San Francisco Cable Cars

The world famous cable car lines!

Cable Cars

The San Francisco cable cars are world famous. Although many cities used to have similar trams, they were replaced by more efficient and faster streetcars or buses. The cable car is literally pulled by a cable underneath the ground moving at 7 mph. The car latches onto the cable to move, and releases to stop. The open trams are fun to ride, and San Francisco has preserved 3 of the most thrilling and hilly routes for tourists and locals to ride. There are three lines (Powell-Hyde, Powell-Mason, California). The most fun is probably Powell-Hyde. If you buy a Muni Passport you can hop off at Chinatown and the Cable Car Museum (well worth the stop) on your way to Fisherman’s Wharf. If you hate crowds, take the California line, which begins at Embarcadero and is far less touristed.

The cable car price has gone up dramatically in recent years—now at $6 each way, no transfers. However, if you invest in a Muni Passport (1-day: $14; 3-day: $21, 7-day: $27), you can ride them as much as you want. Tickets and passes are for sale at the cable car turnaround, and other outlets. Alternatively, you can get the San Francisco CityPass, which is valid for seven consecutive days on Muni and is also good for admission to several museums and attractions in the city.

Reader comments:

F.F. writes, "The three-day pass on the public transportation was super!! We used buses and cable cars and left the car at the motel during those three days."

S.E. writes, "The muni is a great way to get around in SF. True you do sometimes get "local color" (weirdo's/homeless) riding on the bus with you but that is part of the fun. Besides it gets you to places in the city that are hard to get to…The drivers were helpful, and were great about steering me to the correct line…It took me a day of paying bus fare and messing with transfers before I figured out that that pass worked on the buses too!"

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