Independent rider's guide. Not affiliated with Waymo, Tesla, Zoox, Uber or Lyft. We don't book rides: book in the official apps. About our independence
San Francisco is the easiest place in the country to take a driverless taxi. Waymo is open to everyone, 24 hours a day, from the city down the Peninsula to San Jose. Zoox is running a waitlist, and Tesla's Robotaxi app here books a car with a human driver.
| Service | Status | How to book |
|---|---|---|
| Waymo | Open to all | Waymo app |
| Zoox | Waitlist | Zoox app; Rider Lounge at 301 Sutter St |
| Tesla Robotaxi | With a driver | Tesla Robotaxi app (chauffeured) |
Checked Nov 11, 2026
Waymo in the Bay Area
Waymo runs around the clock (Waymo Help) across San Francisco and down the Peninsula. In May 2026 it added more of San Jose and Campbell, and on October 27, 2026 it announced more of the South Bay, including a connection to BART at Berryessa Station (Waymo). Your pickup and destination both have to be inside the area; the map in the app is the authority.
The Ojai, Waymo's newest vehicle, is available in San Francisco alongside the Jaguar I-PACE (Waymo FAQ). Riders who use a wheelchair and can't transfer can request a manually driven wheelchair-accessible vehicle in the app (Waymo Help).
A Bay Area-only perk: since November 5, 2026, if you link a Visa card in the Waymo app and use it to pay for both a Waymo trip and a public transit connection within two hours, you earn $2.85 in Waymo Cash (Waymo).
Zoox's San Francisco waitlist
To join, get the Zoox app, create an account and answer the survey Zoox emails you. Zoox says it's opening access first to riders who are near its San Francisco service area, and the app tells you when you can request a ride. If the app isn't available for your phone, Zoox points riders to its Rider Lounge at 301 Sutter St (Zoox).
Tesla Robotaxi here has a driver
Tesla's Robotaxi app works in the Bay Area, but California's regulator doesn't treat it as an autonomous service. Tesla holds a charter-party permit, and a CPUC official said the person in the driver's seat is the driver, not a safety driver (Electrek). The Bay Area isn't on Tesla's list of autonomous cities (Tesla).
Airports
SFO: Waymo started passenger service on January 29, 2026 (SFO). It's open to a limited number of riders, and pickups and drop-offs are at the Rental Car Center, about 15 minutes from the terminals on AirTrain, or outside the Grand Hyatt at SFO, about 10 minutes away. SJC: Terminal A pickups are at Stop 9 and Terminal B pickups outside the Rental Car Center; drop-offs are at the Departures curb (Waymo Help). More in the SFO guide.
What it costs
Waymo publishes no San Francisco rate. In ride-price aggregator Obi's late-2025 data, a Waymo averaged $19.69 against $17.47 for UberX (TechCrunch). See whether Waymo is cheaper than Uber in San Francisco.
Ages: Waymo riders must be 18 to ride alone; younger riders travel with an adult, and children under 8 need a car or booster seat in the back (Waymo Rider Rules). Full details for every company are in the rider rules matrix.
Related: Waymo at SFO · Waymo vs Zoox · All robotaxi cities · How to ride
Questions riders ask
Can anyone ride a driverless taxi in San Francisco?
Yes, with Waymo. Anyone can download the Waymo app and ride in San Francisco, around the clock. Zoox is letting people in from a waitlist, starting with riders near its service area.
Does Waymo go from San Francisco to San Jose?
Yes. Waymo's Bay Area service area runs from San Francisco down the Peninsula to San Jose and Campbell, and an October 2026 expansion added a connection to BART at Berryessa Station.
Is the Tesla Robotaxi in San Francisco driverless?
No. California's utilities regulator says Tesla holds a charter-party permit, the same kind a limousine company has, and that the person in the driver's seat is the driver.
Does Waymo go to SFO?
For a limited number of riders so far, and not at the terminal curb: pickups and drop-offs are at the Rental Car Center or the Grand Hyatt at SFO, both reached by AirTrain.
Sources
- Robotaxi, Tesla Operator, checked Nov 11, 2026
- Waymo FAQ, Waymo Operator, checked Nov 11, 2026
- From the road, October 27, 2026 (five-city expansion), Waymo Operator, checked Nov 11, 2026
- Service areas, Waymo Help Operator, checked Nov 11, 2026
- Wheelchair-accessible vehicles, Waymo Help Operator, checked Nov 11, 2026
- Announcements, Waymo Help Operator, checked Nov 11, 2026
- Airport service, Waymo Help Operator, checked Nov 11, 2026
- Waymo Rider Rules, Waymo Help Operator, checked Nov 11, 2026
- Get support: rider FAQ, Zoox Operator, checked Nov 11, 2026
- Waymo approved to begin passenger service at SFO (Jan. 29, 2026), San Francisco International Airport Regulator or airport, checked Nov 11, 2026
- California regulator confirms Tesla is 'not operating an autonomous vehicle service' (Mar. 25, 2026), Electrek News report, checked Nov 11, 2026
- The price gap between Waymo and Uber is narrowing (Jan. 27, 2026), TechCrunch News report, checked Nov 11, 2026
We check every fare, city, airport and rule against the operators' own help pages, regulators and reputable reporting, and we date each check. Reported figures are labeled as reported. We don't sell rides, codes or rankings. About us · How we source and check facts