Travel Guide
San Marino Cable Car and Parking Guide 2026: P11, P9 Lifts, Rimini Bus, and National Museum Pass
San Marino looks small on a map, but the visit is mostly a vertical logistics problem. The historic centre sits high above Borgo Maggiore, parking is outside the old town walls, and many visitors arrive from Rimini without a car.
ByMomentBook EditorialPublishedUpdated
San Marino looks small on a map, but the visit is mostly a vertical logistics problem. The historic centre sits high above Borgo Maggiore, parking is outside the old town walls, and many visitors arrive from Rimini without a car.
This guide focuses on the practical chain: how to arrive, where to park, when the cable car makes sense, and when the National Museums pass is better than buying single tickets. Prices and times below were checked against official San Marino pages on 4 May 2026; recheck the official ticket pages before paying because transport and museum hours can change.
What to know first
- If arriving by train, Visit San Marino says to get off at Rimini and continue by bus to San Marino.
- The Rimini-San Marino bus runs every day, including weekends and holidays, and tickets can be bought directly on the bus.
- Non-resident car parking is paid 08:00-24:00 from 1 April to 30 September and 08:00-20:00 from 1 October to 31 March.
- Official car parking rates are €1.50 for 1 hour, €3.00 for 2 hours, €4.50 for 3-5 hours, and €8.00 for the whole day.
- The cable car connects Borgo Maggiore with the Old Town every 15 minutes; the official useful-information page lists €4 one-way and €7 round-trip.
- National Museums tickets include the First Tower, Second Tower, Public Palace if open, State Museum, St Francis Museum, National Gallery, and Stamp and Coin Museum during public opening hours.
*Image source: Wikimedia Commons, Funivia di San Marino*
Choose your arrival route before choosing parking
Most visitors reach San Marino through Italy. If you are travelling by train, the official tourism page gives the simplest route: arrive at Rimini, then continue to San Marino by bus. The same page says the bus operates daily, including weekends and holidays, and that tickets can be bought on board.
If you are driving, the practical issue is not reaching the republic but deciding where to stop. The old centre has limited vehicle access, so parking outside the walls and walking, taking lifts, or using the cable car is normal. Do not plan as if you can simply drive to the Three Towers.
For a first visit, treat transport as part of the itinerary. A car can be useful for flexibility, but it does not remove the final climb. A Rimini bus arrival can be easier than expected if your day is centred on the historic centre rather than on rural viewpoints.
P9, P11, or P12: choose the parking that matches your day
P9 is the covered multilevel option near the historic centre. Visit San Marino says you can reach the centre from P9 by panoramic lifts or by Via delle Scalette, a stairway of more than 300 steps. If you want the most direct old-town arrival and do not care about riding the cable car, P9 is usually the simpler idea.
P11 is in Borgo Maggiore and is the parking choice that pairs naturally with the cable car. Use it when you want the scenic approach or when upper-town parking feels crowded. It also makes sense if you want to include Borgo Maggiore or avoid driving higher than necessary.
On particularly busy days, the official useful-information page says visitors may be directed by police to P12 and use a shuttle to Piazzale della Stazione. The listed fare is €5 per person, including return shuttle and car parking, with children under 120 cm free. Treat P12 as an overflow solution rather than your default plan.
Use the cable car as transport, not just a view
The cable car links Borgo Maggiore with the Old Town and departs every 15 minutes. The official useful-information page lists seasonal hours: 07:45-19:00 from 1 January to 31 March, 07:45-19:45 from 1 April to 30 June, 07:45-00:45 from 1 July to 7 September, 07:45-19:45 from 8 to 30 September, and 07:45-19:00 from 1 October to 31 December.
The same page lists fares of €4 one-way, €7 round-trip, and €2.50 round-trip for groups over 25 people. The public transport ticket portal adds useful rules: single cable car tickets can be used within 2 years of purchase, children up to 1.20 m travel free, dogs are allowed with a muzzle or carrier, and bicycles or bulky luggage need an additional ticket.
The smart choice is simple. Take a round trip if your car is at P11 and you plan to return to Borgo Maggiore. Take a one-way ticket if you want to walk down the Costa dell'Arnella or connect your day with a different parking area. Before paying, check the ticket portal for current dates and any temporary service notice.
Decide whether the National Museums pass is worth it
The National Museums pass becomes useful when you plan to visit more than one major site. Visit San Marino says the National Museums include the First Tower, Second Tower, Public Palace if open, State Museum, St Francis Museum, National Gallery, and Stamp and Coin Museum during public opening hours.
The official State Museum page lists Pass Ticket €11, Pass Mini Ticket €8, and Last Minute Ticket €5. It also says the Last Minute Ticket can be bought only on site from 16:00 and is valid until ticket issue closes. Free entry is reserved for children and teenagers under 18, organized school groups, disabled visitors with accompanying carer, ICOM members, journalists with specific card, and several official free-entry dates.
The same page gives the core timing warning: hours may vary, even without notice, and last admission is 30 minutes before closing. That makes the pass a good value only if your arrival time is realistic. Do not buy a pass late in the day unless the Last Minute option actually matches your plan.
A realistic one-day sequence
If you arrive from Rimini by bus, start with the historic centre and decide on museums before you drift into viewpoints and shops. Buy the National Museums pass only if you will use it early enough.
If you arrive by car and want the easiest old-town access, try P9 first and use the panoramic lifts. If your priority is the cable car experience, park at P11 in Borgo Maggiore and ride up. On busy days, follow official parking instructions and be ready for the P12 shuttle.
For a balanced day, combine one transport anchor with one museum anchor. For example: P11 plus cable car plus First Tower and State Museum, or Rimini bus plus old-town walk plus a late-afternoon Last Minute ticket if timing allows.
What to double-check before you go
Check the cable car ticket portal before paying, especially if your visit is outside the main season or near maintenance periods. Check National Museums hours on the Cultural Institutes or Visit San Marino pages because the official text warns that times can vary. If you are driving, check whether your hotel can register your license plate for the accommodation parking rate.
San Marino is easiest when you avoid treating it like a flat city. Plan the climb, parking, and museum timing first; the views and towers fit around that structure.