Doppelmayr/Garaventa wins contract in Mexico City

Doppelmayr/Garaventa has been awarded its next major contract to construct urban ropeways. A route covering over nine kilometers in length is to be created by early 2021. The main function of the new means of transport will be to carry people who live in the northern district of Cuautepec to one of the city’s major transport hubs, Indios Verde, by the shortest route. This will be the first urban ropeway project to be based on Doppelmayr/Garaventa’s new D-Line ropeway generation. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new ropeway line in Mexico’s capital was held in mid-September. 

The district of Cuautepec lies in the north of Mexico City and is home to around 3.5 million people. In order to link up with the subway and the national bus system, the residents of this district usually rely on local buses or individual transport, which leads to large volumes of traffic on the roads. The Indios Verde terminal station is one of the main transport hubs, where three subway lines as well as the local bus system meet. The city’s administration has now commissioned the construction of a ropeway line to provide passengers with a fast and reliable alternative to the congested roads. In the next 18 months, Doppelmayr/Garaventa is to build the first line of the Cablebús – using cutting-edge ropeway technology to create additional infrastructure in Mexico City. This new transport level above the rooftops will make it possible to connect the district of Cuautepec with Indios Verde in a straight line with an overall route length of 9.22 kilometers. Passengers can look forward to saving around 40 minutes on their journey time. The ropeway line will include six stations and be fully integrated into the existing public transport network. 

Detachable gondola lifts belonging to the D-Line ropeway generation will be used, paving the way for the introduction of the latest technology from Doppelmayr/Garaventa into the urban environment. This also marks a first for Latin America. The new OMEGA V cabins provide ample room for ten passengers to travel in comfort. 

For Doppelmayr/Garaventa, this contract sets another milestone for ropeways as a transport solution in cities. As general contractor, the ropeway specialist will be responsible for implementing this project on a turnkey basis and will make a major contribution to sustainable and environmentally friendly mobility in Mexico City. Public transit is used by almost 800 million people a year, with up to 5.5 million taking buses, subways and other modes of transport on peak days. From 2021, the ropeway will also be part of that mix. 

Primera Línea de Cablebús de la Ciudad de México 

Ropeway system: Detachable gondola lift 

Ropeway generation: D-Line 

Cabin type: OMEGA V 

Cabin capacity: 10 passengers 

Overall length: 9.22 km 

Stations: 6