© Maarten van den Heuvel・Unsplash License

United States

San Francisco

A city of fog and hills. The cable cars are still working public transit, while BART and Muni do the daily grind.

Muni Metro, F-line streetcar and cable cars

Light rail and the F-line share one fare with 120 minutes of transfers - tap a bank card and there is no tap-out. The cable cars are the exception: a separate $9 ride, no transfers, paid to the conductor on board.

Updated on August 2, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    Have your card or Clipper ready
    Have a contactless credit card or Clipper ready. The MuniMobile app can reject foreign-issued cards.
  2. 2
    In the subway, tap in at the gate
    Tap your card once on the gate reader to enter. On the way out there is nothing to tap - the gate opens by itself.
  3. 3
    On the street, board at any door
    At street stops use any door and tap the reader inside. Only cash payers must use the front door.
  4. 4
    Transfer on the same fare for 120 minutes
    One fare lets you keep transferring between light rail, the F line and buses for 120 minutes - cable cars excluded.
  5. 5
    On cable cars you pay the conductor
    The conductor comes to you once aboard. Cash must be exact. At the three main terminals, buy before boarding in the daytime.
  6. 6
    Keep your proof of payment to the end
    Inspectors check on board and inside subway stations. If you paid cash, keep the transfer you were handed until you get off.

Fares

Single fares2

Single ride, adult (valid 120 minutes)
$2.85 with Clipper, a contactless card or MuniMobile; $3.00 in cash or from a Metro ticket machine.
2.85〜3 USD ≈ $3
Cable car single ride
One one-way trip only - no transfer to another cable car line or to any other Muni service.
9 USD ≈ $9

Passes & multi-ride4

Day Pass (one day, unlimited)
A day of unlimited buses, light rail and historic streetcars. Not valid on cable cars.
5.7 USD ≈ $6
1-Day Visitor Passport
All Muni service including cable cars. Not valid on BART or for airport trips.
15 USD ≈ $15
3-Day Visitor Passport
Three consecutive days, expiring at 11:59 p.m. on the third day of use.
35 USD ≈ $35
7-Day Visitor Passport
Seven consecutive days; the same price for all ages and discount categories.
47 USD ≈ $47

Estimates use exchange rates as of November 3, 2026

Cable car No. 16 on Powell Street, with another cable car on the hill beyond Taken Aug 2025 © Evan0512・CC BY-SA 4.0

Payment

Tap to ride
DiscoverVISAMastercardAmex
Tap at gates and on-board readers; unconfirmed on cable cars
IC card
Clipper card or Clipper on your phone; also works on cable cars
App tickets
MuniMobile; it may reject foreign-issued credit cards
Paper tickets
From subway ticket machines, plus the paper Visitor Passport
Cash
No change given on board; ticket machines issue a voucher instead of change

Quick facts

Hours
5:00-24:00 approx.
Frequency
Every 8-20 min
Fares from
2.85 USD+

Heads-up

  • One card cannot cover two riders - each must tap their own

    One contactless card cannot pay for two people - every rider must tap their own card, and lending yours also kills the transfer discount. If you do not have a card each, get a Clipper card or Visitor Passport per person.

Timetable

Operating hours 5:00-24:00 approx.
Typical duration Roughly 20-40 minutes from downtown out to the waterfront or the western neighborhoods
Check the official site for the latest times and service status
Editor Naotaka