Mexico City to Build World’s Longest Urban Cable Car Line

The Government of Mexico City, the Federal Government, the Rail Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF), and the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) announced the upcoming Cablebús Line 4, which, at 11.4km, will become the longest urban cable car line in the world. Designed to serve over 65,000 people daily, the new route will cut travel times, reducing commutes from one hour to just 40 minutes, for residents living in high-altitude and hard-to-reach areas in the southern part of the city.

The project is a major investment in inclusive, accessible transportation. Line 4 will connect 30 neighborhoods in Tlalpan and 9 in Coyoacan, reaching marginalized zones like Pedregal de San Nicolas and creating strong links with key points in the city’s mobility network, including Metro Line 3, Metrobús Line 1, Trolleybus Line 12, the Light Rail, and UNAM.

According to Héctor García, Minister of Mobility of Mexico City, the line will include eight stations. The first will be Universidad, serving the Pedregal de Santo Domingo area and Ciudad Universitaria. The second, Cantera, will serve neighborhoods like Ajusco, Iman, and Villa Panamericana. The third station will be Perisur, followed by Mercado Hidalgo, which will benefit communities such as La Fama, La Lonja, El Calvario, Fuentes Brotantes, and Miguel Hidalgo 1st Section. Another station, still unnamed, will serve Bosques, Fresno, Mesa Los Hornos, Roca de Cristal, and Santa Ursula. Parque Morelos station will link areas like Miguel Hidalgo 2nd and 3rd Sections and Jardines del Ajusco. A high-altitude station will cover neighborhoods such as Cultura Maya, Lomas Altas de Padierna, and Mirador. The final terminal will be Pedregal de San Nicolas, which will offer service to the elevated areas of the Pedregales.

This type of system is designed for places where the street layout or geographic conditions make conventional transport less efficient, says Andrés Lajous, Head, ARTF. In addition to its speed, it is a highly affordable option, with a fare of just MX$7 (US$0.38), comparable to microbuses or public buses.

To further support accessibility and safety, the Cablebús project will be complemented by Safe Walkways, which provide well-lit, walkable paths that allow passengers to reach the stations easily and securely on foot. 

President Claudia Sheinbaum also has announced other mobility initiatives to enhance public transportation throughout the city. These include the acquisition of 500 new RTP buses to service difficult-to-reach areas, an increase in the number of Light Rail cars, the expansion of the Ecobici bike-share system, and the construction of a new Rosario Castellanos University campus in Tlalpan. 

Mexico City operates three Cablebús lines. Line 1 runs through Cuautepec in the Gustavo A. Madero borough. Line 2, located in Iztapalapa, is currently the world’s longest urban cable car line at over 10km and serves the Sierra de Santa Catarina area. Line 3, in Chapultepec, combines public transport with a cultural and tourist focus. Since their inauguration, these three lines have collectively facilitated more than 160 million rides, drastically improving daily commutes and accessibility for residents in some of the city’s most underserved zones.