Yosemite Forum

Hi everyone.
My sister, nephew and I are backpacking in Yosemite July 15th through July 31st. We need to get from Oakland airport to Tuolumne meadows on July 15th and then back to the airport in Oakland on the 31st. The train / bus schedules seem messed up this year and don’t really align with flight times. I would like to rent a car but hate the idea of letting it sit for 2 weeks and paying the additional cost. Has anyone ever done something like a car share where you would drive my rental car back to Oakland airport on the 16th or 17th? I would drive someone else’s rental back to Oakland on the 31st. That way each person only pays for a couple of days and doesn’t leave a car sitting for two weeks. Kind of like rotating rental cars for airport to park and back. Any help and ideas relative to any transportation alternatives would be greatly appreciated. I am locked into Oakland airport as those tickets are already purchased.

The rental car sharing sounds like a great idea but think the implications of insurance would be a nightmare.

I thought about the insurance deal being a problem as well. So here is what I'm proposing: If you plan to go from Oakland to Yosemite on 7-15-10, and you are planning on renting a car, upgrade to something that could carry 3 additional people and we pay the major portion of your rental. Drop us off and enjoy your vacation.

If you have rented a vehicle to visit Yosemite and will be heading back to Oakland on 7-31-10, you give us a ride and we pay the major portion of your rental.

Essentially we are asking for rides in and out with people already renting with a great opportunity to reduce your rental cost.

We did this 2 years ago when Amtrak had a major delay from Merced to Oakland and we were going to miss our flight. We rented a car and walked into the train station and asked if anyone else was trying to get to Oakland. A couple from the UK joined us and split the cost.

Try advertising on Craig's list (bay area) for a car shuttle. Find someone willing to drive you there and back for a fee. Other than that, change your plans to fit the public transportation.