Info needed for Lake Tahoe

Hello,
I am planning a trip Lake Tahoe between 12/19-12/25. Can someone
suggest to me a cheap way to get from San Jose/San Francisco to lake
Tahoe area. Is there any shuttle bus or something that I can take to
reach any of the good snowboarding resorts in the Tahoe Area. I dont
want to rent a car as I am on a budget. Can I take a train/bus etc?

-Also can someone recommend a resort that is a must if someone goes to
Tahoe. I would really appreciate some help.

-Is there a way to get cheaper lift tickets for resorts?

-Any pointers etc?

Thanks,
Shabu