is the first input into your Leave-By Time, so the calculator counts it backward from your flight along with today's security wait and the walk to your gate.
Getting to OAK by train or transit
By rail, your option is OAK connector to Coliseum, then BART Richmond line (downtown Oakland) or SF/Daly City line — figure about 20 minutes to Downtown Oakland. An automated AirTrain (the BART Connector) runs from the terminals to Coliseum Station in about 8 minutes, with trains every 6 minutes most of the day. From Coliseum, transfer to BART: about 12 more minutes to downtown Oakland (12th St) or 21 minutes to downtown San Francisco.
Fare: The OAK connector is about $6 each way, plus regular BART fare from Coliseum. Buy a ticket or tap Clipper/credit card at Coliseum.
Hotel and city shuttles to OAK
Free rental car shuttles run between the terminals and the Rental Car Center every 10 minutes or less, 24/7. If a shuttle is part of your plan, add its ride time to your Leave-By Time — it's easy to forget the 15–20 minutes between the curb and the terminal.
Park or ride to OAK?
The rule of thumb: a round-trip ride is one fixed cost, while parking adds up by the day. For a quick 1–2 day trip, parking usually costs less; for a longer trip, a round-trip taxi or rideshare often comes out ahead.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare OAKparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at OAK
All BART stations have elevators and wide fare gates for luggage and wheelchairs. The BART station sits just across from Terminal 1 baggage claim.
Late or overnight arrival? BART and the connector run until about midnight (every 20 minutes after 11pm). Use rideshare or taxi for later arrivals.
Returning a rental on the way out? Rental cars are at the Rental Car Center (7600 Earhart Road), reached by a free 24/7 shuttle that runs every 10 minutes or less. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Recently changed: The airport was renamed Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport in 2024. The airport's rideshare permit list was last verified in late 2023. Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified OAK's ground-transport details as of June 27, 2026. Always check the in-app pickup pin and posted signs when you land.
Flying out of a nearby airport instead?
If a fare or a schedule points you elsewhere, the closest airport we cover is SFO (San Francisco), about 11 miles from OAK in a straight line. The same math on this page — drive time, ride cost, security wait — decides whether the extra distance is worth it.
Other airports nearby
Straight-line distance from OAK — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go OAK
OAK TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ OAK
How much is a taxi to or from OAK?
Taxis to Downtown Oakland are metered, so the fare depends on traffic and the exact address. Terminal commercial curb in the ground transportation area.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at OAK?
Uber, Lyft, and Wingz pick up on the 3rd Curb at Sections 3C2-3C9. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the OAK cell-phone lot?
Park and Call — Park and Call lot at 1 Airport Dr, a few minutes from the terminals. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is OAK from Downtown Oakland?
OAK is about 10 miles from Downtown Oakland — roughly 15–25 minutes by car depending on traffic, via I-880 to downtown Oakland; Hegenberger Road links the freeway and the airport.
Is there a train from OAK to Downtown Oakland?
Yes. An automated AirTrain (the BART Connector) runs from the terminals to Coliseum Station in about 8 minutes, with trains every 6 minutes most of the day. From Coliseum, transfer to BART: about 12 more minutes to downtown Oakland (12th St) or 21 minutes to downtown San Francisco.