Hilly street

Question

Which cable car line goes down the hilly street? (Lombard?)

Answer

The street you’re probably thinking of is Lombard Street, famous for its steep, crooked section with tight switchbacks lined with flowers. However, no cable car line actually goes down Lombard Street itself. The iconic cable car lines in San Francisco run along different streets, primarily serving steep hills, but not the winding portion of Lombard.

The main cable car lines in the city are:

Powell-Hyde Line: Runs from Powell and Market Streets up to Hyde Street, then continues down toward the Aquatic Park area. This line passes near the top of Lombard Street, giving you views of the crooked street from above, but it does not travel on Lombard itself.
Powell-Mason Line: Also starts at Powell and Market Streets and travels north toward Fisherman’s Wharf, but like the Hyde line, it skirts around Lombard rather than running on it.
California Street Line: Runs east-west along California Street, going up and down some steep hills in the Financial District and Nob Hill, but again, does not intersect Lombard Street’s crooked section.

If your goal is to experience Lombard Street, the best approach is to walk or drive down the street itself. Many visitors park or take a short walk from nearby cable car stops on Hyde Street (near the top of Lombard) to view and photograph the famous curves.

In summary, you can use the Powell-Hyde line to get close to Lombard Street and enjoy the surrounding hilly views, but no cable car travels directly down Lombard’s twisty section.

Hilly street

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