Is Uber Safe In San Francisco? (Other Options You Should Check Out Too)

Planning Out The Details For A Trip To San Francisco And Wondering How To Get Around, If Uber Exists Here, Or If It’s Even A Safe Option?

My mom is from Southern California and I have family in Northern California so I’ve spent plenty of time in the state, but I made my first trip to San Francisco just a few years ago and I had the same question of whether or not Uber was safe or even the best option here, so during my trip I used pretty much every single kind of transportation option available so I’d be able to share all the helpful details and tips on transportation in this city.

⛑ Is Uber Safe In San Francisco?

Since it's a big city, it is important to be cautious and aware here.

While San Francisco typically isn’t considered the safest city in the US, Uber is generally pretty safe, but incidents have occurred in the past, so it’s good to know what to do to be as safe as possible.

Both Uber and Lyft began about 20 years ago in San Francisco, but they haven’t always been the safest here (more details below). Generally, for those that are cautious and aware, Uber is safe in San Francisco, though it’s not always the best or cheapest transportation option.

*️⃣ FAQ: Ubers are typically easy to get all over San Francisco, but I did have to wait a little longer for an UberXL when I had all my luggage

ℹ️ Tips To Make Uber Extra Safe In San Francisco

Because Uber has had some problems in the past in San Francisco, there are some things you can do to make it extra safe.

Uber is typically safe in San Francisco now, but with some big incidents occurring in the past, it’s always important to pay attention to be as safe as possible, especially when its late (like the an Alcatraz night tour pictured above):

1. Get In The Correct Car

Sounds obvious, but San Francisco had issues with people posing as Uber drivers and unsuspecting riders getting in. Double check license plates and names before getting in any car.

2. Ride In The Backseat

Unlike Uber safety tips in Colombia or Mexico, when riding in the US, sit in the backseat to create a little barrier between you and the driver. Most drivers shouldn’t want riders in the front anyways unless the car is full.

3. Share Your Trip

For an extra layer of protection, share the ride with someone through the app so they can follow along throughout the entire ride.

4. Follow Along

Instead of drifting off, falling asleep, or scrolling, be aware during your entire ride and follow the route in the app. The city may be unfamiliar, but still pay attention to the route the driver is taking.

5. Ride With Highly Rated Drivers

Although both Uber and Lyft have cancellation policies, it’s better to cancel a ride if the driver’s not highly rated or if it just doesn’t feel safe for any reason in San Francisco.

If this happens, don’t hesitate to cancel and contact customer service to let them know and see if they’ll give a refund.

These tips are helpful for any ride-share rides in any city or country.

6. Make Sure The Ride Ended

Make sure the driver ended the ride in the app so that it doesn’t continue to charge you (this scam has happened to me before). If it does happen, it’s not a big deal, just contact support so they can take care of the issue and refund the charges.

7. Compare Ride-Shares

Since both Uber and Lyft are available in San Francisco, check both apps to see which is offering a better, cheaper price for each individual ride.

Or if you’re feeling adventurous, San Francisco even has the newer self driving ride-share option with Waymo. I saw tons of these driving passengers around the city and still couldn’t get used to seeing a car without a driver!

*️⃣ Tip: Fisherman’s Wharf is one of the best areas to stay in San Francisco for first time visitors because it’s super convenient, clean, safe, and walkable

🚋 Other Ways To Get Around SF (Besides Uber)

While Uber and other ride-share services (like Lyft or Waymo) are generally safe in San Francisco, they’re not always the best or cheapest options.

Private Airport Transportation

Uber does pickup from the San Francisco airport, but getting picked up in the Domestic Garage requires walking a good distance with luggage, and it might not feel super safe especially at night.

➡️ If you’d prefer a Private Transfer waiting specifically for you at SFO, I recommend Umbrella Bus & Charter

Cable Cars

Cable Cars are the most famous way to travel in San Francisco, and despite them being a bit touristy and more expensive, they’re a main symbol of San Francisco and a must ride at least once here.

*️⃣ FAQ: How Much Is A Cable Car Ride In San Francisco? a one way ticket for the cable car is $8 or a visitor passport (between one and seven days) starts at $24

Tours

Tours of San Francisco are one of the easiest ways to get an introduction to the city, and then walk, Uber, taxi, cable car, or whatever back to areas you want to explore more.

Here are a few popular San Francisco Tours:

an Overall San Francisco City Tour with a great guide
a Unique Hippie Van Tour of San Francisco
a Yosemite & Giant Sequoia Tour from San Francisco
a Drive Yourself City Tour of San Francisco
a Wine Country Tour from San Francisco

*️⃣ Tip: there are a few good surfing spots in this part of California, but it’s best to take a lesson because the waters are a little crazy and proper surf etiquette is important to get along with other surfers

Walking

San Francisco isn't that large miles-wise, but the streets are very steep.

San Francisco is pretty walkable in terms of distance (it’s only about 7 miles wide), but most streets are pretty steep. Small areas like Union Square, Chinatown, and North Beach are easy to walk around, but Fisherman’s Wharf is one of the easiest areas to walk because it’s so flat.

Taxis

Uber, Lyft, and other ride-shares are typically cheaper, nicer, and safer than taking a taxi in San Francisco, but some may prefer to take a certified taxi with an official driver for solo travelers or late night travel.

Driving Yourself

Pebble Beach is a bucket list kind of course thats definitely worth playing for its quality.

While having a car is nice for further exploration of Northern California to areas like Pebble Beach (pictured above), San Jose, Yosemite, the Redwoods, roadtripping through Big Sur, or going whale watching in Monterey, visiting San Francisco itself with a car is more trouble than it’s worth because:

the streets are super steep
trolleys & cable cars run everywhere and you have to know the system to avoid accidents
traffic can be bad
being unfamiliar with the city doesn’t help
car thefts & car break-ins are some of the most common crimes in SF
there are lots of one way streets that can be confusing
parking is expensive
gas is expensive

🤑 Is Uber Expensive In San Francisco?

Yes, Uber is pretty expensive in San Francisco, but pretty much all of San Francisco, and California in general, is very expensive (especially Ubers in Los Angeles). Ubers are safe and convenient, but there are other, better ways to get around San Francisco that also might be more reasonably priced.

Uber San Francisco Rates (average cost depending on Uber type):

Uber from the San Francisco airport to Downtown San Francisco = $40-110
Uber from SFO to Fisherman’s Wharf = $52-120
Uber from SFO to Union Square = $50-140
Uber from SFO to Berkeley = $70-140
Uber from SFO to Palo Alto = $54-160

🔁 Sum Up: Is Uber Safe In San Francisco?

Uber is generally a safe transportation option in San Francisco, but it can get pretty expensive, so mixing in other options like the famous cable cars, fun guided tours, or even private transportation are great ways to explore and get to know this interesting city.