San Francisco Guide

San Francisco Cable Car Tours

Ride historic cable cars up SF's steep hills - moving landmarks!

54+ tours
From $8
1-3 hours
San Francisco Cable Car Tours

Experience San Francisco's iconic cable cars - last manually operated system in the world! Cable car tours ride three historic lines (Powell-Hyde, Powell-Mason, California Street) climbing SF's famously steep hills with vintage wooden cars pulled by underground cables. Experience gripman operating cars, ride outside running boards, hear bells clanging, pass landmarks like Lombard Street and Fisherman's Wharf, and enjoy thrilling hill descents. Tours include all-day passes, hop-on-hop-off flexibility, cable car museum visits, and expert guidance. Learn about 1873 invention, how cable system works, preservation efforts, and cultural icon status. It's mobile National Historic Landmark!

Featured Cable Car Tours Tours

Discover our top picks for cable car tours in San Francisco

San Francisco: Cable Car Audio Tour with Entrance Ticket
From $23
Free Cancellation👤Private TourNew

Explore the best sights of San Francisco at your leisure, while riding the world famous Cable Car! We will stop at many attractions like Union Square, Chinatown, Nob Hill, The Italian Quarter, and Fisherman's Wharf! We are very excited to take you on this journey! Don't worry about other people, this tour is completely tailored to you with the Pintours App! With our app, you can pause the tour, and check out the locations as long as you want! You can skip a stop you don't like, and you have all the best information about each stop at your fingertips.

2.9(26)
1h
View Details
San Francisco Cable Car with Audio Tour and Unlimited Rides
From $49.99
Free Cancellation👤Private TourNew

Explore the best sights of San Francisco at your leisure, while riding the world famous Cable Car! We will stop at many attractions like Union Square, Chinatown, Nob Hill, The Italian Quarter, and Fisherman's Wharf! We are very excited to take you on this journey! Don't worry about other people, this tour is completely tailored to you with the App! With the app, you can pause the tour, and check out the locations as long as you want! You can skip a stop you don't like, and you have all the best information about each stop at your fingertips.

5.0(1)
1h
View Details
San Francisco: Cable Car Unlimited NIGHT Rides with Audio Tour
From $33.99
Free Cancellation👤Private TourNew

Explore the best sights of San Francisco at your leisure, while riding the world famous Cable Car! We will stop at many attractions like Union Square, Chinatown, Nob Hill, The Italian Quarter, and Fisherman's Wharf! We are very excited to take you on this journey! Don't worry about other people, this tour is completely tailored to you with the Pintours App! With our app, you can pause the tour, and check out the locations as long as you want! You can skip a stop you don't like, and you have all the best information about each stop at your fingertips.

2.0(4)
1h
View Details
San Francisco Full-Day Tour by Cable Car & Foot
From $140
Free Cancellation

Our SF in a Day tour will take you places that no other San Francisco tour does, traversing the city by cable-car, rail & bus to visit enchanted gardens, secret stairs & glorious rooftop vistas, creating an unforgettable experience. You’ll avoid crowds at the tourist hot-spots, while experiencing the culture of SF & learning its history. We’ll start your tour near the Embarcadero & take the cable-car up to Nob Hill. From there we go to City Hall (or Cable Car Museum) &, after going inside, we can grab a coffee in Hayes Valley. After that we head to the Castro, then walk through Dolores Park. We finish the morning part of the tour in the Haight, it's a great place to get some lunch. After that we take you to see an icon of San Francisco, the Painted Ladies. That's followed by a walk down another SF icon, Lombard Street. We finish the tour with a walk through North Beach & Chinatown. By then you’ll have had a fantastic experience of SF & made some beautiful memories to take home.

4.7(186)
8h
View Details
Track and Talk, San Francisco Cable Car Tour with Audio Guide
From $33.99
Free Cancellation👤Private TourNew

Explore the best sights of San Francisco at your leisure, while riding the world famous Cable Car! We will stop at many attractions like Union Square, Chinatown, Nob Hill, The Italian Quarter, and Fisherman's Wharf! We are very excited to take you on this journey! Don't worry about other people, this tour is completely tailored to you with the App! With the app, you can pause the tour, and check out the locations as long as you want! You can skip a stop you don't like, and you have all the best information about each stop at your fingertips.

2.2(6)
1h
View Details
San Francisco Half-Day Tour by Cable Car & Foot
From $100
Free Cancellation

Spend a morning getting to know the real SF. We meet you near the Embarcadero, in downtown, before taking the cable car to Nob Hill, with its Gold Rush era mansions. From there we take another cable car to San Francisco City Hall (or, on the weekend, the Cable Car Museum). After going inside this magnificent building, we take the historic streetcar to Castro, which is famous for its place in LGBTQ+ history. From there it's only a short walk to Mission Dolores Park, one of the nicest open spaces in San Francisco. The Mission is really the birthplace of SF - and you'll learn about it all, as well as experiencing a lovely corner of the city. Next we take the bus to Haight-Ashbury, a name that's forever associated with the hippie generation and the Summer of Love. We'll give you a tour of the neighborhood, with its beautiful murals, before your tour ends at the perfect time, and in the perfect place, for lunch.

4.3(13)
4h
View Details
Walking Tour of Nob Hill - Cable Cars, Luxury Hotels, French-Gothic Cathedral
From $175
Free Cancellation👤Private Tour🔥Likely to Sell Out

When Robert Louis Stevenson visited San Francisco in 1879, he declared, "Nob Hill, the Hill of Palaces, must certainly be counted the best part of San Francisco. It is here that millionaires gathered together, vying with each other in display". My Nob Hill tour is a 2-hour walking photo-shoot tour that starts with a Cable Car ride and a visit to a French Gothic Cathedral and ends at the Top of the Mark on the 19th floor of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel for photographs and beverages at sunset. The eclectic history of Nob Hill includes: * The Gold Rush (not the San Francisco 49r cheerleaders) * The Silver Bonanza (not including Ben Cartwright, Ben, Hoss or Little Joe) * The Transcontinental Railroad * The 1906 Earthquake and Fire, and * A spectacular French-Gothic design Episcopal Cathedral that took nearly 40 years to build. The opportunities for photography are endless on Nob Hill!

5.0(2)
2h
View Details

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Why Choose Cable Car Tours in San Francisco?

Last Manual System

Only remaining manually operated cable cars globally!

Moving Landmarks

National Historic Landmarks - ride history!

Steep Hills

Experience SF's famous hills - thrilling descents!

Scenic Routes

Pass Lombard Street, Fisherman's Wharf, Nob Hill!

Types of Cable Car Tours in San Francisco

Powell-Hyde Line

Most scenic - Lombard Street, bay views, Fisherman's Wharf.

20 minutesMost scenicLombard StreetBay viewsMost popular

All-Day Cable Car Pass

Unlimited rides on all three lines.

Full dayUnlimited ridesAll linesHop-on-hop-offValue

Cable Car + Walking Tour

Combine cable car with guided neighborhood walk.

3 hoursCable + walkingGuidedComprehensiveEducational

Cable Car Museum

Visit free museum showing working cable machinery!

1 hourFree entryWorking machineryEducationalFascinating

What to Expect on Your San Francisco Cable Car Tours

Duration

Single ride: 20-30 min. All-day pass: Unlimited. Museum: 1 hour.

Manual Operation

Gripman manually operates - watch them work the grip and brake!

Steep Hills

Climb/descend SF's famous hills - thrilling and scenic!

Lombard Street

Powell-Hyde line passes "crookedest street" - great photo op!

Bay Views

Powell-Hyde has best Alcatraz and bay views!

Historic Cars

Vintage wooden cars from early 1900s - living history!

Expert Tips for the Best Experience

1

Powell-Hyde most scenic (Lombard St, bay views) - ride this one!

2

Board at turnarounds (Powell & Market, Hyde & Beach) for seats.

3

Mid-line stops: Long waits, often full. Walk to turnarounds!

4

Ride outside running boards for thrill (hold on tight!).

5

Cable Car Museum FREE - see working cable system, fascinating!

6

Early morning (7-8 AM) or evening (after 7 PM) shorter waits.

7

Single ride $8. All-day Muni pass: $13 (includes buses/metro too).

8

Lines can be 1+ hour wait at peak times - plan accordingly!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:How much do cable cars cost?

A: Single ride: $8 (exact change or Clipper card). All-day cable car pass: $17. Muni passport (includes buses/metro): $13/day, $27/3-days. Cash on cable car or buy pass. Riding multiple times? Get pass - good value!

Q:Which cable car line is best?

A: Powell-Hyde most scenic - Lombard Street, Russian Hill, bay views, ends at Fisherman's Wharf! Powell-Mason: Similar but less scenic. California Street: Least scenic but functional. First-timers: Ride Powell-Hyde. All have character!

Q:How long do you wait for cable cars?

A: Peak times (midday): 1-2 hour waits at turnarounds! Early morning (7-9 AM) or evening (after 6 PM): 15-30 min. Mid-line stops: Long waits, cars often full. Plan accordingly - it's popular!

Q:Can you ride standing on the outside?

A: Yes! Running boards designed for standing passengers - hold poles tight! Thrilling but safe. Seats fill fast - standing often only option. Part of the experience! Not recommended for young kids or mobility issues.

Q:Are cable cars worth it?

A: YES for iconic SF experience! Tourists love it. Locals use sparingly (crowded, slow). Worth riding once for history and thrill. Not practical transport - buses faster/cheaper. Experience trumps function - quintessential San Francisco!

Q:Is the Cable Car Museum free?

A: Completely FREE! See working cable machinery (all cable cars powered from here!), historic cars, learn system mechanics. Donations appreciated. 1 hour sufficient. Mason & Washington Streets. Fascinating engineering - highly recommended visit!

Q:Do cable cars run all day?

A: Operate 6 AM-midnight daily (reduced hours late night). Most frequent midday. No service for major maintenance occasionally - check schedules. Year-round operation - rain or shine (cables work always!).

Q:When is the best time to ride?

A: Early morning (7-8 AM) or evening (after 7 PM): Shorter waits. September-October: Best weather. Avoid midday peak tourist times. Weekdays less crowded than weekends. Sunset rides beautiful when clear!

Don't Miss the Perfect San Francisco Experience

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Why Visit San Francisco?

Iconic Golden Gate Bridge and bay views

Historic Alcatraz Island and prison tours

Charming cable cars and historic transportation

Diverse neighborhoods and authentic cuisine

World-class museums and cultural institutions

Perfect blend of history and innovation

Best Time to Visit

Weather

San Francisco enjoys a Mediterranean climate with cool, foggy summers and mild winters. Average temperatures range from 50°F (10°C) in winter to 70°F (21°C) in summer.

Best Months

September to November offers the best weather with warm temperatures, clear skies, and perfect conditions for sightseeing.

Peak Season

June to August brings peak tourist season with foggy weather, larger crowds, and higher prices.

Off Season

December to May offers lower prices and fewer crowds, though with cooler weather and occasional rain.

Plan Your San Francisco Trip

Transportation Tips

Excellent public transportation with cable cars, buses, and BART. Walking is perfect for exploring neighborhoods, and ride-sharing services are widely available.

Car Rental Deals in San Francisco

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Where to Stay

Find the perfect accommodation for your San Francisco adventure. From luxury resorts to cozy hotels, we've got you covered.

Best Hotel Deals in San Francisco

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