Why are cable cars so expensive in San Francisco?

Cable cars are the most expensive of San Francisco's public transportation options, in part because they're as much an attraction as they are a way to get around. The $7 one-way ticket price applies to everyone—adults, youth and seniors (except in the very early morning before 7am and late night after 9pm).



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California Line (Red) It's the least busy of the three. It's also full of thrills as it climbs the steep hill from California and Market to the top of Nob Hill, then runs back downhill to Van Ness.

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You may have heard that you can hop off and on cable cars as many times as you like once you purchase a ticket. This isn't exactly true, though there is a way to use cable cars as a hop-on/hop-off tour experience. So, how much does it cost to take a cable car ride in San Francisco?

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Powell Hyde Cable Car Powell Hyde starts at the Powell and Market cable car turnaround near Union Square and ends at Fisherman's Wharf. The route is 2.1 miles long and takes about 20 minutes.

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Cable cars average about an accident a month and routinely rank among the most accident-prone mass transportation modes in the country per vehicle mile traveled annually, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Over the last 10 years, city officials have reported 126 accidents injuring 151 people.

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How much is it to ride the SF Muni buses and trolleys: Adults: $3.00 (Clipper card/MuniMobile: $2.50) Seniors: $1.50 (Clipper card/MuniMobile: $1.25) Anyone under 19 years of age rides buses and streetcars free (but not cable cars).

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Cable cars are often misidentified as 'trolleys', but that term refers specifically to the trolley pole used by streetcars to get power from an overhead wire (hence streetcars are often called trolleys, correctly). Cable cars use no overhead wire, and have no trolley poles.

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Two of San Francisco's three cable car lines connect the Union Square area downtown with Fisherman's Wharf. The Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde lines share the most-photographed cable car turntable, where Powell meets Market Street.

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If you're a budget traveler in San Francisco, then we can recommend getting a Clipper card. You're bound to save money, and it prevents you from carrying a whole load of cash.

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