Portland Aerial Tram

The Portland Aerial Tram is one of the city's most distinctive rides and a bargain viewpoint. Opened to the public in January 2007, it links the South Waterfront district beside the Willamette River with the Oregon Health and Science University campus on Marquam Hill, climbing 500 feet over a distance of 3,300 feet in about three minutes. Its two silver cabins, named Walt and Jean, each carry up to 79 people at around 22 miles per hour, swooping over the neighborhood of houses and the I-5 freeway below. It was built as transportation, not as a tourist attraction — the hospital's staff, students and patients make up most riders — but the views have made it a favorite with visitors. From the upper terminal at the Kohler Pavilion, a viewing deck looks across the river and downtown to the Cascades, with Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams visible on clear days. A round-trip fare is modest, bought at the lower terminal, and the return must be made the same day; OHSU staff and patients with same-day appointments ride free, and regular TriMet passes are not accepted. The tram runs on weekdays from early morning to late evening and on Saturdays during the day, but it is closed on Sundays and on observed holidays, and it shuts for several days each year for routine maintenance, so check the schedule before you go. The lower terminal at S Moody Avenue and Gibbs Street is on the Portland Streetcar line, a short ride from downtown and the Pearl District.

How to make it a worthwhile outing: ride up in late afternoon on a clear day, spend a few minutes on the upper-terminal deck, and ride down as the light softens over the river. The cabins have big windows on all sides; stand near the front on the way up for the most dramatic view of the climb. On weekdays, avoid shift-change times when hospital staff fill the cabins, and remember that you are sharing a working transit line with patients and caregivers — keep voices down and give priority to riders in wheelchairs or with medical needs. Saturdays are the easiest day for visitors.

The neighborhood at the bottom is worth exploring. South Waterfront is a newer district of residential towers, riverfront greenway paths and parks, and the streetcar, MAX Orange Line and the car-free Tilikum Crossing bridge make it easy to combine the tram with OMSI on the east bank. From the upper terminal, hikers can join the Marquam Trail system and the 4T Trail, a well-known loop that combines trail, tram, trolley and train for a self-guided tour of the city.

Practicalities: there is no parking dedicated to tram riders, so arrive by streetcar, MAX, bike or on foot. The tram is accessible, with level boarding, and the ride is smooth, though those nervous about heights may prefer to stand in the middle. Fares are non-refundable. Combined with the river walk and a lunch stop in South Waterfront, it makes an easy, inexpensive half-day for families and a fun first-evening orientation for couples.

A little history adds to the ride. The tram was built to connect OHSU's crowded hilltop campus with land along the river where the university was expanding, and it was controversial and expensive when it opened. Today it is a beloved part of the skyline, carrying millions of riders over the years, and its sleek cabins have become one of the city's most recognizable symbols. Photographers like the view of the cabins crossing in midair from the riverfront greenway below, especially at dusk.