Getting from SF to the Russian River Resort Area via Public Transportation

Travel from San Francisco to Guerneville via public transportation.  Enjoy all the activities the River has to offer without the need for a car.  Everything you need to enjoy your vacation is in walking distance once you’re in the town of Guerneville.  Written:  23 June 2006.

 

The two websites for fares and schedules are:

 

http://www.goldengatetransit.org which gets you from San Francisco to Santa Rosa and vice versa, and

 

http://sctransit.com  Sonoma County Transit (from Santa Rosa to Guerneville and vice versa)

 

On Mondays thru Fridays, you can take express buses (same price as regular buses and a lot fewer stops).  The express buses are meant for commuters coming into SF in the morning and leaving SF in the afternoon.  If you can depart from San Francisco on a Monday through Friday, the best itinerary to catch express buses is:

 

Take the #72 Golden Gate Transit in the afternoon to get to Santa Rosa.  Depart at 2:12pm leaving from 7th Street and Folsom Street – that’s the first stop.  You can also catch it a couple of minutes later on the north side of the TransBay Terminal which is at Mission and Fremont Streets (look for the #72 sign and/or ask people standing there – they are regulars so they know).  The regular adult fare is $8.00 (1/2 that ($4.00) for senior/disabled).  Ask for a transfer to save you 25˘ on your bus to Guerneville.

 

By catching that bus, you can catch the Russian River Express bus (Sonoma County Transit #20) which leaves at 5:05pm from the downtown Santa Rosa Transit Mall.  Ask the bus driver for that specific stop. While waiting for the 5:05pm bus, there’s plenty to do in Santa Rosa:

 

  • The transit mall is also a shopping mall so you can shop or eat there.
  • Have a drink at the nearby Ale House next to Bank of America on 3rd Street.
  • Go to the Santa Rosa main library at 3rd and E Streets.

 

The #20 bus has two routes, the Russian River Express stops in fewer towns and gets you to Guerneville in 45 minutes (it’s the one that departs Santa Rosa Transit Mall at 5:05pm).  The #20 that is not express, goes thru Sebastopol and takes nearly an hour and a half.

 

If you go on the weekends or in the morning, you take Golden Gate Transit #80 which makes many stops along the way taking over 2 hours to reach Santa Rosa, but the price is the same.  Also, the Sonoma County #20 Russian River Express has limited availability (so check the schedule on the website).  Again, if you do not get the Express, you will still get to your destination; it just takes longer (see above paragraph).  The Guerneville bus is $2.50 ($1.25 for senior or disabled).  You save 25 cents off that price if you remember to ask your Golden Gate Transit bus driver for a transfer, then present that transfer and pay $2.25 ($1.25

 for senior or disabled) to the Sonoma County Transit bus driver.  Catch the Russian River bus #20 on the north side of the transit mall – it will start out heading west – to go from Santa Rosa to Guerneville.  Catch it in Guerneville (it’s going eastward) in front of the Safeway store to go from Guerneville to Santa Rosa.  The Russian River Express does have an express bus from Guerneville to Santa Rosa departing Sat., Sun. & holiday evenings at 7:50pm and weekdays at 7:00am, 4:17pm and 6:24pm.  From Santa Rosa you would then take the slower #80 bus to San Francisco due to the limited schedule of the #72 express bus (check the schedule). The #80 departs from exactly the same place your #20 drops you off in the Santa Rosa Transit Mall

Written:  06/23/06.

Fares updated 12/21/06

 

Pack lightly.  If you show up with a large suitcase you will be denied boarding.  In general, you will not have a problem if you have what's considered "carry-on" baggage in an airplane (i.e., a small roller suitcase plus a small backpack).  If you only have one item it could be as large as a medium-sized backpack or duffel-type carrying bag.

Q.  When returning from Santa Rosa to San Francisco, why can't I catch an express bus?

A.  Because the express buses are meant for early morning commuters going to San Francisco, the last one leaves Santa Rosa at 6:40am.  The earliest bus from Guerneville to Santa Rosa doesn't arrive in Santa Rosa until 7:25am.  You must therefore take the slightly slower #80 bus.