I was going to title this post “The World’s Shortest Train,” but technically, it’s not a train, even though it has similar-looking tracks. It’s a funicular that uses a cable for propulsion, typically on steep inclines, with two cars counterbalancing each other.

The vehicle is used to climb the steep slope to the top of Montmartre, where the Sacre Coeur Basilica is located. While it may look like I’m in the car going up the tracks, this glass enclosure is the mini-station at the bottom of the hill. The actual vehicles are hard to see, but they are the small boxes above the Depart sign.

It was a short ride, but I saved up from climbing the 270 stairs. We used the standard Metro fare cards to pay for the ride.

The compact vehicle is visible here as it arrives at the station on the left side. Its futuristic metal appearance matches the modern glass station and contrasts well with the traditional architecture in the neighborhood.

I was like a kid and made sure I had a good view out the front of the tiny vehicle. You can see the excellent leading lines of the funicular tracks, complete with the cable in the middle used for propulsion. It’s not very far to the top — a quick 90-second ride.

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