Heads up to lovers of the San Francisco Cable Car system–a big fare change might be on the way. And in contrast to nearly every other price in San Francisco, which always goes up, this one is actually an upcoming discount!
Normally, a ride of the iconic SF Cable Cars (which are part of the MUNI transit system) costs $8. For the 150th anniversary last year, though, MUNI temporarily dropped the price on its less-popular California street line to just $5 per ride.
I took advantage of the drop, and rode the cable car during my visit to the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero last year. Even as a local, it was super fun to hang off the side of the car and pretend to be a tourist again.
Sadly, the price went back to the normal $8 on January 1st of this year. But people loved the rate so much that MUNI is reportedly planning to bring it back by mid-2024.
That’s according to SF Cable Cars, a website operated by the cable car system’s parent entities. The site says “For the 150th anniversary year, a special $5 fare was in effect on the California Street cable car line through the end of 2023. This was very popular, and Muni is working to re-instate it permanently by mid-2024.”
That might not sound like much, but it’s a 60% decrease in the cable car fare. For people who ride frequently, lower income tourists, or big groups/families who all want to ride the cars, the decrease is a big deal.
It’s not guaranteed yet, but we certainly hope this fare drop is on the way! Stay tuned here and join the Bay Area Telegraph newsletter so we can keep you posted as the story develops.
