Cablebús Line 1 Is Now Operational & Line 2 Coming Soon.

Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum has inaugurated section Tlalpexco-Campos Revolucion of Cablebús Line 1, which is expected to improve mobility in one of the cities most populated sectors. The Cablebús runs for 1.7km and will be free of charge for the first three weeks. It will open to the public Monday through Sunday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. The entire Line 1 project is set to be ready by the end of May and official operations are set to begin on June 20, 2020, according to the Mexico City’s Mayor. 

The construction of Cablebús began in January of last year and by March 2020 it had already reached a 50 percent completion, reported MBN. Line 1 had an investment of nearly US$140 million and generated 2,800 jobs. Its total length will be of 9.2km, including 63 towers. The project will improve mobility for 48,000 people a day by connecting areas in the city and reducing travel time from 20 to six minutes. The concluded project will also consist of two terminals, six stations and 377 cabins with a 10-person capacity, reported the government.

Sheinbaum stated that the goal of Cablebús is to improve people’s quality of life and to recover social space. This transportation method will allow Cuautepec, a historic neighborhood, to become one of the best areas in the city to live in thanks to the improved public transportation. During the inauguration, Sheinbaum walked around the new installations and boarded one of Cablebús’ cabins. She also stated that public transportation will have added security provided by the Auxiliary Police.

The official fare has not been announced. The government is still studying how much the citizens are willing to pay for the Cablebús service, according to Sheinbaum. Line 2 is also expected to start operations by the end of March. This line, will connect areas of high marginalization and population density in Iztapalapa. Line 2 had a bigger investment than Line 1 with US$148 million.  The project will reduce travel time by over 50 percent and its total length is expected to be 10.6km with 56 stations, benefitting a population of over 300,000 people, as reported by the government.

Line 3 is set to begin operations in 2022 and Sheinbaum has even mentioned a fourth Cablebús project. However, Line 4 is still in its early planning stage, as the government is waiting for the completion of the Interurban Train to see the impact it will have on the demand for public transportation.