Getting Around

By Car

Main Arteries & Streets -- It's not hard to find your way around downtown San Diego. Most streets run one way, in a grid pattern. First through Eleventh avenues run north and south -- odd-number avenues are northbound, even numbers run south; A through K streets alternate running east and west. Broadway (the equivalent of D St.) runs both directions, as do Market Street and Harbor Drive. North of A Street, the east-west streets bear the names of trees, in alphabetical order: Ash, Beech, Cedar, Date, and so on. Harbor Drive runs past the airport and along the waterfront, which is known as the Embarcadero. Ash Street and Broadway are the downtown arteries that connect with Harbor Drive.

The Coronado Bay Bridge leading to Coronado is accessible from I-5 south of downtown, and I-5 N. leads to Old Town, Mission Bay, La Jolla, and North County coastal areas. Balboa Park (home of the San Diego Zoo), Hillcrest, and Uptown areas lie north of downtown San Diego. The park and zoo are easily reached by way of Park Boulevard (which would otherwise be 12th Ave.), and which leads to the parking lots. Fifth Avenue leads to Hillcrest. Hwy. 163, which heads north from 11th Avenue, leads into Mission Valley.

Coronado -- The main streets are Orange Avenue, where most of the hotels and restaurants are clustered, and Ocean Drive, which follows Coronado Beach.

Downtown -- The major thoroughfares are Broadway (a major bus artery), Fourth and Fifth avenues (which run south and north, respectively), C Street (the trolley line), and Harbor Drive, which curls along the waterfront and passes the Maritime Museum, Seaport Village, the Convention Center, and PETCO Park.

Hillcrest -- The main streets are University Avenue and Washington Street (both two-way, running east and west), and Fourth and Fifth avenues (both one-way, running south and north, respectively).

La Jolla -- The main avenues are Prospect and Girard, which are perpendicular to each other. The main routes in and out of La Jolla are La Jolla Boulevard (running south to Mission Beach) and Torrey Pines Road (leading to I-5).

Mission Valley -- I-8 runs east-west along the valley's southern perimeter; Hwy. 163, I-805, and I-15 run north-south through the valley. Hotel Circle is an elongated loop road that parallels either side of I-8 to the west of Hwy. 163; Friar's Road is the major artery on the north side of the valley.

Pacific Beach -- Mission Boulevard is the main drag, parallel to and 1 block in from the beach, and perpendicular to it are Grand and Garnet avenues. East and West Mission Bay drives encircle most of the bay and Ingraham Street cuts through the middle of it.

If you're visiting from abroad and plan to rent a car in the United States, keep in mind that foreign driver's licenses are usually recognized in the U.S., but you should get an international one if your home license is not in English.

Check out Breezenet.com, which offers domestic car-rental discounts with some of the most competitive rates around. Also worth visiting are Orbitz.com, Hotwire.com, Travelocity.com, and Priceline.com, all of which offer competitive online car-rental rates.

By Train

San Diego's express rail commuter service, the Coaster, travels between the downtown Santa Fe Depot station and the Oceanside Transit Center, with stops at Old Town, Sorrento Valley, Solana Beach, Encinitas, and Carlsbad. Fares range from $4 to $5.50 each way, depending on how far you go, and can be paid by credit card at vending machines at each station. Eligible seniors and riders with disabilities pay $2 to $2.75. The scenic trip between downtown San Diego and Oceanside takes 1 hour. Trains run Monday through Friday, from about 6:30am (5:30am heading south from Oceanside) to 7pm, with four trains in each direction on Saturday; call tel. 800/262-7837 or 511 (TTY/TDD 888/722-4889) for the current schedule, or log on to www.transit.511sd.com.

The new Sprinter rail service runs west to east alongside Hwy. 78, from Oceanside to Escondido. The Sprinter operates from about 4am to 8pm daily, with trains every half hour during the week and hourly on the weekends. Basic one-way fare is $2; $1 for seniors and travelers with disabilities.

Amtrak (tel. 800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com) trains run between San Diego and downtown Los Angeles, about 11 times daily each way. Trains to Los Angeles depart from the Santa Fe Depot and stop in Solana Beach, Oceanside, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, and Anaheim (Disneyland). Two trains per day also stop in San Clemente. The travel time from San Diego to Los Angeles is about 2 hours and 45 minutes (for comparison, driving time can be as little as 2 hr., or as much as 4 hr. during rush hour). A one-way ticket to Los Angeles is $29, or $43 for a reserved seat in business class. A one-way ticket to Solana Beach is $9; to Oceanside, $13; to San Clemente or San Juan Capistrano, $15; and to Anaheim, $20.

International visitors can buy a USA Rail Pass, good for 15 or 30 days of unlimited travel on Amtrak. The pass is available online or through many overseas travel agents. See Amtrak's website for the cost of travel within the Western, Eastern, or Northwestern United States. Reservations are generally required and should be made as early as possible. Regional rail passes are also available.

By Bus

Greyhound buses serve San Diego from downtown Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and other Southwestern cities, arriving at the downtown terminal, at 120 W. Broadway (tel. 800/231-2222 or 619/239-3266; www.greyhound.com). Several hotels, Horton Plaza, and the Gaslamp Quarter are within walking distance, as is the San Diego Trolley line. Buses from Los Angeles are as frequent as every hour, and the ride takes about 2 1/2 hours. One-way fare is $32 and round-trips are $64, but half-price discounts are available for travel Monday through Thursday.

Greyhound is the sole nationwide bus line. International visitors can obtain information about the Greyhound North American Discovery Pass. The pass can be obtained from foreign travel agents or through www.discoverypass.com for unlimited travel and stopovers in the U.S. and Canada.

By Public Transportation

Money-Saving Bus & Trolley Passes -- Day Passes allow unlimited rides on MTS (bus) and trolley routes. Passes are good for 2, 3, and 4 consecutive days, and cost $9, $12, and $15, respectively. Day Trippers are for sale at the Transit Store and all trolley station automated ticket vending machines; call tel. 619/234-1060 for more information.

By Bus -- The MTS Transit Store, 102 Broadway at First Avenue (tel. 619/234-1060), dispenses passes, tokens, timetables, maps, brochures, and lost-and-found information. It issues ID cards for seniors 60 and older, as well as for travelers with disabilities -- all of whom pay $1 per ride. Request a copy of the useful brochure San Diego's Fun Places, which details the city's most popular tourist attractions and the buses that will take you to them. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm.

San Diego has an adequate bus system that will get you to where you're going -- eventually. Most drivers are friendly and helpful; on local routes, bus stops are marked by rectangular red, white, and black signs every other block or so, farther apart on express routes. Most bus fares are $2.25. Buses accept dollar bills and coins, but drivers can't give change. Transfers are no longer issued, so if you need to make a connection with another bus or trolley, purchase a $5 day pass from the driver, at the Transit Store, trolley station ticket vending machine, or online. It gives you unlimited use of most bus and trolley routes for the rest of the service day.

For assistance with route information from a living, breathing entity, call MTS at tel. 619/233-3004. You can also view timetables, maps, and fares online -- and learn how the public transit system accommodates travelers with disabilities -- at www.transit.511sd.com. If you know your route and just need schedule information -- or automated answers to FAQs -- call Info Express (tel. 619/685-4900) from any touch-tone phone, 24 hours a day.

Some of the most popular tourist attractions served by bus and rail routes are:

• Balboa Park west entrance: Route 1, 3, and 120
• Balboa Park east entrances and San Diego Zoo: Route 7
• SeaWorld: Route 8 and 9
• Cabrillo National Monument: Route 84
• Seaport Village: San Diego Trolley Orange Line
• Qualcomm Stadium: Route 14 and San Diego Trolley Blue and Green lines
• Tijuana: San Diego Trolley Blue Line
• San Diego International Airport: Route 992
• Wild Animal Park: Route 386 (Mon-Sat only)
• Convention Center: San Diego Trolley Orange Line
• PETCO Park: Route 3, 4, 5, 11, 901, 929, 992, San Diego Trolley Orange and Blue lines
• Coronado: Route 901
• Gaslamp Quarter and Horton Plaza: most downtown bus routes and San Diego Trolley Blue and Orange lines
• Old Town: Route 8, 9, 10, 14, 28, 30, 35, 44, 105, 150, San Diego Trolley Blue and Green lines, and the Coaster

The Coronado Shuttle, bus Route 904, runs between the Marriott Coronado Island Resort and the Old Ferry Landing, and then continues along Orange Avenue to the Hotel del Coronado, Glorietta Bay, and back again. It costs $1 per person. Route 901 goes all the way to Coronado from San Diego and costs $2.25 for adults.

When planning your route, note that schedules vary and most buses do not run all night. Some stop at 6pm, while other lines continue to 9pm, midnight, or 2am -- ask your bus driver for more specific information.

By Trolley -- Although the system is too limited for most San Diegans to use for work commutes, the San Diego Trolley is great for visitors, particularly if you're staying downtown or plan to visit Tijuana. There are three routes. The Blue Line is the one that is the handiest for most visitors: It travels from the Mexican border (San Ysidro) north through downtown and Old Town, with some trolleys continuing into Mission Valley. The Orange Line runs from downtown east through Lemon Grove and El Cajon. The Green Line runs from Old Town through Mission Valley to Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego State University, and on to Santee. The trip to the border crossing takes 40 minutes from downtown; from downtown to Old Town takes 10 to 15 minutes. For a route map, see the inside front cover of this guide.

Trolleys operate on a self-service fare-collection system; riders buy tickets from machines in stations before boarding. The machines list fares for each destination (ranging from $1.25 for anywhere within downtown, to $3 for the longest trips) and dispense change. Tickets are valid for 2 hours from the time of purchase, in any direction. Fare inspectors board trains at random to check tickets. A round-trip ticket is double the price, but is valid all day between the origination and destination points.

The lines run every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes at night; during peak weekday rush hours the Blue Line runs every 10 minutes. There is also expanded service to accommodate events at PETCO Park and Qualcomm Stadium. Trolleys stop at each station for only 30 seconds. To open the door for boarding, push the lighted green button; to open the door to exit the trolley, push the lighted white button.

For recorded transit information, call tel. 619/685-4900. To speak with a customer service representative, call tel. 619/233-3004 (TTY/TDD 619/234-5005) daily from 5:30am to 8:30pm. For wheelchair lift info, call tel. 619/595-4960. The trolley generally operates daily from 5am to about midnight; the Blue Line provides limited but additional service between Old Town and San Ysidro throughout the night from Saturday evening to Sunday morning; check the website at www.transit.511sd.com for details.

The privately owned Old Town Trolley Tours and City Sightseeing are an excellent way to get around much of the city during a short visit. Both are essentially narrated sightseeing tours, but you can disembark at various points and join up later with the next passing group.

By Taxi

Half a dozen taxi companies serve the area. Rates are based on mileage and can add up quickly in sprawling San Diego -- a trip from downtown to La Jolla will cost about $30 to $35. Other than in the Gaslamp Quarter after dark, taxis don't cruise the streets as they do in other cities, so you have to call ahead for quick pickup. If you're at a hotel or restaurant, the front-desk attendant or concierge will call one for you. Among the local companies are Orange Cab (tel. 619/291-3333), San Diego Cab (tel. 619/226-8294), and Yellow Cab (tel. 619/234-6161). The Coronado Cab Company (tel. 619/435-6211) serves Coronado.

By Water

By Ferry -- There's regularly scheduled ferry service between San Diego and Coronado (tel. 800/442-7847 or 619/234-4111; www.sdhe.com). Ferries leave from the Broadway Pier (1050 N. Harbor Dr., at the intersection with Broadway) Sunday through Thursday on the hour from 9am to 9pm, and Friday and Saturday until 10pm. They return from the Ferry Landing in Coronado to the Broadway Pier Sunday through Thursday every hour on the half-hour from 9:30am to 9:30pm and Friday and Saturday until 10:30pm. The ride takes 15 minutes. The fare is $3 each way (50¢ extra if you bring your bike). Buy tickets at the San Diego Harbor Excursion kiosk on Broadway Pier or at the Ferry Landing in Coronado.

By Water Taxi -- Water taxis (tel. 619/235-8294; www.sdhe.com) will pick you up from any dock around San Diego Bay, and operate daily from 3 to 10pm, with extended hours on weekends and in summer. If you're staying in a downtown hotel, this is a great way to get to Coronado. Boats are sometimes available at the spur of the moment, but reservations are advised. Fares are $7 per person to most locations.

By Bicycle

San Diego is ideal for exploration by bicycle, and many roads have designated bike lanes. Bikes are available for rent in most areas.

The San Diego Ridelink publishes a comprehensive map of the county detailing bike paths (for exclusive use by bicyclists), bike lanes (alongside motor vehicle ways), and bike routes (shared ways designated only by bike-symbol signs). The free San Diego Region Bike Map is available online at www.511sd.com, or by calling tel. 511 or 619/699-1900. It can also be found at visitor centers.

It's possible to take your two-wheeler on the city's public transportation. For buses, let the driver know you want to stow your bike on the front of the bus, then board and pay the regular fare. The trolley also lets you bring your bike on the trolley for free. Bikers can board at any entrance except the first set of doors behind the driver; the bike-storage area is at the back of each car. The cars carry two bikes except during weekday rush hours, when the limit is one bike per car. For more information, call the Transit Information Line (tel. 619/233-3004). For an additional 50¢, bikes are also permitted on the ferry connecting San Diego and Coronado, which has 15 miles of dedicated bike paths.