The Caracas Metrocable, a 5-station urban cable car in the capital of Venezuela, was inspired in part by the Medellin Metrocable in neighbouring Colombia. A triumph of engineering, it is the first known CPT to incorporate two 90-degree turns. However that is only part of Metrocable’s success.
First, the Metrocable provides residents of in Barrio San Agustin, one of the city’s poorest and most disadvantaged neighbourhoods, better access to the Metro network. So it fully integrates with the public transit network. Passengers easily transfer from the cable car to the nearby Parque Central Metro station.
Even more interesting for urban planners, the system was conceived as part of a larger social redevelopment project. So its stations were built to house other amenities such as social spaces, clinics, supermarkets and nurseries!
Given the visibility of the system and its extensive coverage, the project also plays a symbolic role of progress and development. Overall, the government invested approximately $300 million to implement the entire project with the gondola costing an estimated $18 million.
Today, it continues to benefit the 40,000 residents living in the barrio as it has created an estimated 200 direct and 250 indirect jobs – many of which went to young people from the community. The success of this system has prompted the government to build and plan more even urban cable cars in the city.
For our full analysis of the Caracas Metrocable system, click here.
System Statistics:
| Length (km) | 1.8 |
| Stations | 5 |
| Year Opened | 2010 |
| Capacity | 1,200 |
| Ridership (yearly) | ~2,000,000 |
| Trip Time | 9 minutes |
| Maximum speed (m/s) | 5 |
Image credits: CUP