The Successes & Failures of Gondola Transit Systems (The Good Outweighs the Bad)

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Most cities are flat, or if there are elevation differences, they are typically gradual. In these cases, these cities are well suited to traditional means of public transit, such as buses or subways, which is why they are so plentiful. Some cities, however, have rapid elevation differences, which cause public transit challenges. Quietly, over the last several decades, some hilly, even mountainous, Latin American and other cities have solved public transit challenges with gondola cable cars.

The historical gondola experience has been the reserve of the upscale European and American ski resorts. In summers, along with the lesser chair lifts, they hoisted tourists up mountains for panoramic scenic views, mountain biking experiences, and downhill roller coaster or water rides. The ski resort gondolas have provided the experiences that served as the technological foundation of today’s commuter gondola systems.

Gondola public transit has contributed to the total services of public transit, with rides as low as 43 cents per ride in La Paz, Bolivia. The cities using public transport gondolas include: Bogotá, Medellín, Manizales, and Cali, Columbia; Santiago, Chile; La Paz/El Alto, Bolivia; Mexico City, Mexico; Caracas, Venezuela; Guayaquil, Ecuador; Toulouse, Paris, and Brest, France; Ankara, Turkey; Algiers and Tizi Ouzou, Algeria; Koblenz and
Berlin, Germany; and Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. Even London, England, has a cable car that crosses the Thames. These cable car rides are also popular with tourists for their aerial views of the cities.

Notable Gondola Cable Car Successes

One of the biggest successes has been Bolivia’s Mi Teleférico, which operates at 13,000 feet (4,000m) above sea level. It serviced 520 million passengers in its first ten years (ending in 2024). It boasts ten gondola transport lines, with daily ridership of about 160,000 commuters, tourists, and other passengers. The Medellín, Columbia transit system is another success, with a network of 5 lines of about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) and 40,000 passengers per day.

Future Development

Following successful Latin American city gondolas, non-Latin American cities with gondola lines in the planning stages include: Amsterdam, Netherlands; Salt Lake City, Utah has an eight-mile (12.8 km), 3 line multiple ski resort gondola planned for 12 month use; and Los Angeles, California, has the Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit (LAART), which will run one line for only 1.2 miles (1.9 km) in a gondola cable car that will
connect Union Station to Dodger Stadium in roughly seven minutes.

Key Benefits of Gondola Transit Systems

For hilly or mountainous topographical areas, gondola cable car solutions are ideal since surface rail and subways aren’t practical, and buses on winding, often narrow hill streets are less practical. As public transportation systems go, the gondola experience offers a more fascinating view of the city than the traditional subway or bus travel. In many cases, gondola commuter lines can reduce travel time, CO2 output, traffic congestion, and commuter costs.

The surface footprint is low, with only pylons and stations required. They have shorter and less expensive buildouts compared to subways, with costs typically ranging from $19M to $32M per kilometer, and maintenance expenses are relatively low. They can have profoundly beneficial impact, including higher employment and reduced crime in poor neighborhoods that can move residents to the job market neighborhoods. New economic development can and does happen near gondola transportation hubs, including the micro businesses of street vendors.

Gondola Commuting Downsides

Not all city gondolas are considered successes. London’s gondola has nearby Tube route competition, which means the city is largely managing an expensive tourist attraction. Critics consider them to be low capacity, slow, and not as protective in inclement weather, such as high winds, which can close down gondola commuter lines.

Conclusions

Gondolas provide a primary solution to commuter systems in some cases, and as a supplement in other cases. The systems are less expensive per kilometer, and quicker to build with relatively low structural impact on the city. The rides can be more entertaining for commuters and tourists alike. The downside can be high wind conditions, speed, and a fixed capacity to move people during prime commuting hours.

Overall, the gondola commuter transit lines provide an efficient, inexpensive, safe travel experience for millions of commuters, and tourists across the world.

The Surprising Success of Gondola Transit Systems — Wendover Productions
Documentary (26 Minutes)

Sources