A funicular (/fjuːˈnɪkjʊlər/, /f(j)ʊ-/, /fə-/) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track [ railroad_tracks ] laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable, which is looped over a pulley at the upper end of the track. The result of such a configuration is that the two carriages move synchronously: as one ascends, the other descends at an equal speed. This feature distinguishes funiculars from inclined elevators, which have a single car that is hauled uphill.

The term funicular derives from the Latin word funiculus, the diminutive of funis, meaning 'rope'.