Booking choice: The Big Bus hop-on hop-off, from $56 per person. Check dates Tour details
The SFMTA, which runs Muni and the cable cars, approved a two-year budget on 21 April 2026. Its fare section hits visitors harder than locals: the cable car single ride goes up by a third in January, and the cheap Clipper discount for regular buses goes away.
Everything below comes from the SFMTA fares page, its approved budget page and the board's press release, read on 11 October 2026.
The quick answer
Until 3 January 2027 a cable car ride is $9, and the 1-day Visitor Passport is $15. From 4 January 2027 the single ride is $12, with a new $18 Cable Car Plus pass for unlimited cable car and Muni rides, two kids free per paying adult. From 3 January 2028 only the $18 pass is left.
How much is a cable car ride in San Francisco right now?
$9 per ride for adults and kids 5 and up. Children 4 and under ride free.
The SFMTA fares page lists the cable car single ride at $9.00. Seniors, riders with disabilities and Medicare cardholders pay $4.00, but only before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m. Children 4 and under ride free. Unlike regular Muni buses, where youth 18 and under ride free, cable cars charge kids from age 5 the full fare.
There are three lines: California, Powell/Hyde and Powell/Mason, per the SFMTA cable car page. Two lines start at Powell and Market and run to the Fisherman's Wharf area; the California line runs from California and Market to Van Ness Avenue.
| Fare | Until 3 Jan 2027 | From 4 Jan 2027 | From 3 Jan 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cable car single ride | $9 | $12 | Discontinued |
| Cable Car Plus (unlimited cable car + Muni, 2 youth free) | Not sold | $18 | $18 |
| Muni single ride, Clipper or card | $2.85 | $3.00 | Up 10 cents in 2028 |
| Muni single ride, cash | $3.00 | $3.00 | Up 10 cents in 2028 |
| Visitor Passport 1 / 3 / 7 days | $15 / $35 / $47 | No change announced | No change announced |
What changes on 4 January 2027?
The cable car ride goes from $9 to $12, the $18 Cable Car Plus pass starts, and Clipper users lose their 15-cent discount on Muni.
The budget page lists the Year 1 changes as "$12 Single Ride Cable Car Ticket AND $18 Cable Car Plus (2 free youth)", effective 4 January 2027. The press release describes Cable Car Plus as unlimited cable car rides and other Muni service, with two youth riding free with each paying adult.
For a family of two adults and two kids aged 5 or older, that pass changes the maths. Today four people on one cable car pay $36. From January, two Cable Car Plus passes cost the same $36, cover both kids and give unlimited rides. The SFMTA has not yet published how long the pass is valid; check its fares page before you travel.
The Clipper discount goes too. Full-fare riders paying with Clipper will pay $3, the same as cash, the press release says.
What happens to cable car tickets in 2028?
From 3 January 2028 the single-ride cable car ticket is gone, and the $18 Cable Car Plus is the only option.
The budget page puts it plainly: "In Year 2, there is only the $18 Cable Car Plus (2 free youth)." Year 2 starts on 3 January 2028. If you want one ride down Powell Street for the photo, 2026 and 2027 are the cheap years.
Two other changes follow. Daily fare capping is targeted for summer 2027: after two paid Muni rides in a day, the rest are free. And a 10-cent increase on Muni fares is planned for 2028.
Is the Muni Visitor Passport worth it?
Yes, if you ride a cable car more than once in a day. Two $9 rides cost $18; the 1-day Visitor Passport costs $15 and covers cable cars, buses and streetcars.
The passports are $15 for one day, $35 for three and $47 for seven, per the fares page. The budget announced no change to them. One cable car up and one back already beats the 1-day pass. After January, at $12 a ride, the pass pays off on the first round trip by a wide margin.
The pass is a ride, not a tour. Nobody explains what you're looking at, and the cable cars don't go to the Golden Gate Bridge, Twin Peaks or the Painted Ladies. For those, a city tour does the work: see our tour price guide.
The open-top bus covers the bridge, Golden Gate Park and Haight-Ashbury on one ticket, with recorded commentary.
Check dates for the Big Bus hop-on hop-offHow do you pay for Muni and cable cars in 2026?
With Clipper, the MuniMobile app, a contactless credit or debit card, or cash on board.
Since December 2025 you can tap a contactless credit or debit card to pay, the SFMTA says. MuniMobile no longer sells single-ride passes from 1 September 2026, so use the app for Visitor Passports or tap your card for single rides.
Cash still works on cable cars, but exact change is required, the SFMTA cable car page says. At the busiest terminals (Powell and Market, Bay and Taylor, Hyde and Beach) you must pay before boarding between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Should you ride a cable car or take a city tour?
Do both: one cable car ride for the experience, and a tour for the sights the cable cars never reach.
A cable car is the ride itself. It climbs Nob Hill and Russian Hill and drops you near Fisherman's Wharf, and that's it. A city tour links the places that sit far apart: the bridge, Twin Peaks, Golden Gate Park, the Painted Ladies.
On a budget, the Big Bus hop-on hop-off starts at $56 for 24 hours. For a live guide, the Painted Ladies VW tour is $82 for two hours, and the Vantigo VW bus is on sale at $103. Ride the cable car the same day: the Powell lines link Union Square and Fisherman's Wharf, where most tours start.
Three hours in a vintage VW bus with five photo stops: the sights the cable cars don't reach.
Explore the Vantigo VW bus tour Tour detailsFrequently asked questions
How much is a San Francisco cable car ride in 2026?
$9 per ride. Children 4 and under ride free; seniors pay $4 before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
When do cable car fares go up?
On 4 January 2027 the single ride rises to $12. From 3 January 2028 only the $18 Cable Car Plus pass is sold.
What is Cable Car Plus?
An $18 pass the SFMTA introduces on 4 January 2027: unlimited cable car rides and other Muni service, with two youth riding free per paying adult.
Does the Visitor Passport include cable cars?
Yes. The 1-day ($15), 3-day ($35) and 7-day ($47) Visitor Passports cover cable cars, buses and streetcars.
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Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Open-Top Tour
- 24, 48 or 72-hour ticket; Red Route 10 AM to 5 PM, about every 15 minutes
- Digital audio commentary with earbuds; Big Bus app with live tracking
- 48 h adds a sunset tour and digital Chinatown walk; 72 h also adds a bay cruise
Painted Ladies City Tour by VW Bus
- Live guide in a vintage Volkswagen bus, maximum 7 per vehicle
- Snacks and bottled water
- Stops: Palace of Fine Arts, Painted Ladies, Golden Gate Bridge; passes Lombard Street
San Francisco City Tour by Vintage VW Bus
- Live guide and commentary on San Francisco history
- Vintage Volkswagen bus, maximum 7 travelers
- Stops: Coit Tower, Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Bridge, Twin Peaks, Painted Ladies
