Air Travel
Two major airports serve the northern Bay Area—OAK (Oakland) and SFO (San Francisco).Ground Transportation
From the Airports to Downtown Berkeley via BART
Getting from OAK and SFO to Berkeley by public transit is very reasonable and inexpensive because the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train system links us with them. Your destination is the Downtown Berkeley station. BART has an online trip planner that creates your itinerary based on date and either desired arrival time or likely boarding time.The BART website has rider’s guides for SFO and for OAK. BART goes all the way to SFO now. The OAK trip involves a ten-minute, $3 ride on an express bus called AirBART, which stops at the middle transit pavilion (of three) just outside the concourse, and at the entrance to the Coliseum BART station.
From Downtown Berkeley BART to LBNL
Registered participants will receive an LBNL Shuttle Bus pass. The bus is free but restricted to authorized personnel; the pass will allow you to board. The map below shows shuttle bus stops in relation to downtown Berkeley hotels.Shuttle Services and Rental Cars
A door-to-door shuttle is another popular option to and from SFO or OAK. (When interpreting these maps and tables, keep in mind that Berkeley is in Alameda County, part of the "East Bay" region.) BayPorter is among the popular choices.Rental cars are available at both airports.
Driving to LBNL
If you are staying at a hotel that is distant from the LBNL Shuttle routes, you will probably want a rental car. This map shows the two routes to Building 66, which is near the southeast corner of the campus. Pre-registered attendees will find parking passes awaiting them at the guard gate, along with a map showing where to find parking (which can become scarce as the morning wears on).Housing
Please consider staying at the onsite LBNL Guest House. Aside from convenience, the room rate meets federal per diem guidelines for onsite housing, and no taxes or fees apply.Berkeley Lab Guest House
Berkeley Lab now has an onsite Guest House. Here is a version of their registration form pre-filled with information for LSOW attendees. Fax or e-mail it to them at the address shown on the form and on their website.Note: If you stay at the Guest House and wish to use public transit rather than a rental car, mind the Shuttle Bus schedule. The last uphill bus leaves downtown Berkeley at 7 p.m. If you linger over the evening meal or sightseeing downtown, you will face a mile-plus, mostly-uphill walk, and may wish to consider a taxi.
Nearby Hotels
The Durant and the Shattuck are popular offsite choices for LBNL visitors. This LBNL-provided map shows hotels in the area, with an asterisk indicating the ones near the shuttle routes.Which Shuttle?
If you are staying at the Durant, which is on the south side of the campus, or at the International House or one of the Faculty Clubs, on the east side of campus, catch the Orange shuttle and ask the driver to alert you to the transfer point for the Uphill Blue shuttle, If you are staying at the Shattuck or other downtown hotels, take the Uphill Blue shuttle. In all cases, just tell the driver that you are headed for building 66.The LBNL shuttle bus is free. Your pre-registration materials will include a pass authorizing you to board.