Two Classic Rides That Connects San Francisco’s Landmarks, Waterfront Bars And Neighborhoods
The cable cars are one of San Francisco’s most famous attractions but the city’s historic streetcars are just as much fun and often overlooked. Here’s how I use both to experience the waterfront, classic bars and neighborhoods in a single afternoon.
By Kevin Wilkerson, Editor of PubClub.com
Everyone knows about the cable cars in San Francisco, of course. I take them when I visit for a few of reasons: I don’t have to walk up certain hills, I can get from Fisherman’s Wharf or even the Marina District to downtown fairly quickly and – most of all – I like hanging out over the side while hanging onto the pole.
That’s a true “I’m in San Francisco” experience if you ask me. You simply can’t get that anywhere else in the world.
The Historic Streetcars
But I also enjoy riding the street cars.
Most tourists don’t even know the street cars exist but you should because they are a great way to move along the waterfront, and their classic style always takes me back mentally in time.
They are a 1950s design and I often picture myself living in that era taking one of these cars to work while wearing a black suit with a super-thin tie, a long overcoat and a fedora on my head and a newspaper rolled up under my sleeve.
The street cars run along the Embarcadero from the ferry building to Pier 39. I always get off at Pier 23, a favorite locals’ afternoon – and especially Sunday afternoons – restaurant and watering hole. It’s a San Francisco institution.
The street cars stop literally right in front of Pier 23. I lived in Los Angeles for many years so having public transportation take you directly to a destination is something so foreign and cool to me I get tickles up my spine just thinking about it.
My Perfect Half-Day San Francisco Transit Adventure
From Pier 23, I can either take the streetcar back to downtown or to Pier 39 where I can grab a Cable Car Cocktail by he fireplace at Fog Harbor Fish House or for Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista. At which point, I could get take a cable car up one of those famous San Francisco hills (Hyde Street) and walk down curvy Lombard Street.
So in a half a day, using these two modes of classic transportation, I can truly experience San Francisco’s culture as well as a couple of its classic watering holes and drinks.
Tips On Where To Get On A Cable Car Most Tourists Don’t Know
But if you don’t know this one important tip, you may spend several hours for the thrill of this experience rather than just a few minutes.
Do not – repeat, do not – catch a cable car at one of the turnarounds. This is the starting and stopping point where the cars stop and actually “park” for a while and have to turn around on a disc. Not only is this a somewhat time-consuming project, but because it’s the most convenient place to get on a cable car, it’s also the most congested.
Therefore, the lines to board a cable car are long. There can be more than 100 people in line and the wait is 30 to 45 minutes.
The two worst places to catch the cable car are the turnarounds at the bottom of Hyde Street (this cable car goes up Hyde Street, with has a 40% grade, and drops off at the curvy Lombard Street landmark) and Powell Street at Market Street.
The wait at the Hyde Street turnaround can, on a sunny day, can be more than an hour. Instead, go a few blocks up the street, wait at one of the designated stops, and there you can often just jump on board. The only wait is for the cable car to arrive.
How Much It Cost To Ride The Cable Cars
As of this writing, the cable car single-ride fare is $9. It is going up in the future (of course) and not only that, you won’t be able to purchase single-ride tickets. You’ll have to get one for all day. If the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approves what the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency recommends, the price will then jump to $12 in 2027.
The new fare policy also eliminates the current single ride cable car ticket as well as the tiered visitor one-, three- and seven-day passes. Starting in 2028, every ride on the cable car would require the new “Cable Car Plus” pass. The one-day pass would be valid for unlimited travel on cable cars and all Muni buses and cover one adult and up to two children under the age of 18.
And by 2028, the cost of riding a cable car ride would be a whopping $18. That’s enough to make a visitor hesitate to take it for novelty’s sake. Okay, so the cable cars lose money. But they are part of San Francisco’s identity and charging $18 might force people to just take pictures and videos of it rather than actually ride it during a visit.
The cost to cross the Golden Gate Bridge is now $10.75 so that’s pricey, too.
Now Hop On The San Francisco Party Bus To…
• Where To Find The Cable Car Cocktial, The City’s Signature Drink
• San Francisco Travel Adventures
• San Francisco Travel Misadventures: A Travel Blog
• San Francisco Neighborhood Guide
• San Francisco: The One Line Single People Need To Know
Kevin Wilkerson is the founder of PubClub.com, an award-winning journalist and nightlife expert who has covered destinations, events and nightlife for more than two decades. While working as a newspaper reporter, he received an Associated Press award for investigative journalism.
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