Cable Car

The Cable Car, in San Francisco

The Cable Car is the historic cable tram of San Francisco, one of the symbols of the town. The San Francisco audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this mythical means of transport, which climbs the hills since the nineteenth century.

The cable tram that climbs the hills

The Cable Car is one of the most emblematic symbols of San Francisco. This historic tram works thanks to a unique system: the cars have no engine, but grip a continuously moving cable that runs under the roadway, which allows them to climb the vertiginous slopes of the town. Put into service at the end of the nineteenth century, this network is today the last system of this kind still in activity in the world. At the termini, you can see the cars turn around on a turntable manoeuvred by hand. Boarding the Cable Car is a must-do experience and a journey into the past.

What to see

Here you discover the historic cable tram that climbs the vertiginous slopes by gripping a cable under the roadway, and you can see the cars turn around on a turntable manoeuvred by hand. The Cable Car is a symbol of San Francisco. It is a must-do experience, to be lived on board or on foot.

Practical information

The Cable Car runs on several lines across San Francisco, reachable on foot at the stops and termini. The service and the fares follow their own conditions and hours, which vary. It is best to enquire before boarding, and to observe the turntable at the termini.

How does the Cable Car of San Francisco work?

The cars have no engine: they grip a continuously moving cable running under the roadway, which allows them to climb the slopes; it is the last system of this kind in the world.

Where to take the Cable Car in San Francisco?

On several lines across San Francisco, at the stops and termini, in the United States.