The Singapore Cable Car is a highly cherished and innovative attraction in the Lion City. Envisioned in 1968 as part of the city’s bold master plan for tourism, the system officially in opened to passengers in 1974.
The 1.75km long urban gondola transports riders from Mount Faber to Sentosa Island via an intermediate station at HarbourFront Tower 2. Its implementation and operation in an ever growing and highly dense metropolis make a fascinating case study. As former chairman Soo Kok Leng once said, “It is the only cable car in the world that leaves from a hill, goes over a stretch of forest, over a highway, through an office building, over a cruise centre, over the water and onto a resort island!”
However, the system is a pioneer in other regards too. It was the first to: cross a major harbour; build a cabin with a glass-bottom floor; and offer an aerial sky-dining experience. Moreover, the mid-station’s location on the top floor of an office building is a daily demonstration of the nearly unlimited flexibility of gondola infrastructure.
Indeed, we salute the bold vision and sheer creativity of the original cable car planners!
The system celebrated its 40th anniversary last year but is already using its “4th generation cabins”. Throughout that history, its operators have continually proven they’re amongst the world’s best in promoting and marketing their cable car. They understand the need to continually update to remain competitive in the lucrative and vital tourism market. For example, they recently enhanced their cable cars with fun and interactive Angry Birds and DC Superheroes experiences. Is it any wonder that ~1,000,000 passengers still choose to ride this system every year?
System Statistics
| Length (km) | 1.75 |
| Stations | 3 |
| Year Opened | 1974 |
| Capacity | 2,000 |
| Trip Time | 15 minutes |
| Maximum speed (m/s) | 5 |
Image credits: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0, by Choo Yut Shing