How to fly SFO / OAK Transitions

What to expect for an Oakland Transition

There are 2 tower frequences: 127.2 for the south side (runway 30, the one used for airliners), and 118.3 for the north side, short runways for GA.

Northbound

Contact tower 127.2 => mid-span San Mateo bridge (VPMID) => direct runway 30 numbers => fly over the airport => 118.3 => Coliseum / Follow 880 => Norcal

From KPAO: on the ground, request flight following with Oakland transition => right 45 departure => 127.2
To Santa Rosa: 118.3 => 127.0
To Concord: 118.3 => 120.9 (Norcal Approach) / 119.9 (Travis Approach)

What you may hear:

Tower (127.2): continue northbound direct to Colliseum, contact Oakland Tower 118.3
Tower (118.3): after the Colliseum, proceed on course, maintain VFR at 2,500

Southbound

Norcal (127.0) => OAK Tower (118.3) => OAK Tower(127.2); fly toward Colliseum, 2,500 ft => RWY 30 number, 2,000 ft => mid-span San Mateo bridge 1,400 ft => KSQL / KPAO tower

What you may hear:

Norcal: cross the oakland coliseum at 2500 for the transition.
Norcal: contact oakland tower 118.3.
Tower: transition approved overfly the 30 number maintain VFR at 2000.
Tower: continue southbound over the runway 30 numbers direct to the mid span of the san mateo bridge.
Tower: descend and maintain vfr at or below 1400.

What to expect for a SFO Bayshore Transition

The low altitude option, will stay below 2,000 ft, keep west of Bayshore Freeway (U.S. 101); talking to SFO tower.

Northbound

(From KPAO) straight out departure, west of 101 free way, 2,000 ft.
Palo Alto tower (118.6) => San Carlos Tower (119.0) => SFO Tower (120.5) => Oakland Center (127.8) or Norcal (135.1)

Southbound

Norcal => SFO Tower (120.5) => San Carlos Tower (119.0)

What to expect for a SFO Pacifica (Coastline) Transition

The high altitude option, stay west of the coastline; talking to Norcal.

Southbound

Oakland Center (127.8) => Norcal (135.1) => stay west of the coastline => Norcal (Woodside 135.65) => KSQL / KPAO tower