SFMTA – MUNI – Cable Cars

The cable car is a fun ride but loads and departs 40 people every 15 to 20 minutes and its fun to watch the vintage technology in the turning of the cars at the loading station. The issues that need to be addressed by SFMuni with my solution are these:
Lines are long, and as such should be made clear to ticket purchasers. Ground markers or signs stating wait time from specific points would be helpful in changing attitudes of riders who grow very impatient.
Shade would be helpful in also keeping down frustrations for the up to 2 hour wait.
Manager attitude towards paying clientele with questions about wait times should be scripted and courteous, instead of off the cuff and rife with sarcasim and avoidance of eyecontact and answers. I witnessed two verbal asualts between Muni employee and clients.
Thank you.

I went to SF for the first time… boy no one told me about the horrible traffic! I would have NEVER gone here by car. I am for LA… this place is WORST! Ok, with that being said, I asked help from this nice gentleman, a Muni driver taking a 5 minute break. I explained to him that me and my daughters were Americas and we were lost :) He chuckled. He was so kind. I wish I got his name. We were at the Fisherman’s Wharf and could not figure out how to get to our car. I was sooooo overwhelmed by the day I could not think right. He was so compassionate. He personally made sure that we got on the correct bus and told the new bus driver our dilemma. The new driver’s name was Jacqueline. Hope I spelled her name right. She was amazing. Full of love and a great attitude. I showed her my parking ticket location, and she said she would tell us where to get off. She showed this kindness to EVERY single person who came on the bus. You can see everyone’s stress level disappear. She had all her riders chant a cute little cheer song. I love this lady! I’d go out of my way to ride with her everyday if I lived in SF. Just had to show my appreciation in this review. This was on May 16, 2016, evening route.

Unique and Fun Experience! Start Early in the Morning to Beat the Crowds/​Lines — A Must-​Do in San Francisco!
My mother and I spent half a day riding the cable cars throughout San Francisco during the morning of July 31^st.
The cable cars are a unique and interesting part of San Francisco’s history. There are three lines that you can ride on: Powell-​Mason, Powell-​Hyde and California.
We woke up early and arrived at the Powell Street Cable Car Turnaround (main starting point) shortly after 6 AM. We waited for only a few minutes before hopping on the Powell-​Mason cable car. Once we were seated and the car was rolling up and down the steep and hilly downtown streets, a man walked around to each person and collected the fare price. It cost $ 7 for one ride (once you hop off the cable car, it will cost you another $ 7 to get on again at a different stop) but we decided to purchase the $ 17 one-​day pass, which allowed us to hop on and off the cable cars (of all three lines) for an unlimited amount of time for the day. I found it to be a great value and it was definitely worth the price for me!
I loved riding on the cable cars! They were bumpy but it was a unique and local experience, rolling up and down the steep and hilly streets. We passed by many buildings with beautiful and detailed Victorian-​style architecture, which was great to see. I recommend sitting on the benches at the front of the car, to get the best photos with no obstructions.
We hopped off the Powell-​Mason car at Lombard Street and explored one of the most crooked streets in the world, which was interesting (read my review on Lombard Street’s TripAdvisor page). We then walked to Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 before boarding the Powell-​Hyde cable car at the Powell & Beach Street turnaround. We rode that car to Chinatown, where we got off to explore. Following that, we rode and third and final cable car line, California, which ran along a particular length of California Street and back to the downtown area.
During our riding, I decided to stand on the sideboards that run along the edge of cable cars while holding on to the pole and hanging off the side of the cable car. It was so much fun and I loved it! When the cable car was on top of the hilly streets, the views of the downtown area and the harbour/​bay were beautiful and fantastic!
We had a very relaxing, peaceful and enjoyable experience riding the cable cars in the morning, with hardly anybody else on them. I highly recommend riding the cable cars as early in the morning as possible, if you want to beat the insane crowds on the cars. When we were finished at around 11 AM, the line-​ups to get on the cable cars at the main turnarounds (Powell Street, Hyde Street) as well as the stops along the street, were insanely long! My guess is that you would be waiting in lines for at least an hour and a half, but probably more, just to get on one cable car. If you choose to ride the cable cars during the busy times (which is basically all day, except early morning), the California line is generally less popular than the other two lines, as it does not provide the best views and has a different route. But if you just want to ride the cars and skip the long lines, this would be a good option.
Riding the cable cars is a great experience to have, but I would advise against using the cable cars as a form of public transportation to get around in SF. It would be quite expensive and you would be waiting in long lines to get on. The MUNI buses are a much better option for simply getting around, while the cable cars are more of an experience.
Despite the fact that the cable cars are a huge tourist attraction and are very popular and crowded, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience riding them in the early morning and I would definitely recommend it to travelers in San Francisco! This is definitely an unique and fun experience worth having.

I am from san jose and san jose has a more user friendly public transportation system
San Jose has bus stops that has placards stating the direction of travel and the customer service centers pick up quickoly. SFMTA has only
a yellow colored band of paint on poles with bus number but no destination. How am I suppose to know which way the bus is heading. SFMTA wants to give free rides to the elderly and disable, they should use that money to put up better bus stop signs and a comprehensive route map that is easy to see. You also have to wait 20 or 30 minutes on hold with the call center. I know SF is
a wealthy city and can do better.

These are more of an amusement ride than true transportation. Make up your mind early as the long lines of tourists will certainly remind you of disney. If you have to get somewhere timely this is not the A venue

It has always been a dream of mine to ride a cable car in San Fran. While my husband and I visited we rode it once from the Fisherman’s Wharf to Union Square. The line was quite long when we arrived, I would guess that we waited at least 40 minutes. The ride down hill was a bit frightening since it seems to pick up speed quickly and where are the brakes? Ohh well, I survived and it was fun. This is the kind of thing that I wouldn’t need to do again but is nice to have experienced. If you are rushed for time skip this unless the line is super short because the whole process is a slow process and it may annoy you that the employees seem to be slow but they are on some type of rhythymic schedule. Do it, take pictures, then move on.

SF is easy to get around without a car. At least as a visitor, I felt no need for one– we rode trains and buses. And we made a point to ride the cable cars.
We arrived in the middle of the Pride Parade, and the cable was down so we watched the parade for awhile. Swung back by the turnaround and heard from a local not to stand in line there, but to go up a block or two and hop on. (Purchase your ticket ahead of time, or pay when you board.) We got on and got seats, and enjoyed the ride to our destination. It’s a nice way to get around, and you get to see the city a little.
The cars are ancient technology– cables and bars, etc., nothing modern. This and the steep hills bothered Sweetie a bit; she said it seemed like a roller coaster, and I can kinda see that. The driver and conductor are working to keep the speed constant, the cable tight (I guess,) etc. And the turnaround is a very simple turntable in the street– not like the railroad roundhouse I expected.
The employees were generally friendly, and answered questions. One driver in particular was very good about warning when we were going to turn, go down a steep hill, etc., and helping people get to open seats.
The price is a bit steep, but it’s a fun experience. Check it out.

Muni is the biggest piece of sh! t transit system there is. It’s really a joke. There is no rhyme or reason to how they run trains, they announce new programs but never follow thru (what happened to the «double stopping» bs they were going to implement to have the trains run better?) I’m late whenever I take muni. If you have another option, take it.

Cable Cars ARE San Francisco.
They are not terribly efficient, the Muni employees work in slo-​mo, but the ride itself is unforgettable.
Just do it. You won’t regret it.

5 stars for a neat SF experience, 1 star for the awful attitude of the workers. If I didn’t have a friend along who lives in SF, it would be a bit confusing on navigating where to get on/​how to pay. The worker had a terrible attitude, and loudly & openly mocked a few tourists who were trying to get on the cable car.

Horrible employees, a lazy lot, and not a smile among them. They must’ve been staging work action or were «working the union rules» at the Hyde Street turntable by fishermens wharf. At San Francisco’s largest tourist attraction they were doing their best to pissed off the tourist waiting an hour and a half in line while there were five cars visible, one waiting to be boarded and four more cable cars stacked up empty with the employees on their cell phones ignoring everybody. Even after the cars were loaded we just sit there until one guy just occasionally looking at his watch determined enough time has passed and started the car up hill. 16 minutes between cars. With people walking away leaving the line shaking their heads mumbling about the Muni employees. To help with San Francisco I’m going to San Diego where everybody smiles and is friendly.

I try to use the California line for my daily work commute.
I have 1 question/​problem:
WHY IS THIS LINE SO UNRELIABLE?
It almost never shows up at all, despite a website that clearly shows it’s intended stops and times. It’s like the conductor or whomever is in charges just decides to operate and show up whenever they fell like it. I cannot truly depend on this line for a daily work commute.
In addition to that, there have been few days where I will see a MUNI sent in as a Cable Cars substitute if it fails to be running that day, but even that has been random too.
Here’s another example that is really irritating: About a week ago I tried to wait for one starting at California and Drumm. There were 3 cable cars lined up, each filled with operators just standing around keeping to themselves. I arrived precisely when the cable car was to approach the beginning of the line, but the cable car hadn’t even pulled up to start boarding passengers yet. After waiting several minutes, I walk down to where the cable cars are lined up. I approach one and ask an employee when they’re going to pull up and start boarding. The employee responded, «Every 15 minutes» and then blew me off. So I walk back to the boarding area and stand in line waiting with a crowd of people. Then after approximately 25 minutes later the conductor lazes on in, pulls up the cable car and seemingly just «decides» to let people board as if he had no schedule to adhere to.
Are all of the cable car lines this undependable?
What is the reasoning for such a poorly managed line?
I beg someone to fix this, or at least explain why it is the way it is.

*This is not a cable car — this is a bus.*
Saw the cable car being towtrucked up Powell with this bus hulking in its wake. Funny how there was still a line. Little kids sitting in the #outkast back of the bus were all wide-​eyed trying to catch the enchantment of real cable cars; I felt bad for them. Most grievously, no passengers were able to hang off the sides.

Love em’.
How can anyone not?

After 8+ years of living on Powell Street and almost as long on Unilocal so it’s only fitting that I save #400 for something so near and dear to me.
Living on Powell in the heart of the tourist zone has been such a unique one-​of-​a-​kind experience that will surely go down as one of the most special chapters of my life.
With that, I’ve decided to share the Top 10 Things I can be heard saying on any given ride.
1. «We’ve got a green light. Let’s go!»
2. «We’ve got a potential flasher situation» High winds + skirt on the outside.
3. «So do you like the Royal Family?» Directed to anyone with the faintest British accent or every other passenger.
4. «Two rows!» When I’m forced to ride in the carriage and people aren’t in orderly position.
5. «Yes it’s a little expensive to live here» On every 4^th ride I get quizzed about cost of living in SF.
6. «Bitch I live here!» When tourists have the gall to question me getting on before them.
7. «It’s not going to board you!» When people just stare when it’s in front of them as if a conveyor belt will board them.
8. «I’m a professional» When people look at me with bewilderment as I manage to apply lipstick while holding on. Especially impressive on the hills.
9. «I’m late for work!» It’s all in my green eyes but many a driver has stopped in the middle of the turn on to Powell so that I can board making me only slightly less late for work.
10. «Not everyone is on vacation!» Just another hint to tourists to take charge when the cable car approaches and it’s time to board.
The drag is that it’s $ 6 per ride, but it’s included in the monthly Muni pass. However, if you lose the fanny pack and the camera, constantly obsess with your iPhone, and wear lots of black (in other words try to blend in like a local) you might ride for free!

I like the idea of the cable cars, riding them the first couple of times is fun. They go with the image of the city. The drivers are friendly to locals, and there’s a lot of history here.
On the downside, San Francisco attracts a certain kind of self-​centered tourist, who is pushy and doesn’t have much consideration for others and is desperate to ride, so tourist season is not a real great time to ride. And of course the drivers are grumpy from having to deal with them.
Finally, they are pretty noisy, even with no car in sight due to the constant running of the cables.
You should definitely ride once, but choose where you get on (definitely not Powell Street turn around), and what time of year you ride. And be nice to the drivers.

Cool way to tour the city. Kinda touristy, but really fun and worth the $ 6. Drivers sometimes make jokes and play songs with the bells. Overall a good experience. I’d recommend it.

Lazy employees! Ride was fun… The the crap employee made me rate it 1 star. He was sitting on his butt eating popcorn while there were 5 cars waiting to unload.

The idea of this is better than the implementation. Instead of collecting money before people get on the trolley they wait until the trolleys are loaded making the wait to get on the trolley over an hour! The cost is $ 6 one-​way, so it’s not expensive. But, if the weather isn’t right the wait is excruciating. Please, MUNI, please improve your ticket sale process and move the lines along!

I would like to thank the MUNI and their drivers for being there for the commuters of the city of SAN FRANCISCO during the BART strike. Some of the people always criticized the MUNI but it time of need, they are always there to provide services for us. I really appreciate you guys… THANK YOU…

It is really great!!!
Even though living in California more than 10years, i ve never ridden this MUNI before. It was absolutely great experiences and i was very lucky ridding this WORLD FAMOUS CABLE CAR.
Exciting– There are so many hills in San Francisco and this car going up and down with excitements. The drivers make people happy with professional driving and explaining where we are. The view is absolutely gorgeous at night.
Romantic– There are so many couple out there. They whisper to lovers ears and they take some couple photos. The view enhances the the couple’s romantic feeling.
Historical value– this car made out of wood and hand crafted material. Even the driver operate this car with his strength like a bike, not the engine. i feel like i am in the past time. Now the world is in the high tech but this cable car in in the 100 years past.
The ticket is $ 6 for the one way. you can buy a ticket nearby or pay cash.

Amazing views and the cable cars themselves are fun-​most if the operators are rude, abusive and a huge let down to the tourist attraction-​they give the clear impression they wish there were no customers on board-I’m going to write to sfmuni I’m so disgusted with their ‘tourist attraction’. It’s not like its hard to not be rude and it would be so easy for the council to train some people who are enthusiastic. It seems like it’s operated by a gang!
You get what you pay for San Francisco: you feel like you’re on a get away car from a bank robbery with the driver wearing a hooded mask!

HOLY TOURIST!!! Cable cars are part of San Francisco? YES!!! Put the two together and all you get is toursit riding up and down on cable cars all day long for $ 6 bucks a pop.
I give the cable car operators 5 stars their job is tuff. Trying to inform German tourist that they can not compeletly hang off the moving cable car inorder to get that one really good picture as they approach a red light and keeping the aisle clear at the exit and entrance without losing thier coo. Bravo!!!
If you area a tourist I say do it once and take some photos then move on. If you live here then you know how to get around the city without it.
Hint: Go early in the morning, like before 8 am, extremely less crowded and faster. Also don’t wait for it at the main end/​intersections go to the less used pick up locations a few blocks up.