Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

Mayor Hau Lung-bin accompanied President Ma Ying-jeou on a ride at the Maokong Gondola on June 23. This is the first trip the President made since the reopening of the gondola in March 2010.
During the ride between Zhinan Temple Station and Taipei Zoo Station, Ma remarked that the upgraded gondola is safer, more stable, and more comfortable. He noted significant improvement in noise reduction when making turns at corners, as well as surrounding facilities including the Dancing Waters Area and the pedestrian trail leading to Taipei Zoo. Seeing the continuing improvement in the city’s public projects, Ma said he is glad that the current mayor has overtook him in terms of achievements, further boosting the development of Taipei.
The President pointed out that Maokong Gondola has garnered widespread public acclaim since its opening three years ago. The number of visitors taking the gondola continued to grow, exceeding the City’s expectation of 5,000 passengers per day. He added that the 4-kilometer trail makes Maokong Gondola the nation’s longest cable car line. However, the fare of the gondola is the lowest among neighboring Asian nations, with single way travel along the entire line costing NT$50.
Hau remarked that during the one-year-long “down” period, the City installed a comprehensive monitoring system at key locations, relocated the support pillar T16 to T16-1, carried out system upgrades, and improved surrounding facilities in Maokong.
A recent survey conducted by the city government’s Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission, nearly 81-percent of the respondents who have taken the Maokong Gondola indicated that they are satisfied with the tramway. The mayor encouraged those who have not had the opportunity to ride on the gondola to try it out.
The mayor also announced that there will be a promotion campaign for the Maokong Gondola in summer. Between July 1 and August 31, students attending elementary schools in Taipei City can take the gondola and visit Taipei Zoo for free with their digital student IDs; middle school and high school students with extracurricular activity certificate or accompanied by teachers can also take the gondola for free. For details, please visit the Chinese website of Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation: http://www.trtc.com.tw/