Learn how to get around
The big picture
UCSF has many campuses. The School of Pharmacy has activities primarily at 3 campuses: Parnassus, Mission Bay, and Laurel Heights.
- Parnassus: The Parnassus campus is located along Parnassus Avenue between San Francisco's Inner Sunset and Cole Valley neighborhoods just 3 blocks south of Golden Gate Park.
- Mission Bay: The Mission Bay campus is located just 1 mile south of downtown San Francisco. First occupied in 2003, it's the newest campus at UCSF. It is close to AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants major league baseball team.
- Laurel Heights: The Laurel Heights campus is located at California and Walnut Streets. It is 5 blocks south of the historic Presidio of San Francisco.
Reliable, free University shuttles help you get from campus to campus easily. Our Virtual Tour page links to lots of photos of campus locations, and our Maps & Locations page has just about every UCSF-related map available.
How to find buildings
Buildings are typically referred to by letter code (e.g., the "S" in the room called "S-1457") and also by building name (e.g., "Library 101").
How to find rooms
If you need to find, say, Room S-918, the letter code tells you that "S" stands for the Medical Sciences building. The first digit is usually (but not always) the floor number, so Room S-918 is on the 9th floor of the Medical Sciences building. When you get to the right floor, you might need to wander around or ask someone where to go; signs to help you are not always available. Note that S-1457 is a room on the 14th floor -- use the first two digits instead of just one to determine the floor number. When in doubt, ask someone. More info: Classrooms Search by Room Number. Looking for Cole Hall, Toland Hall, or any conference room? See More Maps & Locations.
How to find rest rooms
Campus toilets are not always easy to find. It's easiest to just ask someone.
Accessibility
To find building entrances and rest rooms that are accessible to wheelchairs, see UCSF Access.
Closest gas stations
- Mission Bay Campus:
388 Potrero Av - Laurel Heights Campus:
3035 Geary Blvd and 3898 California St at Arguello Blvd - Parnassus Campus:
601 Lincoln Way at 7th Av. The gas station is on the southwest corner of the intersection.
Public transportation
MUNI
San Francisco's public transit system is called MUNI, which is comprised of busses, streetcars, light rail trains, and the city's famous cable cars. MUNI busses 6 and 43 run on Parnassus. MUNI light rail line N-Judah runs on the Irving Street side of campus. See a MUNI map. You can track MUNI light rail trains at the NextBus Web site. You can buy MUNI passes and tokens online between the 10th and 22nd day of each month. You can also buy them on campus -- see Transit Pass Sales Locations at Parnassus and Transit Pass Sales Locations at Mission Bay. Certain MUNI passes are also valid for BART trips entirely within San Francisco. Information for new riders.
BART
BART is a regional transit system using electric trains. BART doesn't stop at any UCSF campuses, but you can use it in conjunction with MUNI. See a BART map. You can buy BART passes on campus -- see Transit Pass Sales Locations at Parnassus and Transit Pass Sales Locations at Mission Bay.
More regional transit
If you live outside the city limits, you may need to rely on other regional transit services in addition to MUNI or BART.
Shuttles
UCSF maintains a fleet of shuttle busses to take UCSF students, faculty, and staff from one campus to another. There's no charge, but the driver might ask you to show your UCSF ID card. Consult the Shuttle Timetables, then wait at the designated shuttle stop.
Bicycles
Park bikes in designated parking areas only. For details, see Bicycle Parking. More bicycling information can be found at Bicycling, 511.org, and Google: San Francisco Bicycling. For bike routes, try SFBikeMapper. Showers are available to members of our Fitness and Recreation Centers. More: Maps and Reference.
Cars & motorcycles
Car parking for students is extremely limited. To learn more, see Parnassus Campus Permit Parking. For questions about motorcycle parking on campus, contact Transportation Services. San Francisco has 2 car sharing services -- City CarShare and Zipcar -- which enable you to use a car without needing to lease or own one, and some car sharing pod locations can be found very close to many UCSF locations. Additionally, UCSF has partnered with City CarShare in offering you an incredible discount. See Maps & Locations.
Go To: More San Francisco maps
