Vila Nova de Gaia Mayor Luís Filipe Menezes announced plans for the urban cable car in a video posted on social media. The system will connect Praia das Pedras Amarelas beach in Canidelo with the Arrábida Gardens.

The upper station will provide a direct connection to a new metro stop on the Ruby Line, which is currently under construction.

According to the current timeline, the official tender could be launched by the end of the summer.

Negotiations are also underway to integrate the cable car into the Porto metropolitan area’s public transport network through the Andante fare system.

Paris as a model for public transport

The planners are looking to Paris’ urban cable car system as inspiration for the project. The initiative is intended to be much more than just a tourist attraction.

“After Paris, we will be the second city in Europe to use cable cars as a genuine form of public transport,” the description of the mayor’s Facebook video states.

Beyond the tourism potential of the cable car line, which will also serve the municipalities of Canidelo, Madalena and Valadares, “we are talking about nearly 60,000 potential users,” Menezes estimates.

No costs for the city

The construction of the new line is estimated to cost between €80 million and €90 million. Annual operating costs are expected to range from €2 million to €3 million.

However, as the project will follow a comprehensive design, construction and operation model, the direct investment required from the Gaia city council will be “zero”, Luís Filipe Menezes said.

Vila Nova de Gaia already has an existing cable car line in its historic city centre. Unlike the new project, however, its ticketing system is not integrated into the regional Andante transport network.