The Tramway is back: rotating cars tentatively return to the mountain tomorrow after a month of maintenance
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is tentatively scheduled to reopen Monday, October 5, after its annual maintenance closure, kicking off the winter season in the San Jacinto Mountains.
PALM SPRINGS: The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is tentatively scheduled to reopen Monday, October 5, following its annual preventative maintenance closure, which has kept the rotating cars off the cables since September 8. The first tram up leaves at 10 a.m., with tramcars departing at least every 30 minutes.
The reopening marks the start of the Tramway's winter season. The schedule for opening day calls for the first tram up at 10 a.m., the last tram up at 8 p.m. and the last tram down at 9:30 p.m.
During the 2026 closure, crews rebuilt the carriage on cabin two, repainted the cabin interiors, and completed the annual state-permit testing and service to the controls system, according to the Tramway's announcement.
The rotating cars are back on the cables, and the winter season in the mountains above Palm Springs begins.
We appreciate our guests' patience and understanding as our Tramway Systems and Facilities Departments worked to complete all necessary projects. We look forward to welcoming new and returning visitors back to the Tramway and eagerly anticipate the upcoming holiday and event season.Nancy Nichols, General Manager of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
The ride
The Tramway bills itself as the world's largest rotating tram car. Opened in 1963, its 80-passenger cars travel along the cliffs of Chino Canyon from the Valley Station at 2,643 feet to the Mountain Station at 8,516 feet in approximately 10 minutes, a climb of more than 5,800 feet. The cars rotate slowly as they climb, giving every rider shifting views of the canyon and the Coachella Valley.
The Mountain Station offers restaurants, observation decks and access to the trails of Long Valley and Mount San Jacinto State Park. With the winter season comes the chance of snow in the mountains above town, typically from November through April, and temperatures at the top can run far colder than the desert floor. The Tramway advises riders to bring a warm layer and sturdy shoes, and to carry water and check trail conditions before hiking.
Planning a trip up
The reopening is one of the valley's biggest fall tourism signals, arriving just as the desert's peak visitor season begins. The first days after a reopening tend to draw crowds of riders who waited out the closure; a weekday later in the week may be calmer than reopening day. Tickets are sold on the Tramway's website, which is also where any change to the schedule would appear first. More information and tickets are available at pstramway.com.
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