The San Francisco Transbay Terminal is a transportation complex that is familiar to all San Francisco citizens. Originally built for commuter trains in 1941, today the Transbay Terminal houses Greyhound Bus Lines, Golden Gate Transit, SamTrans, AC Transit, and San Francisco’s Muni. Trains used the San Francisco Transbay Terminal until 1958, when the tracks were taken up and the area was paved for bus use. The construction of a new terminal is currently underway. It is being built in the same location as the old building. Phase 1 is scheduled to be completed in 2014. A temporary terminal will be completed in August of 2009. Once this is finished, the old terminal is scheduled to be demolished. Since transportation services will continue, those traveling to this area will want to look into staying at one of the discount hotels in San Francisco near the San Francisco Transbay Terminal to get a great room at a great price.
Phase II will consist of extending the rails. This should begin in 2012 and be open for service in 2019. Thirteen towers are planned to be built in the area around the terminal. Several are under construction as of this writing. These towers are scheduled to be very high, and will meet the criteria to actually be skyscrapers. These new additions will change the skyline of San Francisco. It is a good idea to scope out accommodations ahead of time, as budget hotels near the San Francisco Transbay Terminal tend to be very popular.