Duquesne Incline 1197 West Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

"Best place to visit in Pittsburgh! For $5 you can ride up and down a funicular rail car built in 1876, and even explore the inner workings. Make sure to bring a quarter so you can use the binoculars on the observation deck!"

"The view is amazing! The incline was very old as to be expected but it also felt unsafe, I think it could all be updated while keeping the same look. Everyone should know that it is CASH ONLY & they do not give change! Also park near the road where you pull in because you have to follow the sidewalk to get up there (although you still have to walk quite a bit to pay for parking & then up to the incline) There really should be a sign or someone down there directing people where to go as it wasn’t very clear. Some people stopped on the very busy road to let people off at the top which looked very dangerous & I would not recommend."

"A historic funicular in Pittsburgh. There is a dirt parking lot on the bottom of the Duquesne Incline so that is what we used to park and you do have to pay for this parking. Then there is a bridge that goes up and then you get to the ticket booth where you pay. Very cool view at the top, you are able to see the skyline, stadium and river. There are also some restaurants up there and places to get some drinks. Inside they also have all the history of the place as well as some parts explaining the machinery."

"I still contend that you are in Pittsburgh, it's borderline criminal if you don't make time to visit the Duquesne Incline, even though it is not run like a typical tourist trap. It is not modern; the only feature that shows any recent updates is the overlook platform, which, ironically, is where my biggest issue was. We parked at the designated parking lot on W. Station Square Dr. and was kind of surprised that there weren't steps closer to the pedestrian catwalk over W. Carson Street. We came on January 8, and as you can see from my shot of the parking lot, we basically had the place to ourselves. Parking cost maybe $8 and the fact that the kiosk was very easy to use, and did not reject my credit card made it worth it. But the lot is not paved, and it was riddled with potholes, synonymous with Pennsylvania. The somewhat run-down appearance of both the upper and lower stations is part of it's charm, and the hours of operation make it extremely accessible. At the top, on Grandview Ave. there is a tiny souvenir shop that is accessible only by a window counter, and there wasn't a great amount of attentiveness by the staff. Still, I got postcards for fifty cents each, which was a steal. Credit card is only accepted for purchases over $10. One of the staff did direct us to the incline mechanism in the "basement" and we got some great video of the wheels in action. It even has a handicap accessible elevator. Even though the preservation society took over this place in 1963, much of the building looks like it hasn't been touched since it was built in the late 1800's. Even the door mechanisms look primitive. My biggest issue was with the overlook. There is an iron fence to protect people from falling over the cliff, but at 5 foot 4, the spikes blocked my view, and made it difficult to get any decent photos. It was also difficult to get a decent view of the Fort Pitt bridge. It would be neat if they had a strategically placed elevated platform that would provide a better view without compromising safety. All that whining aside, it was worth every penny and am really glad we did this on our first trip to Pittsburgh."