Every few years since the 1980s, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency raises the fare for a cable car ride to keep the beloved, but costly, tourist attraction on track. Typically, the agency tacks on an extra dollar at a time, but incremental increases, like the trolley itself, are now a thing of the past.
On Tuesday, the SFMTA Board of Directors unanimously approved a new fare structure for hopping on the cable car, and it’s the largest year-over-year increase in San Francisco history. If the San Francisco Board of Supervisors confirms the budget, the cost for a single ride will rise from $9 to $12 starting Jan. 4, 2027. But the SFMTA board saved the biggest escalation for the following year.
In early 2028, a cable car ride would cost $18…