New cross-river cable car aims to ease Ulaanbaatar traffic and smog
A 4.2-km cable car over the Tuul River is under construction in Ulaanbaatar and is slated to cut a three-hour car trip to minutes.
Ulaanbaatar, long plagued by severe traffic jams and winter smog, is seeing its first major cable-car project take shape. The 4.2-kilometre Tuul River line, built by French company Poma with financing from the French government, began construction last March and is expected to be operational by the end of the year. Capable of transporting 2,300 passengers per hour, the system will slash a typical three-hour car journey to about 12 minutes.
Residents in hillside suburbs and commuters cite the project as a potential relief for daily travel and health impacts from pollution. Officials highlight the cable car’s lower cost and rapid build time compared with the still-unstarted underground metro. Project manager Cecile Broi acknowledges that one line will not solve all urban woes but hopes it will demonstrate the technology and pave the way for further routes.
Why it matters
The cable car could provide immediate relief from traffic and air-quality problems in Mongolia's rapidly growing capital.
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