Driving
Parking
UC Berkeley Campus Shuttles and Public Transit Routes
From the San Francisco Airport / Oakland Airport
Disclaimer
Maps
- MSRI's location via Google Maps
- Area map
- Parking information
Construction Notification: From November 2022 through June 2024, access to MSRI/SLMath via Centennial Drive will be partially limited to one-lane traffic during the UC Berkeley Centennial Bridge project construction. High level information about the schedule may be found on the project website, and SLMath will alert visitors to specific dates of access interruptions as they are scheduled. Cars, shuttles, and bicycles will still be able to use this road throughout this time period, but some traffic delays may occur. The location of construction is between the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden and the Lawrence Hall of Science.
Driving Directions
From South, North, West (San Francisco): Get to the 80 (East or West), exit on University Avenue and drive away from the Bay. Follow University Avenue to its end. Turn left onto Oxford street, then right onto Hearst Avenue. At the second light, turn right onto Gayley Road (on the UCB campus). Take the first left onto Stadium Rim Way, and the first left onto Centennial Drive (which goes away from the Memorial Stadium). Signs now indicate the direction of MSRI. Centennial Drive goes up up up, past the UC Botanical Garden, Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, and the Lawrence Hall of Science. Past the Lawrence Hall of Science, the road curves sharply right and up. MSRI's parking spaces are in the uppermost 2 rows of the parking lots after this curve. (Parking information)
From the East: Take 24 West and exit at Fish Ranch Road. At the stop sign, turn right onto Fish Ranch Rd. Follow Fish Ranch up the hill to the stop sign and turn right onto Grizzly Peak Blvd. At the next stop sign (3 miles ahead), turn left onto Centennial Drive. Drive down until you see the parking lots on your left about 200 yards/meters. MSRI's parking spaces are in the uppermost 2 rows of the parking lots after this curve. (Parking information)
For deliveries and handicapped parking: From Centennial Drive (beyond the parking lots), turn right onto the access road to MSRI/Space Sciences Lab (Gauss Way - but the sign is easy to miss since it's on the opposite side of the road as the turnoff). Drive between the two buildings and down to MSRI at the end of the road (about 250 yards/meters). MSRI has a limited number of handicapped spaces available.
Campus Shuttles and Public Transit Routes
UC Berkeley has a shuttle bus that makes it easy to get up the hill to MSRI from the Berkeley campus. The Hill Shuttle ("H" line) runs Monday-Friday between 8 a.m. and 7:15 p.m. (excluding most holidays) between the Mining Circle / Evans Hall and MSRI. MSRI or UC Berkeley campus ID is required to ride for free; other passengers must pay $1 each way (exact change required; for those taking round trip, please bring $2). From Downtown Berkeley BART, a transfer from the Perimeter Shuttle ("P" line) or Central Campus Shuttle ("C" line) is required.
Bus travel time from Berkeley BART to MSRI is typically 30-45 minutes, and can be more during the middle of the day. The shuttle schedules change from time to time, and the bus does not run on weekends and UC Berkeley holidays.
- UC Berkeley Hill Shuttle schedule
- View all UC Berkeley shuttle schedules
- View a map of all Bus Routes to MSRI
On Saturday, Sunday and holidays you can use the AC transit service, bus #65 between Berkeley BART and Lawrence Hall of Science via Euclid Ave. and Grizzly Peak Blvd. (Be aware that some #65 buses do not travel to Lawrence Hall of Science; check bus signs or speak with the driver.) There is an hourly service Saturday and Sunday, and a half hour service weekdays (Eastbound from Bart to MSRI, and Westbound from MSRI to Bart). Note: the #65 bus drops off at Lawrence Hall of Science; you will need to walk up ~300 stairs to reach MSRI.
From San Francisco International Airport (SFO) / Oakland International Airport (OAK)
Public Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART): Downtown Berkeley Station
- From SFO: The San Francisco Airport BART station is located in the International Terminal at SFO (follow signs). Take a train bound for Richmond or Antioch, and get off at the Downtown Berkeley station.
- From OAK: The Oakland Airport BART station is located just across from the Terminal 1 baggage claim area and a short walk from Terminal 2. Take the AirTram shuttle train to BART Coliseum Station (8 minutes), then transfer to a Richmond-bound train. Get off at the Downtown Berkeley station.
Shuttle, Car, and Shared Ride Services
View all options for app-based ride services, charter transportation, shared ride services, and taxis via the airport websites:
- San Francisco Airport: www.flysfo.com/to-from/ground-transportation
- Oakland Airport: www.oaklandairport.com/ground-transportation/
Disclaimer
This information is provided as a matter of service only and users of this list must do business with companies at their own risk. MSRI shall not be liable for any errors or omissions made in the compilation of this list. When available, a coupon may be enclosed as a small gesture of saving to our visitors and not as an endorsement of a particular company.