We did both, walked up and down to and from the walled city, took the funicular up only, but did it twice. The cost is $5, use either CAD or USD, Contrary to another reviewer, they are not required to give you the exchange rate. You can also use a credit card, but of course for efficiency they prefer the cash. The ride is quick, the view going up (or down) is very cool as the cars are all glass. We never had to stand in line for more than a minute as they move people along efficiently. The cars will hold about 7-8 people max, not very big. The original funicular built in 1879 used a water ballast propulsion system, whereby a water tank in the car at the top would be filled until it became heavy enough to start moving down the track, pulling up the counterbalanced car at the bottom. It was converted to an electric system in 1907. The structure was rebuilt in 1946 after sustaining damage due to a fire in 1945. Other improvements were done in the 1970s and in the 1990s. It is a fun experience to ride a funicular (we have ridden others, one in Pittsburgh and one in San Sebastian, Spain) and well worth $5 for saving your energy and time to do other things.

The Old Quebec Funicular is a must-do for any visitor to Quebec City. This historic funicular railway connects the Upper Town (Haute-Ville) to the Lower Town (Basse-Ville) in just a few minutes, making it a great way to see the city without walking up the steep hill. See the St. Lawrence River and Lower Town from an interesting vantage point as you travel up or down the cliff face at a 45-degree angle. The main entrance of the funicular is in Louis Jolliet House, located at 16 rue Petit-Champlain. The funicular was built in 1879 and was originally powered by water. It was converted to electricity in 1907. The funicular has two cars, each of which can carry up to 60 people. The cars travel at a speed of 2.5 meters per second, and the ride takes about 30 seconds. What you can do - if you do not want to climb 'just 59 steps', use this [ Fee is Cash only 5 dollars, doesn't matter UDS or CAD- it is 5 dollars] and enjoy the view from Dufferin Terrace The funicular is a great way to get a bird’s-eye view of Quebec City and its rich history. It is the oldest funicular in North America that is still in operation. The funicularbird' s-eye has been featured in several movies and television shows, including “The Day After Tomorrow” and “The Umbrella Academy.”

To get from the lower to upper parts of Quebec, the funicular is an option. Cost is $5 - either Candian or US. Of course they would like the US now that it is much more valuable than the Candian dollar. It think it is only cash only . This give you a reason to get at least a little money into Canadian. There is not much room inside the building, so the line is often out the door, but it goes very quickly. We always take funiculars/cable cars/trams if available so it is a natural that we took it. You can walk up the nearby stairs if you want to.

We took the Funicular up the side of the hill from the lower city to the Terrace. It saved us from having to hike up the hill again after having done that several times. At $5 CAN each, I found it rather expensive; however, my wife who was 6 months pregnant enjoyed it more. The views were nice on the way up. It only last about 30 seconds but it’s still an interesting part of the old city.

A cable car that connects the upper town with the lower town. Price is 5 CAD. The price is not included in the 24-hour bus ticket. But you can easily get from one part of the city to the other without the cable car.

Took the funicular down the hill. Ride is $5 now for about a 2 minute slow but very steep slide downhill. You stand. And that’s about it. Laughing to see people lined up to go uphill for this glorified elevator ride. Beats walking that slope though.

Quick way to go up and down the cliff from upper town to the lower town. Cost is $5 CAD/person each way, cash only. Highly recommend walking if able bodied but, it is worth at least one trip for the novelty and the view.

It's good to use it if you struggle with walking stairs like me. One way costs CAD 5 and you can take ride from Terrasse Dufferin to Lower Town or the other way. There is a lift for wheelchair users.

Quebec City remains old and quaint and beautiful. The old streets and buildings are excellently preserved. I use a mobility scooter and it is difficult to get around with that because of the cobblestone streets. The scooter cannot go on the funicular, so you need to take a taxi to get to the upper section where the Chateau Frontenac is. I recommend staying in the lower section if you have a mobility issue. The Chateau is awesome as is the promenade and terrace adjoining it. Parliament is a great spot to visit and make sure not to miss Montmorency Falls, which is outstanding and very accessible, including the bridge over the falls and the funicular to take you to the top of the falls.

It was our first afternoon in Quebec City. While not planned we ended up walking down the stairs to lower old Quebec. After dinner we preferred not to walk up the many steps and we’re glad to see the funicular was close by. No lines and easy ride with great views of the St. Lawrence River. It was worth not having to climb all the steps and enjoy the view. We rode the Funicular a second time after a sightseeing boat cruise. Winding our way down to Lower Quebec was fine but the convenience of the Funicular for getting to our dinner reservations was very good.