Sparrow Hills Cable Car gracefully glides across the Moskva River. Image by Mos.ru.
After construction began in May 2017, Moscow’s first urban gondola — the Sparrow Hills Cable Car (Russian: Канатная дорога на Воробьёвых горах) — has finally opened to the public. The ropeway was slated to commence operations alongside World Cup celebrations but it unfortunately experienced several delays. Citizens have been waiting patiently for the revival of an aerial lift at Sparrow Hills since a former chairlift was dismantled in 2016.
The system is designed to cross the Moskva River and connect to three visitor areas which include Luzhniki Stadium, New League/Kosygina and Sparrow Hills. On its first day, the 737m long cable car was visited by the city’s mayor who announced that the system will be free to ride for its first month. Thirty-five 8-person cabins will offer a capacity of 1,600 pphpd to riders. Trip times will be reduced to just five minutes compared to 15 minutes by road.
As a purely recreational system, the cable car has introduced several important elements to attract tourists. At Sparrow Hills — one of the highest points in Moscow — riders have direct access to an observation deck which provides visitors with panoramic views of the capital.
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Luzhniki Stadium station is located next to the national stadium of Russia — one of the biggest arenas in Europe with a capacity of 80,000+. Image by NearEMPTiness.
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View of cable car looking towards Sparrow Hill. Image by Near EMPTiness.
Passengers can either choose to ride a “visitor” route (Luzhniki Stadium to Sparrow Hills) or a “sports” route (Luzhniki Stadium to New League). At the New League mid-station, visitors will be able to rent skiing and snowboarding equipment. However, tourists will have wait until February 2019 before the “sports” route is opened.
To enable easier transfers for cyclists, cabins are equipped with bike racks. Inside the carriers, free audio guides in four different languages are available for those interested in learning about their surroundings. For those looking to enhance their travel experience, two 4-person VIP cabins with leather seats can be booked while every station is designed with a souvenir store and cafes.
VIP cabins are a popular way to celebrate special events and occasions. Image by stroimos.
To encourage greater ridership during non-peak travel times, the system operators have opted to implement a dynamic fare structure where weekday passenger tickets are less expensive than weekend tickets. A one-way fare for adults starts at US$6.00 (400 rubles) from Monday to Friday and US$7.50 (500 rubles) on Saturdays and Sundays. Seniors, children and large groups are offered discounted tickets and payment can even be made with the local transit card, Troika.