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Incline Duquesne
Rating Details »
Categories: Landmarks & Historical Buildings, Tours
1220 Grandview AvePittsburgh, PA 15211
(412) 381-1665
23 reviews for Incline Duquesne
"Great history lesson" is what I wrote in the guest book. As spectacular as the view is, I equally enjoyed the informational displays in the station house at the top. They pack a lot into a small space--photographs, newspapers and facsimiles, old letters, various writeups, a handful of artifacts. I'm a native Pennsylvanian (from further east) but I had never heard of some of the events depicted, such as the St Patrick's Day flood of 1936. I enjoyed reading the history of the incline as well as some of the lighter touches, such as a photo from January 1995 of the two cars as they pass each other--one reading "DEEE" and the other "FENSE." Another neat item are two displays of postcards from around the world of other funiculars, mountain trams, cable lifts, and the like.
And then there's the view. Our weather was perfect; hopefully yours will be too. I was always aware that Pittsburgh is a very attractive city (I mean now, not in the 80s) but seeing it from up here really emphasizes it and cements one singular, representative image in my mind. One of the items inside is an article from February 2009 from the USA Today travel section, listing the Duquesne Incline as one of the top ten places in the world to view a city skyline.
So $4 round trip is money well spent for just the view OR the museum; for both it's a great deal.
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What an amazing place to come and get a bird's eye view of the city. It was gorgeous here! Came here the first night I was in town, and wow, breath taking views of the city. Of course I had to get over the whole "I'm afraid of heights" thing that I deal with, but once I did, I really loved it up here!
Came up in a little trolley car, and when I reached the top, amazing. Took great pictures at dusk, so they're a little dark, but seriously, AMAZING view! (I wonder how many people propose up here!?)
Anyway, worth the trip, especially if you're a first timer to Pittsburgh!
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The Duquesne Incline really does deserve its reputation as one of the must-do activities in Pittsburgh. Bring your camera, and you too can have pictures of the iconic Golden Triangle--no need to buy postcards!
I love the old-fashioned cars and stations (particularly the upper station). My one complaint is the pay system--only the lower station collects fares. It can get chaotic and confusing when people are trying to pay to go up at the same time people are paying after they come down. (But I guess the pay system isn't all that different from the PAT bus system--so maybe it's just Pittsburgh-style). You can pay for a round trip if you start at the bottom, so I'm assuming all the people paying after they come down started at the top.
I'm with all the reviewers who recommend starting from the bottom and going up. The upper station has more going on, with photographs on the walls, penny presses, the small gift shop, and the self-guided tour of all the gears and cables, If you exit the upper station and walk west, there's a grassy stretch where you can get some more good pictures. The restaurants on Grandview are the pricey steak/seafood kind of establishments, so eat before you come if you want more affordable grub.
The Duquesne Incline is quintessential Pittsburgh. It's a fun little ride up and down the hill on the vintage cars, almost like an old roller coaster. Absolutely spectacular views of the city from the observation deck and the top. The station house has so much character, it's truly one of a kind. I really love that Pittsburgh is a modern city, but they keep the past well preserved. Bring your camera well, you will absolutely regret it if you don't.
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I couldn't find the Monongahela Incline... but I did find the Duquesne Incline. It's so easy to drive pass the little green building at the top of Mt. Washington. As a visitor to Pittsburgh, I had difficulty finding station square to take the trolley car up. Even so, I found it unnecessary to take the trolley up when I saw the view! We saw the whole city from the outlook! I was a little disappointed I came too early as I'm sure the view would've been even more beautiful at night when the lights came on in the city buildings and streets. Picture perfect spot!
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Since I wrote about the the Monongahela Incline yesterday, I thought I'd give the Duquesne Incline equal time. It's not as conveniently located for me, so I've made far fewer trips on this one. Unlike the Mon Incline, it doesn't connect with the rail system. It does, however, connect with several bus routes going between Downtown and the West End at its lower station. There's also a large parking lot at the lower station.
Unlike the Mon Incline, whose cars are very austere looking, the Duquesne's cars are very ornate. They are still the original cars from 1877, made out of cherry-wood. They really creak while en-route! Also unlike the Mon Incline, the Duquesne Incline is operated by a non-profit preservation society and receives no subsidies. You can, however, use Port Authority Transit passes and transfers on it (The society does get re-imbursed by PAT for this).
So here's a suggested itinerary. Park your car at the lower station. Ride up the Duquense Incline. Use the overlook. Then walk east on Grandview Avenue (beware, there are a couple of wicked hills). Stop at the overlooks near the Mon Incline, and head back down the Mon Incline. You can then browse through Station Square and walk through their parking lot to get back to the Duquesne Incline. Or, you can do the reverse and begin at Station Square. My now husband and I did so on one of our earliest dates.
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This is Pittsburgh.
I'd also like to settle the debate about which Incline is better. It's this one. For locals, this is great transportation up to Mount Washington and all the restaurants up there. For out-of-towners, the view from the Duquesne Incline surpasses the view from the Monongahela Incline.
***Tip for passengers waiting for a connection in Pittsburgh for more than a few hours. Take the 28X bus towards downtown and get off at the base of the incline (the stop's right there, but ask the driver!). Take the incline up, eat and drink something, take the incline down, get back on the 28X and back to the airport. The whole thing can be done in about 3 hours, eat/drink time included, if you're smart.
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Thanks to US Airways, my very first (and already short) trip to Pittsburgh was cut down to little more than 24 hours. What to do?
The Duquesne Incline! Like Stefanie, I'm a bit skerred of heights so the shaky rides up and down the incline were mildly terrifying. But a great choice for a visitor like myself! From the top, I got to see a great view of the city skyline, the stadium, the ball park, the rivers and their renowned bridges. It was the perfect choice since I was short on time!
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Classic Pittsburgh. The hill is super steep and the view from the top is fantastic. It was a bit pricier than I was expecting, but I'll happily pay the $4 per person for a round trip just to make sure this landmark stays around.
some friends from indy came into town and i figured this would be the tourist portion of their trip. it's $4 round trip and we were pleasantly surprized that there was no line (it was 4th of July weekend). the ride was short and the views up top weren't as incredible as i'd hoped for.
i think i set my expectations too high with the http://yelp.com reviews. i just thought it would be quicker, easier, funner, cheaper to hike up the hill instead of taking this thing.
parking was also a joke. the lot across the street was charging $20. the reason for this $20 may have been due to it being the 4th of July and people were coming out to see the fireworks. i'm not sure. i refused to pay the $20 and backed up stopping traffic in both directions. the lady in the truck behind me who was also entering the parking lot yelled "what's wrong"
i yelled "it's $20"
she said "what's the problem"
i said "IT'S $20 FREAK'N BUCKS! BACK UP!!!! I'M COMING OUT!!!!!!!!!
Before heading to lunch Andy suggested we try out the Duquesne Incline - a train track that scales the side of Mt. Washington on Pittsburgh's South Side. On the way we passed the Monongahela Incline - hearing that the view from Duquesne emcompasses more of the city and rivers.
We parked at the bottom (which was across the street) climbed some stairs to the road, then went up and over the road on a pedestrian walkway. We even saw wild turkeys.
It's $2 per person per trip - so a round trip for one (up then down or down then up) is $4. Not a great price but also not too much.
After about 1 minute of waiting for the car, we got on and rode up. The contraption is pretty cool and the view got better and better as we rose up the incline. The trolley itself is not temperature controlled so whatever it is outside - it'll be that on the inside.
At the top is a small gift shop and various museum and informational items. I was happy to see two penny presses (as I casually collect those) and spent a few minutes occupied with that activity. Outside of this small building is an observational area with viewing stations.
Overall a very cool experience and if you're in Pittsburgh you should do it at least once. I plan to try again in the summer.
This is the most blissful experience in Pittsburgh. It's so simple, but surprisingly fun. I added this to my itinerary because I had a coupon, and because it was on the same side of the rivers as my hotel, but it ended up being THE highlight of my trip.
I started the ride on top and went down first. I had a few minutes to kill so I checked out their behind the scenes "tour" -- you put a few quarters in a turnstile and get to see all the cranks and things that make the rail run. I love that sort of stuff, so it was totally worth it.
It was pretty uneventful the day I went, so I had the ride to myself one way, and shared the car with one other person on the return trip. The experience was wonderful -- there's really nothing like these silly old incline rails.
This was the first funicular railway I've ever been on, but it's made me kind of obsessed. I still don't know how to properly pronounce "Duquesne," but I talk about it a lot anyways!
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You simply can't beat the view of Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle (city skyline where the three rivers meet) from the observation platform at the top of Mt. Washington and the best way to get there is the Duquesne Incline.
Park for free at the station near the base of the Incline across from West Carson Street (a hop skip and jump from Station Square and the Monongahela Incline) and enjoy a slow cruise to the top of Mt. Washington. You'll be able to see the northshore stadiums, Point State Park, many of the bridges downtown is known for, and more.
If you can make it there on a warm, clear night with someone special to canoodle with, by all means do so. Plenty of romantic dining in the immediate area with spectacular views of their own. *swoon*
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According to reliable sources, Duquesne Incline on Mount Washington has the best vantage point of Pittsburgh you can get. There's a 180 degree view of Three Rivers intersection, where the Ohio, Monongahela, and Allegheny Rivers meet. You can see Heinz Field, where the Steelers play, and PNC Park, where the Pirates play, nestled between the skyscrapers of downtown and the bridges that span the rivers.
It's actually a tiny museum with historical memorabilia and pictures of early 1900's Pittsburgh when the smoke from the steel mills was so heavy that it looked like night 24 hours a day. There's also a cable car that takes you down the side of the mountain. Duquesne Incline is a free and awesome way to get introduced to the city of Pittsburgh.
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Really great views and an awesome way for a newcomer to get a grip on the layout of the city. I went on Easter Sunday, and it was my first time being around a large number of Pittsburgh residents (Pittsburghers? Really?). Y'all are all so very nice!
I wish I had known to park down at the bottom and ride up. I started at the top, so the ride was not as dramatic as it would have been from the other way. :)
All in all, it was a super experience for a Pittsburgh newcomer.
Unique (well, there's the Mon one), kitchey, functional (locals grumbled as our tour of PIT trolleys made its final stop, and hampered their uphill commute home...). Come on it's only $2, and the view from the top is spectacular. Our guys had to be pryed outa the machinery room, but that's just the Society for Industrial Archeology...
Nothing less than terrifying if you're as afraid of heights as I am, but well worth the palm-sweating and hyperventilating. At the top, a gorgeous view of the triangle where the rivers meet and of the entire city, and a mini-museum of pictures of the incline over the years. An inexpensive and leisurely way to get to know Pittsburgh a bit.
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Yay I still love riding the Inclines, especially to go drink :D. Not the intended purpose of going to and from work. Always good for the "what if the cable breaks" debates. hahaq
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This is a one-car train built in the 1800s that goes up a large hillside in P-burg. Although not the highlight of our trip, it was fun for a couple bucks. Really nice views of the city. Great spot to stop for a date.
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I was very impressed I must say. The views from atop Mt. Washington are just stunning. I was lucky cause the sun had come out after raining all day, could see much farther and clearer. Didn't take the cable car ride. Still the views were totally worth it.
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If you are visiting or a local and have never been up on the cable cars, this view will take your breath away. The slow ride up the side of Mt. Washington gives you one of the best urban views in the United States, especially right before dusk if it has been a sunny day.
A must do when visiting ... the views from up on top of Mt. Washington are great.
The view from the top is breath-taking. We parked at the top (1220 Grandivew) and took the ride to the bottom anyway. I don't think it was necessarily worth the trip but we were tourists and did it anyway. Go for the view.
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