Safety and Emergency Information
We know you will enjoy all that San Francisco has to offer ... from its unsurpassed beauty to its myriad of world famous attractions and activities. Unfortunately, no city is exempt from crime. We offer suggestions to ensure that your stay here is enjoyable and safe.
Getting to San Francisco and the Conference
By Air
San Francisco is accessible by two major airports. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the closest airport to San Francisco and the Palace Hotel. It is one of the 30 busiest airports in the country, with service from more than 45 airlines, national and international, and nonstop connections to more than 65 U.S. cities. Oakland International Airport (OAK) is 20 miles from downtown San Francisco. OAK has service from 13 different airlines combined for 30 nonstop flights nationally and internationally.
We are pleased to offer a special discount provided by United for the 2016 IPMHVC. Discounts range from 2-10% based upon ticket type. Note that a booking fee may apply. You may book online at www.united.com and enter your Offer Code ZW48865888 in the Offer Code box when searching for your flights. If booking through a travel professional or United Meetings at 800-426-1122, please give them the following information:
Agreement Code: 865888
Z Code: ZW48
Outside of the United States, please call your local United Airlines Reservation Office.
By Public Transportation
Plan to take BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) around the city and to/from the airports. BART is the fast, easy, inexpensive way to get from SFO to any of four downtown San Francisco stations in just 30 minutes. The Palace hotel is located directly across from the Montgomery Street station. A detailed map can be found at Downtown San Francisco hotels/BART map (PDF). In the pictures below, at the Montgomery Street station, you can see the signs pointing the "New Montgomery Street" exit. Take this to exit directly in front of the hotel.
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If you are arriving at or departing from Oakland International Airport (OAK), you can take the new train service from OAK to San Francisco via the Coliseum station. Just board the train at the Oakland airport station for the eight-minute ride to the Coliseum BART station. When you arrive, purchase a round-trip ticket ($20.10), exit the station, go down to the train platform, and catch the next San Francisco train. Trains arrive/depart from OAK every 5 minutes from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily. The trip from OAK to San Francisco generally takes 45 minutes.
Links to other public transportation options:
By Car
Parking information at The Palace hotel can be found at the hotel website. Quoted from the website, for overnight hotel guests: "Rate: $52.00 plus 14% tax per day ($59.28). Oversized Vehicles: $64.00 plus 14% tax per day ($72.96)." Another parking resource to use is http://sfpark.org/ which was formed by the public transportation agency, SFMTA. Finally, a helpful comparison of three parking garages in the Union Square Area can be found here.
Tourist Information
Some highlights and suggested activities will be posted to this page. In the mean time, a wealth of information about activities in San Francisco can be found on the San Francisco Travel page. Some other helpful sites include: