The Citywide public transportation agency is the San
Francisco Municipal Railway, better known as Muni. It operates
the world-famous cable cars, buses, trolley buses, a metro
system, and historic streetcars (trams).
Types of Transportation:
Cable Cars:
There are three cable car routes in San Francisco. Two of
these routes, the Powell-Hyde and the Powell-Mason, begin at the
corner of Powell and Market Streets, and run north-south from
Nob Hill to Fisherman's Wharf. At Fisherman's Wharf, you can
board the Powell-Hyde line at Hyde and Beach Streets and the
Powell-Mason line at Bay and Taylor Streets.
The third line is the California line running east-west on
California Street between Market Street and Van Ness Avenue,
serving the Financial District, Chinatown and Nob Hill. This
line tends to be the least crowded.
The transfer point for all three lines is at Powell and
California Streets. Cable cars can be boarded at any designated
stop along the route. However, during the busy summer months, it
is a good idea to join the queue at the terminus, as the cable
cars usually fill up at the beginning of the line. Please be
aware that you may experience a 45- to 60-minute wait during the
summer.
Buses/Trolley Buses:
Muni's buses and trolley buses run all over The City in
frequent intervals (usually every five to 20 minutes). Each
route has a number and a name, i.e. 5-Fulton, 24-Divisadero,
42-Downtown Loop, which are prominently displayed on the front
and side of the bus, along with the route's destination. Some
routes, such as 38L-Geary Limited or 14L-Mission Limited, make
only limited stops along their routes.
Others, such as 9X-San Bruno Express or 31AX-Balboa
"A" Express, operate nonstop from downtown to the
outer regions of The City. For more clarity on Muni service, we
recommend purchasing a Muni map for $2.17 (includes tax) at the
San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau's Visitor
information Center or at various stores throughout The City.
Historic Streetcars (Trams):
You can travel back in time on our distinctive worldwide
collection of historic streetcars which have been gracing The
City with regular service since 1995. Each car is painted in its
original livery, be it from Boston, Chicago or Milan. You can
find these beautiful streetcars running along the center of
Market Street from the Transbay Terminal in downtown to the
Castro District. They are collectively known as line F-Market.
Metro:
Beginning downtown at Embarcadero Station, the Muni Metro's
five underground streetcar lines (J-Church, K-Ingleside, L-Taraval,
M-Ocean View and N-Judah) take you under Market Street to
various points of interest in the western and southwestern
regions of The City. The J and N lines branch off after Van Ness
station and operate on the surface, and the K, L and M continue
underground to West Portal Station before splitting into their
own separate surface lines. In the subway section of the system,
J and N cars are often coupled together, as are K, L and M cars.
NOTE:
Because of ongoing repairs, the Metro closes every evening at
10 pm. Shuttle bus service is available until 12:30 am on the K,
L, M and N lines, and the F-Market historic streetcar service is
extended during this time to cover the J line. Board F-Market
streetcars and shuttle buses at the island stops on Market
Street.
Single Adult Fares:
Cable Car$2
Bus, Streetcar, Metro$1
Adults: ages 18-64
Discount Fare: ages 5-17, 65+, and disabled riders
Please have the exact fare ready when you board; Metro
faregates do not accept any dollar bills.
