Soar to the top of Mount Washington on the Monongahela Incline’s refurbished funicular for impressive views across the Pittsburgh skyline.
In the mid-nineteenth century, Pittsburgh was a booming industrial city. The immigrant workers it attracted led to a housing shortage, so new developments were planned on the terraces of Mount Washington. The German immigrants who lived in them were inspired by the cable cars of their Alpine homes to suggest a simple way of accessing the lofty houses, and, in 1870, the Monongahela Incline was born! Named for the nearby Monongahela River, this is commonly referred to by locals as “the Mon”.
Today it continues to be used by inhabitants of the mountain, but is also a major tourist attraction. The safety features may have been upgraded, but otherwise the technology and the design remain true to its century-old invention.
Tickets can be bought from the lower station, opposite the Station Square shopping complex. This is the steepest funicular in the United States, and you’ll rise at an angle of 35 degrees along the 194-metre track. Once you get to the top, take a short walk to the summit of Mount Washington to enjoy the sweeping panorama across Pittsburgh and out to the plains of West Pennsylvania. The curve of the river below, crossed Pittsburgh’s 446 bridges, makes this one of the most picturesque cityscapes in America. Take your time to wander around the top of this 112-metre high peak and even visit some of the 19th-century miners’ houses.
The Monongahela Incline lower station is located near the Smithfield Bridge. The ticket office is just a short walk from central Pittsburgh, across the Monongahela River. Public transport options including local light rail, known as The T, and bus services all stop at nearby Station Square. The railway is open every day, and runs from early every morning until after midnight, although operating hours are slightly shorter on Sundays and public holidays.
