Bart me to the airport, please!

I love to travel, but absolutely hate to pay high fees to park my silly car. On a recent trip to Idaho, I opted out of the parking at the airport portion of my trip. It costs big bucks to store your wheels in one of those lots, even for a four day long weekend, and those little punchy cards are a great way to save money, only I always lose mine. 

I could have asked a friend drop me off at the airport, always a great way to go, only that's such a waste of gas to drive back and forth. So I found a better solution – Bart! Not only can Bart zip you to the San Francisco Giants games or a day of play in the magical City, but it can drop you right at the airport front lobby.

The cost difference is the biggest motivation for Bart vs. airport parking.  Jump on Bart and for just under $5 you’ll find yourself at the Oakland airport (from the Pleasanton station) faster than you can say, “I’ll take your money.” The fare is more for San Francisco's airport, so check www.Bart.gov for fare details.

The day before my trip, I checked into my flight and decided to browse the Bart site for departure times. That’s when I spied the “plan your trip” option. Oh my goodness, what a cool tool!

To reduce my stress, I always arrive at the airport at least one and a half to two hours before my departure time. The "plan your trip" Bart option is super easy to use, just enter your departure from Bart's station time, and the website shows you the closest train to your time AND estimates the arrival at your destination. No more guessing for me, I’d be there in plenty of time.

The day of my trip, I hopped on my Bart train lickety split and we were off like a herd of horses on the speedy train. The only hitch in my giddy up plan was the bus hop ride from Bart to the airport.

It used to be $2 and I remembered you need exact change or a Bart ticket with exactly $2 on it. Much to my dismay the fare is now $3 and the smallest bill I had was a $10 and only two $1 bills.

Expecting to be told to catch the next bus (and throwing me off my time schedule) I started to exit, but was called back by the bus driver. Several other riders offered change for my $10. What nice people! Not only is Bart a quick and cool way to commute, it has nice bus drivers AND friendly passengers.

I arrived at my gate with enough time to eat super yummy oatmeal and sip on a Starbucks latte. As the plane took off into the wide blue yonder, I breathed a contented sigh. My Ford was still in the driveway, not in a big dirty parking lot, and I was free as a bird. A bird with friendly passengers and flight attendants too.

I'm already planning my next trip, and you can bet, I’ll be leaving the car home and zooming in on Bart. This time I’ll have $3 and maybe some extra change so I can pass the niceness on. Bon Voyage!