The invention discloses an elevator traction system, which comprises a shaftway, a lift car guide rail, a counterweight guide rail, a lift car, a counterweight, a traction host machine, an installing cross beam, a counterweight rope head, a lift car rope head, a counterweight lateral guide wheel, a lift car lateral guide wheel and a pull rope, wherein the traction host machine, the counterweight rope head, the lift car rope head and the counterweight lateral guide wheel are respectively arranged on the cross beam, the lift car lateral guide wheel is arranged on the lift car guide rail or the side wall of the shaftway, the pull rope sequentially bypasses a first lift car pulley, a second lift car pulley, the lift car lateral guide wheel, a third lift car pulley, a fourth lift car pulley, a traction wheel, a first counterweight pulley, the counterweight lateral guide wheel and a second counterweight pulley, and the two ends of the pull rope are respectively connected with the counterweight rope head and the lift car rope head. The elevator traction system has the advantages that the system capability of the traction host machine can be reduced, the effects of energy saving and environment protection are favorably realized, in addition, the dimension of the traction host machine can be relatively reduced, the shaftway arrangement and the shaftway installation and maintenance are convenient, the lift car and counterweight balance is favorably realized, the installation and the maintenance of the elevator traction system by operators are convenient, and the work efficiency is high.