Taipei: Visitors taking a ride on the Maokong Gondola between Taipei Zoo and the popular mountainous area of Maokong will have to pay more for a ride starting March 3, according to the cable car operator. The four-stop cable car system, which runs between Taipei Metro's Taipei Zoo on the Brown Line and Maokong Station in southern Taipei, currently charges fares based on the number of stops a passenger takes.
According to Focus Taiwan, the operator Taipei Rapid Transit Corp. (TRTC) stated that the full fare for a ride to the second stop is currently NT$70 (US$2.13), NT$100 to the third stop, and NT$120 for the full 4.03-kilometer ride. However, starting from March 3, TRTC has decided to standardize the fare to NT$180 for a single ride, regardless of distance. A day pass will be priced at NT$300.
The company has assured that existing concessions, such as the NT$50 single ride for Taipei residents, will remain unchanged. TRTC explained that the decision to revise the fare structure was driven by a need to simplify the current system, alongside challenges such as rising inflation, the minimum wage hike, and increasing energy costs, which have impacted the operating expenses of the 17-year-old service.
Furthermore, an additional NT$50 charge will be introduced for passengers opting for the glass-bottom cable car. This type of cable car can only accommodate five passengers compared to the standard eight and incurs higher maintenance costs. The differential pricing model is similar to practices by cable car services in South Korea and Hong Kong.
Additionally, to encourage tourists to explore beyond Maokong, the company allows Maokong Gondola ticket holders to use two Taipei City bus services, Maokong Right and Maokong Left, for free. TRTC highlighted that the new fare averages around NT$45 per kilometer, which is significantly lower than other services such as the Sun Moon Lake Ropeway and Hong Kong's Ngong Ping Cable Car.