Want to take a group out for a special, rail-centric event? The SFMTA offers private charters on our historic cable cars and streetcars. Bring your friends, family, or coworkers out on a ride around San Francisco they'll never forget.
Here's what you need to know in order to charter historic streetcars and cable cars--designated National Historic Landmarks in 1964.
Charter Reservations & Bookings - How do I reserve a vehicle?
- Read this page in full.
- Request a date by emailing: events.muni@sfmta.com
- Saving a Date - dates can be saved for a charter up to one year prior to the desired date; however, reservations will not be made until 90 days prior to your requested date. See "Confirmations" below.
- Making a Reservation - reservations can be made from 14 - 90 days before an event. Payment must be received 10 days before the charter date (by check or bank transfer). Please plan your time accordingly. See "Confirmations" below.
- Confirmations - San Francisco is vibrant city with an ever-changing calendar of unique public activities, and availability of saved and reserved dates is subject to change.
Charter Availability
- Street Car Charters - Currently fully booked through August 2025.
- Cable Car Charters - Currently fully booked through December 2024.
- Note: Due to an extremely high volume of requests, we are unable to reply to requests for dates listed as "booked" above.
- Date guidelines:
- Frequency - Muni offers only 1 streetcar charter per week total and 1 cable car charter per week total. That is only 52 per year each. Book early.
- Special Events - Charters are not available on days with major special events such as parades, protests, large festivals, major construction, or other major city events.
- Weather - Inclement weather may affect the ability to provide a requested vehicle. The SFMTA will provide another vehicle if the vehicle requested is not suitable for the forecasted weather. If weather causes disruption to rail service, the charter may be cancelled.
- Multiple Requests - Multiple charters by the same requester are limited to 2 per year.
- Changes - San Francisco is vibrant city with an ever-changing calendar of unique public activities, and availability of saved and reserved dates is subject to change. Muni will try to preserve existing reservations, but may need to cancel or reschedule some charters due to events beyond our control. Muni will contact you as soon as possible if your reservation needs to be changed. Refunds will be provided for cancelled charters.
Types of Charters
Muni's charters are trains and are only able to run on tracks. Muni does not offer any bus or motorized cable car charters, and we cannot pick up at various locations around the city.
Streetcar Charters
- Route options:
- F Market route is the sole routing option, which travels from the Castro to Fisherman’s Wharf via Market Street and The Embarcadero.
- Start/End location options:
- Castro and Market
- Jones & Beach (Fishermans Wharf)
- Market Street Railway Museum near the Ferry Building.
- Vehicle Options & Cost:
- Historic Streetcars (max capacity 40 people) = $496 for 2 hours + $248/hr for additional hours
- Vintage Streetcars (max capacity 40 people) = $740 for 2 hours + $370/hr for additional hours
- Car 1
- Melbourne Car 496
- Boat Tram 228 or 233
- Zurich Car 737
- Note: the SFMTA cannot guarantee the requested car will be available. The SFMTA will do its best to provide the requested car or your preferred backup car. The SFMTA will notify the customer if the requested car is not available.
- Food & Drink
- Food & Drink may be enjoyed on streetcar charters. Guests are responsible for removal of trash and items brought on board.
- Dates
- We are currently booked through August 2025.
- Due to a high volume of charter requests, we are unable to reply to emails requesting dates in the "booked" period.
- Charters are unavailable during major city events.
- Requests must be made at least 14 days ahead of the charter. Payment must be received at least 10 days before the charter (check or bank transfer)
Cable Car Charters
- Route options:
- Powell-Hyde (most popular), which travels from Hyde & Beach in Fisherman’s Wharf to Powell & Market in Union Square.
- Powell-Mason, which travels from Bay & Taylor in Fisherman’s Wharf to Powell & Market in Union Square.
- California, which travels from California & Drumm downtown to California & Van Ness.
- Start/End location options:
- Hyde Terminal for Powell-Hyde Line
- Bay Terminal for Powell-Mason Line
- Drumm Terminal for California Line
- Vehicle Options & Cost:
- All Cable Cars (max capacity 40 people) = $958 for 2 hours + $479/hr for additional hours
- Food & Drink
- Food & Drink are not allowed on cable cars.
- Dates
- We are currently booked through December 2024.
- Due to a high volume of charter requests, we are unable to reply to emails requesting dates in the "booked" period.
- Charters are unavailable during major city events.
- Requests must be made at least 14 days ahead of the charter. Payment must be received at least 10 days before the charter (check or bank transfer)
Motorized Cable Car Charters
Muni does not offer motorized cable car charters (the type that can go anywhere because they are a cable car on wheels).
Bus Charters
Muni does not offer bus charters.
Guidelines During a Charter
- Food & Drinks - food and drinks are allowed on chartered street car vehicles only. Food is not allowed on cable car charters. All items brought on board the vehicle must be removed and cleaned by the charter requester.
- Music - music is allowed on charters. Requesters must provide their own power source. Volume cannot be excessive so as to maintain a safe operating environment.
- Safety - all passengers must act safely and follow instructions of the operator. If the operator feels the passengers are acting unsafely, the charter can be terminated.
- Smoking - smoking or vaping is not allowed on any charter vehicle.
- On/Off Service & Stopping - Muni charters are trains that share the tracks with regular cable car and streetcar service. We are unable to provide on/off service, drop you off somewhere and pick up you later, nor can they stop while your group does something else.
- Group Size - Muni charters can fix a maximum group size of 40 people.
Cost for a Charter
- Cable cars are $958 for 2 hours + $479/hr for additional hours
- Historic streetcars are $496 for 2 hours + $248/hr for additional hours
- Vintage streetcars are $740 for 2 hours + $370/hr for additional hours
- Charters require a two-hour minimum.
- All payments must be submitted 10 days in advance of the charter date.
Cancellations and Refunds
- Refunds - Refunds will be issued for cancellations made per the cancellation procedures defined below.
- Weather - Inclement weather may affect the ability to provide a requested vehicle. The SFMTA will provide another vehicle if the vehicle requested is not suitable for the forecasted weather. If weather causes disruption to rail service, the charter may be cancelled. The SFMTA will rely on www.wunderground.com as the official weather forecast.
- SFMTA unable to fulfill a confirmed charter - If the SFMTA is not able to fulfill a charter, the SFMTA will notify requesters as soon as possible. All charter requests are at the sole discretion of the SFMTA, and the SFMTA cannot guarantee a charter will be available. A refund will be provided if the charter must be cancelled.
- Cancellation - If charter is no longer needed, please cancel at least 10 days before the event.
Contact Information
SFMTA Charter Team