How to get from Oakland Airport to Downtown Oakland

Fern Coll

Travel Writer/World Explorer

October 4, 2022

Oakland is an exciting city located on the east side of San Francisco Bay in California. The perfect mix of tradition and modern, you can explore Old Oakland and its beautiful Victorian-era buildings and boutique shops, then head to Uptown and stroll to the Fox and Paramount theatres, or enjoy an evening at one of the many bars and restaurants there.

When it comes to finding transportation from Oakland airport to downtown Oakland, you have two options; taxi or BART train. Taking an Oakland airport taxi is quick and easy, it takes just 20 minutes to reach downtown and costs around $39 (€40). Taking the BART train is a much cheaper option, at just $2.15 (€2.20) a ticket and a journey time of around 20 minutes.

Welcome Pickups offers meet and greet services and a friendly introduction to Oakland at the same price as a regular taxi. Click here to see the cost.

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Comparison of the options

PRICE FOR 2PASSENGERS

OPTION	PRICE	DURATION	AVAILABILITY
Taxi	€40	20min	24/7
Train	€4.40	20min	05:00–00:00

How to get from Oakland Airport to Downtown Oakland by Taxi

Taking a taxi from Oakland airport to Downtown Oakland is a quick and reliable way to travel. The cost of an Oakland airport taxi to the city is around $39 (€40) and the journey time is 20 minutes in light traffic.

How much is a taxi from Oakland Airport to Downtown Oakland?

The cost of a local Oakland airport taxi is around $39 (€40). However, there are no set charges when taking a taxi from Oakland airport to downtown Oakland, you will be charged with a taximeter instead.

If you’re looking for the peace of mind that comes with a set rate fare, we recommend pre-booking your transfer with Welcome Pickups.

Cost

$39 (€40)

Trip Duration

20 Min.

*Prices may vary unless booked in advance.

Convenience

Safety

Value for Money

Taxis are available 24/7 outside of Oakland Airport.

Where do I find a taxi at Oakland Airport?

Taxis are readily available outside of both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at Oakland airport.

Convenience

Taking a taxi from Oakland airport to downtown Oakland is the only direct mode of transportation. You won’t need to worry about transfers or navigating the BART train stations. Instead, you can make your way directly to the door of your hotel in just 20 minutes.

Editor’s Note

If you're travelling during rush hour, the journey time in a taxi will increase to up to an hour. In this case, you may wish to take the BART train as it avoids traffic.

Useful Tips

Luggage that can fit in the trunk can be transported for free.

There will be an airport pickup charge added to your fare.

Be sure to bring small bills in the local currency of USD, as the local drivers can't usually break big bills.

How to get from Oakland Airport to Downtown Oakland by Train

The BART train runs from Oakland Airport to Downtown Oakland 7 days a week. However, the train isn’t direct, you will need to take the BART train from Oakland airport to Coliseum Station, then transfer to a Richmond-bound train from there to the city centre. The total journey time will be around 20 minutes and the cost will be $2.15 (€2.20) per traveller.

How much is the train from Oakland Airport to Downtown Oakland?

To ride the BART train, you must use a Clipper Card. You can download this to your phone in advance or purchase a plastic card version in Coliseum Station. To ride the BART train from Coliseum Station to the city centre, you must top up your Clipper card by at least $2.15 (€2.20).

Cost

$2.15 (€2.20)

Trip Duration

20 Min.

*There's a waiting time of 15 minutes for the BART train.

Convenience

Safety

Value for Money

The BART train runs from 05:00 to 24:00 during the week, 06:00 to 24:00 on Saturdays and 08:00 to 24:00 on Sundays.

Where do I find the train at Oakland Airport?

If you’re looking to take the train as your transportation from Oakland airport to downtown Oakland, you must first walk to the BART station, located between the two terminals. The walk is a quick 5 minutes.

Convenience

If you’re landing during rush hour, or are looking for a budget mode of transportation from Oakland airport to downtown Oakland, the BART train could be a good choice for you. However, the journey isn’t direct, so you will need to navigate different train stations and carry your large luggage items with you. Plus, once you reach downtown Oakland, you will need to find alternate transport to get to your hotel.

Timetables

Oakland International Airport Departures

Coliseum Station Departures

Editor’s Note

To avoid adding extra time and effort to your journey, I recommend pre-downloading the Clipper app to your phone and topping it up with credit before arriving at Oakland airport.

Useful Tips

Ensure you top up your Clipper card before trying to enter the train, as you won't be able to get through the ticket gates otherwise.

Children under the age of 5 can travel for free on the BART trains.

There's little to no luggage storage on the train, be sure to travel light.

Frequently asked questions

How far is downtown Oakland from Oakland airport?

The distance from Oakland airport to downtown Oakland is around 15 km. Taking either an Oakland airport taxi or the BART train will take around 20 minutes to reach the city centre.

What’s the cost of a taxi from Oakland Airport to downtown Oakland?

The cost of a local taxi from Oakland airport to downtown Oakland will be approximately $39 (€40). There are no set fares from the airport, so your final fare will depend on your exact destination in the city and the level of traffic. If you’d prefer to take a transfer with a fixed rate fare, we suggest booking with Welcome Pickups in advance.

How much is BART from Oakland Airport to downtown Oakland?

The cost of BART train transportation from Oakland airport to downtown Oakland will be $2.15 (€2.20). However, you must first get a Clipper card and top it up by at least this amount to be able to ride the train.

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How to get from Oakland Airport to Downtown Oakland by Taxi

How much is a taxi from Oakland Airport to Downtown Oakland?

Cost

$39 (€40)

Trip Duration

20 Min.

Convenience

Safety

Value for Money

Taxis are available 24/7 outside of Oakland Airport.

Where do I find a taxi at Oakland Airport?

Convenience

Editor’s Note

Useful Tips

How to get from Oakland Airport to Downtown Oakland by Train

How much is the train from Oakland Airport to Downtown Oakland?

Cost

$2.15 (€2.20)

Trip Duration

20 Min.

Convenience

Safety

Value for Money

The BART train runs from 05:00 to 24:00 during the week, 06:00 to 24:00 on Saturdays and 08:00 to 24:00 on Sundays.

Where do I find the train at Oakland Airport?

Convenience

Timetables

Oakland International Airport Departures

Coliseum Station Departures

Editor’s Note

Useful Tips

Frequently asked questions

How far is downtown Oakland from Oakland airport?

What’s the cost of a taxi from Oakland Airport to downtown Oakland?

How much is BART from Oakland Airport to downtown Oakland?

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The best way to arrive in Oakland

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