As planned, the special six-month 150th anniversary fare on the California Street cable car line has expired, and the fare has gone back to $8 one-way, the same as the Powell Street cable cars.
A $5 all-day pass was instituted mid-year 2023 by SFMTA Director of Transportation Jeff Tumlin at our suggestion as part of the civic celebration of 150 Years of Cable Cars. It greatly boosted ridership on the California Street line. But special fares of this type instituted by management expire at the end of 180 days unless they are adopted as part of the overall fare schedule by the SFMTA Board of Directors.
It’s our understanding that management is evaluating the final financial results of the $5 day pass and will decide whether to recommend to its board that it be adopted permanently. We understand that could happen this spring, in time for the 2024 visitor season.
There’s still a great bargain for a day out on the cable cars: Muni’s one-day passport for all its services at just $13. It includes all the cable car lines, the F-line historic streetcars, the Muni Metro and Central subway services, and all Muni bus lines. If it’s a Muni service, this covers it.
We thank Jeff Tumlin and SFMTA (especially the revenue group that had to program it and the cable car conductors who sold the passes and answered questions) for this demonstration project. We hope it is brought back permanently.
