San Francisco’s iconic cable car is forever linked to the City by the Bay. The San Francisco Municipal Railway operates a “living museum” of cable cars and historic streetcars in daily service, as well as light rail and buses.
Choices
Cable cars for the San Francisco Municipal Railway run on three lines: Powell-Hyde, Powell-Mason, and California. The Powell-Hyde Line ends near Ghirardelli Square, and the Powell-Mason Line ends at Bay Street in Fisherman’s Wharf. The California Street Line runs east-west from Van Ness Avenue to Market Street. To board a cable car along the route, just look for the brown and white signs. Streetcars run regularly along Market Street and the Embarcadero on the F Market & Wharves Line that connects downtown with Fisherman’s Wharf, and the E Embarcadero Line south along the waterfront to Oracle Park and China Basin.
When to go
Cable cars and streetcars run every day of the year, and there is rarely a bad time to visit San Francisco—but take a jacket! Summers can be foggy and cold.
Good to know
In San Francisco’s diverse and historic streetcar fleet, some restored streetcars are more than a century old and originally ran in other U.S. cities as well as in Italy, Australia, England, and Switzerland.
Worth doing
San Francisco is bursting with world-class attractions and dining. Walk through the Presidio, shop in Union Square, visit Chinatown, explore Fisherman’s Wharf, or take a tour to Alcatraz Island and its famous prison.
Don’t miss
The San Francisco Railway Museum, which features interactive exhibits, photography, and a replica of a motorman’s platform of a 1911 streetcar; it’s located across from the Ferry Building at the F Market Steuart Street stop.
Getting there
Both the Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason Lines begin at Market Street, as does the F Line. The California Street Line has a terminal at Van Ness Avenue. For the complete rail experience, ride Caltrain or BART into the city.
Location: 77 Steuart Street, San Francisco, CA
Phone: 415-701-2311, 311 inside SF
Website: sfmta.com or streetcar.org
E-mail: Form on website
