How to Get Around California

Getting Around

California is built around the car. The freeways are almost all toll-free -- the exceptions are four toll roads in Southern California and eight toll bridges around San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate among them -- and the road that matters to visitors is State Route 1, 656 miles of coast signed as the Pacific Coast Highway, the Cabrillo Highway and the Shoreline Highway, an All-American Road whose Big Sur stretch has been closed more than 55 times by landslides, so check the current closures before planning it end to end. Caltrans publishes live conditions on QuickMap and on 511, and the recorded highway-conditions line is 1-800-427-7623; in winter the Sierra passes require chains or close, and Tioga Pass into Yosemite from the east, the highest highway pass in the state at 9,945 feet, is normally shut from about the end of October to the end of May. Both advisories say a foreign licence is accepted -- a UK photocard or a Canadian licence -- with the 1949 international driving permit recommended because requirements vary by state, and hire firms may ask for a year's experience, a higher minimum age and an IDP; insurance rules are the state's.

Rail is the exception worth using: Amtrak California, supported by the state transport department, runs the three busiest intercity lines in the country outside the north-east -- the Capitol Corridor between the Bay Area and Sacramento, the Pacific Surfliner along the southern coast, and the San Joaquins through the valley -- with the Coast Starlight through the whole state. In the cities, San Francisco has BART, Muni's light rail and buses, Caltrain and the cable cars, with BART running to the airport since 2003; Los Angeles Metro recorded about 951,500 weekday boardings in 2024, two-thirds of them on buses. LAX, 18 miles south-west of downtown Los Angeles, served 76.6 million passengers in 2024; SFO is the state's second airport and San Diego's the busiest single-runway airport in the country.

The national parks charge by the vehicle and, since 2026, by the person for non-residents: Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks $35 a car for seven days, Death Valley and Joshua Tree $15 to $30 with $55 annual passes, the Redwood parks free, and at every one of them a $100 fee per non-US resident aged 16 and over unless holding an annual or America the Beautiful pass; the parks are cashless. Yosemite has dropped its timed-entry reservation for 2026.

Verified against Caltrans (California Department of Transportation), September 2026.

Entry

The rules are federal: an approved ESTA or a visa before travel for every entrant, including by land; a passport valid for the length of the stay; the ESTA now requires a selfie photograph and should be checked before departure; Canadians can usually stay six months without a visa but must state their intended stay; previous cannabis use or travel for the cannabis industry can bar entry; carry proof of legal status, which authorities may request at any time.

Roads

Drive on the right; foreign photocard licences accepted, IDP recommended and required by some rental firms; almost all highways toll-free except four Southern California toll roads and eight Bay Area bridges; Caltrans QuickMap, 511 and 1-800-427-7623 for conditions; chain controls in the Sierra in winter; Tioga Pass closed about late October to late May; Highway 1 through Big Sur closed by landslides more than 55 times, check before travelling; do not leave passports or valuables in a rental car, especially the boot.

Rail and transit

Amtrak California: Capitol Corridor (Bay Area–Sacramento), Pacific Surfliner (southern coast), San Joaquins (valley); Coast Starlight statewide. San Francisco: BART incl. SFO since 2003, Muni, Caltrain, cable cars. Los Angeles: Metro rail and bus, about 951,500 weekday boardings in 2024.

Airports

LAX, 18 miles south-west of downtown, 76.6 million passengers in 2024; SFO, the state's second-busiest, in San Mateo County; San Diego, the busiest single-runway airport in the US; plus Oakland, San Jose, Sacramento, Burbank and the rest.

National park fees (2026)

Yosemite: standard pass $20–35, private vehicle $35 for seven consecutive days, motorcycle $30; non-US residents 16 and over pay an additional $100 per person unless admitted with an annual or America the Beautiful pass; cashless; no timed-entry reservation in 2026. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks: $35 per vehicle, 1–7 days, both parks; same non-resident fee; cashless. Death Valley and Joshua Tree: standard pass $15–30, annual $55; the private-vehicle pass is valid 7 days. Redwood National and State Parks: no entrance pass required; some day-use areas charge fees and accept interagency and state passes. State parks: day-use fees vary by park and are posted per park, entry at state historic parks and museums charged per person, annual passes available.

Emergency numbers

911 for police, fire and ambulance statewide; 1-800-427-7623 road conditions; 511 traveller information.

Verified against California State Parks, September 2026.

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Sources & verification Covers the sourced claims on this page.

Checked against Caltrans (California Department of Transportation) — Caltrans publishes live traffic conditions on QuickMap, real-time traveller information on 511, current highway conditions by highway number, CHP incident information, lane closures and live traffic cameras, and supports the Amtrak California services, Current California highway conditions, including closures, one-way controls and chain controls, are published by highway number and by calling 1-800-427-7623; on 25 September 2026 State Route 1 carried one-way controlled traffic at Rocky Creek Bridge south of Monterey and in Marin and Mendocino counties, Caltrans publishes live traffic conditions on QuickMap, real-time traveller information on 511, current highway conditions by highway number, CHP incident information, lane closures and live traffic cameras, and supports the Amtrak California services, Current California highway conditions, including closures, one-way controls and chain controls, are published by highway number and by calling 1-800-427-7623; on 25 September 2026 State Route 1 carried one-way controlled traffic at Rocky Creek Bridge south of Monterey and in Marin and Mendocino counties (September 2026).
Checked against UK Government (GOV.UK; FCDO travel advice abroad) — A UK photocard licence can be used to drive in the US, with the 1949 international driving permit possibly needed as requirements vary by state; a paper licence needs photo ID alongside; hire firms may require a year's experience, a higher minimum age and an IDP, Passport valid for the length of the stay; an approved ESTA or a visa is required to enter or transit the US, including at land borders under the Visa Waiver Program; an ESTA can be refused for an arrest record, a prior refusal or overstay, or travel to listed countries; an ESTA without the now-required selfie photograph may need renewing; check the ESTA account before travelling, A UK photocard licence can be used to drive in the US, with the 1949 international driving permit possibly needed as requirements vary by state; a paper licence needs photo ID alongside; hire firms may require a year's experience, a higher minimum age and an IDP (September 2026).
Checked against Global Affairs Canada — Canadian visitors can usually stay 6 months without a visa but must declare their intended duration of stay; previous cannabis use or travel for the cannabis industry can bar entry; carry government photo ID and copies of the passport page, and be prepared to show proof of legal status at any time; a valid Canadian licence suffices to drive, traffic laws vary by state and many states require proof of insurance; never cross the border with a hitchhiker as the driver is responsible for passengers' belongings; the currency is the US dollar, Canadian visitors can usually stay 6 months without a visa but must declare their intended duration of stay; previous cannabis use or travel for the cannabis industry can bar entry; carry government photo ID and copies of the passport page, and be prepared to show proof of legal status at any time; a valid Canadian licence suffices to drive, traffic laws vary by state and many states require proof of insurance; never cross the border with a hitchhiker as the driver is responsible for passengers' belongings; the currency is the US dollar, Dial 911 for emergency assistance; Canadian Citizen Services on 1-844-880-6519, the Emergency Watch and Response Centre toll-free on 1-888-949-9993, the embassy in Washington; rabies may be present in wildlife including bats; hiking, backpacking and skiing never alone, with an experienced guide, helicopter-rescue insurance and marked trails (September 2026).
Checked against National Park Service — Yosemite standard entrance pass $20–35; private vehicle $35 valid seven consecutive days for a car, pickup, RV or van with 15 or fewer seats and everyone in it; motorcycle $30 for 7 days; non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an additional $100 per person unless admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful pass; the park does not accept cash, Yosemite will no longer use a timed-entry reservation system in 2026, after finding most weekdays in 2025 kept available parking, stable traffic and visitation within capacity, Redwood National and State Parks require no entrance pass and charge no fee to drive the scenic roads; some day-use areas have fees and accept interagency and California state park passes, Yosemite standard entrance pass $20–35; private vehicle $35 valid seven consecutive days for a car, pickup, RV or van with 15 or fewer seats and everyone in it; motorcycle $30 for 7 days; non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an additional $100 per person unless admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful pass; the park does not accept cash, Yosemite will no longer use a timed-entry reservation system in 2026, after finding most weekdays in 2025 kept available parking, stable traffic and visitation within capacity, Sequoia & Kings Canyon standard pass $20–35; private vehicle $35 valid 1–7 days for everyone in one vehicle across both parks and the Hume Lake District; non-US residents 16 and over pay an additional $100 per person unless holding an annual or America the Beautiful pass; cashless, Death Valley standard pass $15–30, annual pass $55, America the Beautiful pass free to $250; the park does not accept cash, Joshua Tree standard pass $15–30, annual pass $55; the private-vehicle pass is valid 7 days and covers everyone in the vehicle; federal interagency passes honoured, Redwood National and State Parks require no entrance pass and charge no fee to drive the scenic roads; some day-use areas have fees and accept interagency and California state park passes (September 2026).
Checked against California State Parks — California state parks charge day-use fees that vary by park and are posted on each park's page and a fee list; state historic parks and museums charge per person; annual passes are available for repeat visitors (September 2026).