Cable cars have been transporting people around San Francisco since the late 19th century and are a great way not only to get around this notoriously hilly city, but also to see some of the spectacular views and diverse neighborhoods. The cars run on tracks and are pulled by underground cables along the three routes on which they were first established in 1873. At Powell and Market streets, there is a turntable that serves as the starting point for two lines, the Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde. The Powell-Mason continues up and over Nob Hill and down to Bay Street at Fisherman's Wharf. The Powell-Hyde continues over Nob and Russian hills before ending at Aquatic Park near Ghirardelli Square. Both these lines end near Fisherman's Wharf but at different areas, and the routes are significantly different. Paying close attention to the signs on the cable cars will help you distinguish where in Fisherman's Wharf you are. Single ride tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the cable-car turnarounds at the end of each route. San Francisco's cable cars are the nation's only moving historical landmarks. They run on nine miles of track at an average speed of 9.5 miles per hour, transporting an average of 13 million people per year.

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