Back to School Travel Tips: The Four Fun Ways to School and More

Monday, August 10, 2026

Crossing guard, cars and pedestrians in an intersection.

Learn tips to walk, bike, carpool and take transit to school.

We know families are getting ready for the start of school on Aug. 17, and we’re here to help!

That’s why we want to make sure students and caregivers know about:

The "Four Fun Ways" to get to class
- These are walking, biking carpooling and taking Muni or the yellow school bus.
- Our Safe Routes to School program promotes these options year-round, and we'll cover each one below.
Muni services changes that start Saturday, Aug. 29
- These changes help improve frequency and reliability across our system.
- They also include updates that directly support students returning to school.
Safe Routes to School events you can attend this school year
- Join us for Walk & Roll to School week and more.

Pro tip: you can always use Muni's online trip planner (SFMTA.com/TripPlanner) for direction! It can share how to walk, bike, take Muni or drive wherever you need to go.

And, remember: If you’re driving on city streets, be sure to slow down around schools.

We hope you find these travel tips helpful!

The Four Fun Ways: Walking

Young people walking in a crosswalk that’s guarded by crossing guards.

Students join staff to walk to school. 

Walking to school can turn your daily commute into something joyful! It’s a great way for families to connect. Plus, walking can build healthy exercise habits and improve students’ focus at school. 

Here are some tips for walking to school:

Use sidewalks or walking paths wherever possible. Be careful when you have to use the street or go around obstructions.
Minimize crossing in the middle of the block. The safest place to cross streets is at marked crosswalks.
Look both ways and stay alert. Check for moving cars, bikes and scooters when crossing driveways, bike lanes and intersections.
Join or lead a walking school bus! Have neighbors who also walk to school? You can set up a recurring group walk. Reach out to SafeRoutes@SFMTA.com for more tips and to request a Walking School Bus toolkit. The toolkit comes with all the supplies you need to start one at your own school.

We encourage you to learn about all the things we’re doing to make walking an easier option. Check out our San Francisco is Made for Walking page.  

The Four Fun Ways: Taking Muni or the yellow school bus

Young people outside of a light-rail vehicle.

Muni isn’t just reliable! It’s also free for all youth ages 18 and under.

Muni is already a popular option to get to class. According to our most recent Travel Tally, more than 55% of high school students report that they take transit regularly!

We’re here to help even more students join them.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

Kids and teens ride for free! Thanks to Free Muni for All Youth, young people 18 and under ride for free. They don’t even need to fill out an application or have a special pass. Fares are also free for students 22 and under who are enrolled in the SFUSD’s English Learner and Special Education Services programs. Adults and caregivers, check out our Fares page for information and to apply for discount fares.
Plan your route.
- See our Muni Routes to City Schools webpage. You can find your school and see which buses or trains serve it.
- And, remember: You can always use Muni’s online trip planner to find directions anywhere!
Be respectful. If you’re on a crowded bus, take off your backpack and keep it by your feet to make room for others. Offer seats to those who need them. Wear headphones if you want to play music. Wait for people to exit before getting on the bus.
Strap your bike onto a Muni bus to keep rolling. Don't live close to a bus stop that gets you to school? Bike there! All Muni buses come equipped with a bike rack.

The Four Fun Ways: Biking

Bike and Roll to School Week events help students try new ways to get to class.

Want to join the hundreds of other families that are biking to school?

Here are our tips to get started:

Plan ahead. Check out our Bike Network Map to see which bikeways can get you to school.
Always wear a helmet. Not only does it keep you safe – it’s the law for riders under 18.
Be as visible as possible. Wear bright clothing and install reflectors and lights on your bike. Heads up -- front and rear lights are legally required for biking at night!
Ride in bike lanes or along bike routes where available. Youth under 13 can ride on the sidewalk.
Start a bike train! Want to get a group of students and families biking at your school? Consider leading or joining a recurring group ride to get multiple families to school together. Check out our “How-To Guide: Start a Bike Train” webpage for more information. You can also reach out to SafeRoutes@SFMTA.com for help setting one up.

During the 2024-2025 school year, almost 900 students participated in our Bike P.E. classes that our Safe Routes team runs in partnership with SFUSD. Those students collectively biked about 20,000 miles – or about 30 miles each!

The Four Fun Ways: Carpooling

A crossing guard holding a stop sign while kids and a car go through an intersection.

Carpooling gives busy families more time back on the clock.

If you drop off and pick up your kids every day, there are thousands of other parents out there just like you.  

Pairing up with just one other family would mean half as many trips to school. Imagine what else you could do with all that extra time!   

Here are some tips for carpooling to school

Find a carpool buddy. Look for buddies whose kids are doing the same afterschool activities as your child to make scheduling even easier. Set up playdates or invite families to dinner to help students and caregivers get to know each other.
Talk about safety. Make sure all drivers in your carpool are on the same page about following traffic laws and safety requirements. That includes seat belts, booster seats, cellphone use, smoking, etc.
Decide on a schedule. Make an agreement on regular carpool days and times.
Maintain regular communication. Consider setting up a group chat among caregivers. Give as much notice as possible if any changes could affect the carpool.
Make it fun. Bring backseat toys or games. Or, make occasional stops for a treat on the way home from school.

Muni Service changes supporting students

Inspired to add Muni to your school trip mix? We want to give you a heads up about service changes starting Aug. 29 that support school communities.

They include:

8AX Bayshore A Express:
- Now, students heading from Visitacion Valley to Francisco Middle School can take a one-seat ride to school! There’s no need to transfer anymore.
- A few morning 8AX Bayshore A Express trips will serve the 8 Bayshore stops north of Broadway to support this change.
28R 19th Avenue Rapid: This route will now stop at Eucalyptus Drive! That means Lowell students and others can take the 28 or the 28R to reach school.

We’re also adding more trips during morning peak hours on other routes that support students, including the 22 Fillmore, 29 Sunset, 38R Geary Rapid and 49 Van Ness-Mission.

You can learn more in our Improvements Are Coming blog!