Gateway Arch National Park guide · 1 min read
Riding the Tram to the Arch's Top
The main draw here is the ride up the 630-foot Gateway Arch, where the view spreads across the land around the city.
The tram that carries visitors was designed around the Arch's unusual constraints, and no comparable system exists anywhere else in the world. Dick Bowser conceived the trams in roughly two weeks, and he never earned a college degree.
Booking ahead is the smarter choice, since summer crowds can fill tram times quickly. Reserve your advance tickets at gatewayarch.com before you arrive. The last tram leaves one hour before closing, so build your visit around that departure. Allow between 45 and 60 minutes for the full experience.
The experience begins with an interactive pre-boarding session that combines Arch trivia with animation inspired by the 1960s. After that, the tram lifts you 630 feet in about four minutes. Each car seats five riders. Through the clear doors, you can watch the inside of the Arch slide past, and the car pivots gently so everyone stays upright.
At the summit, you have one tram cycle in the observation area, roughly eight to ten minutes. Sixteen windows face east toward the Mississippi River and the Illinois countryside, and another sixteen look west over the city of Saint Louis. You ride back down in that very same car.
Getting to the tram means climbing 96 steps across six flights, and you will climb them again on the return trip. Expect to stand for at least 30 to 60 minutes, especially in summer, because the top has no seating or restrooms. Visitors who cannot manage the stairs can see a representation of the keystone in the museum, and a live video feed of the view from the top is available too.
