SFO ↔ the Peninsula and South Bay · Updated October 2026
Redwood City to SFO Airport & Silicon Valley Car Service
Private transfers between SFO and every Silicon Valley town, from Redwood City 14 miles south to Los Gatos at the far end of the valley. Your chauffeur collects you at home or the office, or meets you inside SFO arrivals, at a price set before you ride.
Redwood City to SFO: Quick Facts
Distance: about 14 road miles · roughly 20 min in light traffic
Business Sedan: $210 Redwood City ↔ SFO · up to 3 passengers
First Class SUV: $250 Redwood City ↔ SFO · up to 6 passengers
Sprinter Van: $650 Redwood City ↔ SFO · up to 14 passengers
SFO ↔ Palo Alto: $240 sedan · SFO ↔ Los Gatos: $350 sedan
All-in: gratuity, tax and card fees included · call (888) 420-0177
Door-to-door between SFO and homes, offices and hotels down the Peninsula
Flight tracking and inside meet-and-greet on sedan and SUV arrivals
Pre-dawn departures and late arrivals, 24/7
Hourly option for a full day of meetings before your flight
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Redwood City to SFO airport is about 14 road miles, roughly 20 minutes on US-101 in light traffic. Detailed Drivers runs private transfers between SFO and every Silicon Valley town, from San Mateo to Los Gatos, priced all-in by its rate engine, with flight tracking on arrivals and a chauffeur who meets you inside the terminal.
These transfers are run by our car service in San Francisco, and every arrival goes through our SFO airport car service. Executives who want the same discreet car for the whole trip book our black car service in San Francisco; companies with regular visitors set up corporate transportation in San Francisco with one invoice. For a day of meetings, the hourly chauffeur service in San Francisco keeps the car waiting, and teams travel together in a Sprinter van rental in San Francisco. Flying into the South Bay instead? See our SJC airport car service. Compare vehicles on the Detailed Drivers fleet page or reserve your SFO transfer online.
Silicon Valley towns we serve from SFO
Mid-Peninsula
Burlingame · San Mateo · Foster City · Belmont · San Carlos · Redwood City
Palo Alto area
Menlo Park and Sand Hill Road · Atherton · Woodside · Palo Alto · Stanford University · Los Altos
South Bay
Mountain View · Sunnyvale · Santa Clara and Levi's Stadium · Cupertino and Apple Park · San Jose
Foothills
Los Gatos · Saratoga · Monte Sereno, at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains
Roads
US-101 along the Bay · I-280 along the hills · CA-85 and CA-17 toward Los Gatos
How much is a car service from Silicon Valley to SFO?
Each town is priced point to point from road miles by our rate engine. The same price applies to the airport run and the return.
| SFO ↔ | Business Sedan | First Class SUV | Sprinter Van | Distance · timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Mateo | $170 | $200 | $590 | 7 mi · about 11 min in light traffic · US-101 |
| Redwood City | $210 | $250 | $650 | 14 mi · about 19 min in light traffic · US-101 |
| Palo Alto (University Ave) | $240 | $290 | $700 | 20 mi · about 29 min in light traffic · US-101 or I-280 |
| Menlo Park (Sand Hill Road) | $240 | $300 | $710 | 21 mi · about 31 min in light traffic · I-280 |
| Stanford University | $250 | $310 | $720 | 22 mi · about 35 min in light traffic |
| Mountain View | $270 | $330 | $750 | 25 mi · about 33 min in light traffic · US-101 |
| Sunnyvale | $290 | $350 | $780 | 29 mi · about 37 min in light traffic · US-101 |
| Santa Clara (Levi's Stadium) | $290 | $360 | $790 | 30 mi · about 39 min in light traffic · US-101 |
| Cupertino (Apple Park) | $310 | $380 | $820 | 33 mi · about 42 min in light traffic · I-280 |
| Los Gatos | $350 | $430 | $880 | 40 mi · about 49 min in light traffic · CA-85 or CA-17 |
All-in estimates: gratuity, tax & card processing included, rounded to the nearest $10. Distances are road miles from OpenStreetMap routing to a central point in each town; timings are light-traffic figures. Mercedes S-Class available on request; quoted at booking.
Car service, Uber, taxi, Caltrain or driving to SFO?
From most Peninsula towns the real alternatives are rideshare and the train. Caltrain runs down the Peninsula and connects with BART at Millbrae for the last stop into SFO, which works well from a downtown station with light bags and less well from a home in the hills.
| Option | How it works from Silicon Valley | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Detailed Drivers | Booked ahead, door to door, chauffeur meets you inside on arrival, price fixed per town. | Executives, families, early flights. |
| Uber Black or Uber | On demand; arrivals at SFO use the app pickup zones, and prices rise when demand does. | Flexible solo trips. |
| Taxi | Taxi stand at SFO; metered fare down the Peninsula, hard to pre-arrange from residential areas. | Short trips to San Mateo or Burlingame. |
| Caltrain and BART | Train to Millbrae, then BART to SFO. Lowest cost; depends on the timetable and a ride to your station. | Light packers near a Caltrain station. |
| Driving yourself | SFO long-term parking and an AirTrain ride to the terminal, plus the cost of parking for the whole trip. | Short trips with a car already at hand. |
Four common trips, priced by the engine
Redwood City to an early flight
Solo traveler from a downtown Redwood City home to SFO in a Business Sedan: $210 all-in.
Investor visit to Sand Hill Road
SFO arrival straight to a Menlo Park office in a Business Sedan: $240 all-in.
Family to Los Gatos
Five travelers with bags from SFO to Los Gatos in a First Class SUV: $430 all-in.
Team to Mountain View
A team of ten from SFO to a Mountain View offsite in one Sprinter Van: $750 all-in.
Peninsula routes to SFO: US-101 or I-280?
Two freeways run the length of the Peninsula, and which one is faster changes by the hour. Your chauffeur checks live traffic before leaving and chooses on the day.
Redwood City, San Mateo and the Bayside towns
From Redwood City, San Carlos and San Mateo, US-101 is the direct line north to SFO and usually the right call. The airport exits come up quickly after San Mateo, so these are the shortest and most predictable runs on this page.
Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton and Woodside
From Palo Alto and Menlo Park both freeways are close. Homes west of El Camino Real, in Atherton, Woodside and Portola Valley, are often quicker via I-280, which runs through open country and tends to be calmer than US-101 at commute times. Sand Hill Road meets I-280 directly.
Mountain View to Los Gatos
From Mountain View, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara, US-101 is usually the way north. Cupertino and Los Gatos connect through CA-85 to either freeway. From the far South Bay it is worth comparing SFO with San Jose airport, which is closer for most of these addresses.
Allowing time for a departure
For departures we work back from your flight: terminal, bags to check, security and the traffic expected at that hour. A weekday morning flight from Palo Alto needs noticeably more buffer than the same trip on a Sunday.
Town by town: what to know before your SFO ride
Redwood City
Redwood City is about 14 miles south of SFO on US-101, farther than San Mateo and closer than Palo Alto. Pickups are usually downtown near the courthouse square and Caltrain station, or from homes in the hills toward Emerald Hills and Woodside. At $210 in a Business Sedan it is one of the shortest runs we price on the Peninsula.
Palo Alto and Stanford
University Avenue and California Avenue hold most of the downtown hotels and offices, and Stanford University sits just across El Camino Real. Campus visitors should tell us the building or the visitor center so the chauffeur can plan the drop-off; some campus roads are restricted, and the drop-off point follows the university's current rules.
Menlo Park and Sand Hill Road
Sand Hill Road runs from Stanford up to I-280 and is lined with low-rise office parks. The road is easy to reach from I-280, which often makes it quicker from SFO than downtown Palo Alto at commute times. Downtown Menlo Park along Santa Cruz Avenue is closer to US-101 and El Camino.
Mountain View and Sunnyvale
Castro Street is the downtown hub in Mountain View, with large office campuses to the north near the Bay. Sunnyvale sits just south. Both are straightforward US-101 runs from SFO, about 25 to 29 miles, and good candidates for SJC instead if your airline flies there.
Cupertino, Santa Clara and Los Gatos
These are the longest runs on this page. Cupertino and Los Gatos are reached by I-280 or CA-85, and Los Gatos sits at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains where CA-17 heads over the hill to the coast. Santa Clara is home to Levi's Stadium, where game and concert traffic changes the plan, so tell us if your trip falls on an event day.
Who books Silicon Valley airport transfers
Visiting executives
Meetings on Sand Hill Road or at a corporate campus, often several in one day, then back to SFO for an evening flight. Hourly service keeps one car waiting between stops.
Residents
Peninsula and South Bay households who would rather not pay for a week of airport parking or ask a neighbor for a 5 a.m. ride.
University visitors
Families and guests heading to Stanford, especially around move-in, commencement and campus events, when local hotels and roads are busiest.
Event groups
Fans and hospitality guests for games and concerts at Levi's Stadium, moved together in a Sprinter Van.
For more on running executive travel in the area, our tech executive's guide to black car service and the San Francisco corporate car service guide cover accounts, billing and policy.
Point to point or hourly for a Silicon Valley trip?
A single ride between SFO and one address is cheapest point to point, priced by the town table above. Once a trip has several stops with waiting in between, hourly service usually works out better, because the chauffeur stays with you and there is no new booking at each address. Hourly rates hold the same car for the whole block, with a 3-hour minimum.
| Vehicle | Hourly | 4-hour block | 6-hour block | 8-hour day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Sedan | $120/hr | $480 | $710 | $950 |
| First Class SUV | $150/hr | $580 | $870 | $1,160 |
| Sprinter Van | $240/hr | $940 | $1,410 | $1,880 |
All-in estimates: gratuity, tax & card processing included, rounded to the nearest $10.
A typical visiting executive day
A common pattern: land at SFO mid-morning, a first meeting in Menlo Park, lunch in Palo Alto, an afternoon at a Mountain View office, and back to SFO for an evening flight. Booked as separate rides that is four trips and three waits for a car; booked hourly it is one chauffeur who knows the plan, keeps your bags in the car all day, and adjusts if a meeting runs long. Six to seven hours covers that day comfortably.
What happens on arrival at SFO
We track the flight from departure. When you land the chauffeur texts the meeting point, meets you inside at baggage claim on sedan and SUV bookings, and helps with bags to the car. If the flight is early or late the pickup moves with it, and the waiting allowance starts when the flight actually lands. From there it is a short run onto US-101 or I-280 south, and most Peninsula destinations are reached before you have finished your first email.
When to book
Regular trips
24 hours ahead is usually enough for a sedan or SUV. Book Sprinter Vans further out.
Early departures
Book the day before at the latest; we confirm the pickup time in the evening.
Stadium and campus events
Game days in Santa Clara and big weekends at Stanford fill cars early. Reserve as soon as plans are set.
Conference weeks
Large conferences in San Francisco and San Jose tighten availability across the whole Bay Area.
How to book
- Send the trip. Your address and SFO flight number, or the pickup time for a departure.
- Pick the vehicle. Business Sedan for up to 3, First Class SUV for up to 6, Sprinter Van for up to 14.
- Confirm. Online or at (888) 420-0177. You receive the price and the chauffeur's details.
- Ride. Airport pickups include 45 minutes of complimentary waiting for domestic flights and 60 minutes for international flights, starting when the flight actually lands. We track your flight.
Redwood City and Silicon Valley to SFO FAQs
Prices, timing, routes and pickups between SFO and the Peninsula and South Bay.
Redwood City to SFO is about 14 road miles. A private transfer is $210 in a Business Sedan, $250 in a First Class SUV and $650 in a Sprinter Van, all-in with gratuity, tax and card processing. The same price applies in either direction.
About 20 minutes on US-101 in light traffic. Weekday mornings northbound and afternoons southbound are slower, so for a departure we set the pickup time from your flight, terminal and the expected traffic, not from the light-traffic figure.
SFO to University Avenue in Palo Alto is about 20 miles: $240 Business Sedan or $290 First Class SUV. SFO to Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park is $240 and SFO to Stanford $250 in a Business Sedan.
It depends on where you are going. For Redwood City, Menlo Park and Palo Alto, SFO is usually as close or closer. For Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino and Los Gatos, San Jose (SJC) is nearer: SJC to Palo Alto is about 18 miles ($220 Business Sedan). SFO has more nonstop and international flights.
Every sedan and SUV airport pickup includes inside meet-and-greet at no extra charge: your chauffeur waits inside the terminal at arrivals and texts you when you land. For Sprinter vans, minibuses and coaches, the chauffeur stays with the vehicle, so inside meet-and-greet is an add-on: a second team member meets your group inside, at an extra cost quoted at booking. At SFO that is the baggage claim for your terminal.
Yes. Book hourly instead of point to point and the same chauffeur waits between meetings. Hourly service is $120/hr in a Business Sedan with a 3-hour minimum, so a 5-hour day from SFO through Palo Alto and Mountain View is $600 all-in.
Yes. Residential pickups anywhere on the Peninsula and in the South Bay are routine. Give us the address and any gate or access instructions when you book.
Yes, 24 hours a day. First-wave departures from SFO mean pickups in Palo Alto or Los Gatos well before dawn, when trains run less often. We confirm the pickup time the evening before.
SFO to Los Gatos is about 40 road miles: $350 Business Sedan, $430 First Class SUV. SFO to Apple Park in Cupertino is about 33 miles, $310 Business Sedan. For these South Bay addresses, compare San Jose airport, which is much closer.
Yes. A Sprinter Van carries up to 14 people with luggage. SFO to Mountain View is $750 for the whole van. For several flights landing at different times, we can stage the van or send cars to each arrival.
A short stop on the route, such as collecting a colleague in San Mateo, is added to the booking and priced before you confirm. If the trip becomes several stops with waiting, hourly service is usually the better fit, and we will tell you which works out lower.
If you live or stay near a Caltrain station and travel light, the train plus BART from Millbrae is a reasonable choice. A car makes more sense with bags, children, an early or late flight when trains are less frequent, or an address in the hills far from a station. The car also removes the transfer at Millbrae.
Yes. Assistants and travel managers book on behalf of travelers every day. Corporate accounts receive one consolidated invoice, and we can send the confirmation with the chauffeur details to both the traveler and the person who booked.
Call or text your chauffeur. On a point-to-point booking a short delay is usually absorbed by the included waiting time; beyond that, extra waiting is billed by the minute at the rate for your vehicle. On an hourly booking the car simply waits as part of the block.
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Last updated October 2026 · All-in pricing, no surge
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