Cable cars have evolved from simple mountain access systems into record-breaking engineering marvels that stretch across islands, scale Himalayan peaks, and serve as daily urban transport for millions. The world’s longest cable cars combine breathtaking scenery with extraordinary technical achievement — suspending passengers hundreds of metres above jungles, seas, and mountain valleys for rides that can last up to 30 minutes.

From Vietnam’s sea-crossing wonder to Bolivia’s urban gondola network, each of the ten longest cable cars on earth tells a story of innovation, geography, and the human desire to conquer difficult terrain with elegance and speed.

1. Hon Thom Cable Car — 7,899 m (Vietnam)

The Hon Thom Cable Car in Phú Quốc, Vietnam holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s longest non-stop three-rope cable car — stretching an extraordinary 7,899 metres over the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Thailand between An Thới Station on Phú Quốc Island and Hòn Thơm (Pineapple Island). Opened in 2018, the cable car operates at an average speed of 8.5 metres per second, completing the almost 8-kilometre journey in approximately 15 minutes.

The 69 cabins each carry up to 30 passengers over a crossing that passes tiny uninhabited tropical islands of Hon Dua and Hon Roi — providing views of unspoiled island scenery that few aerial cable cars in the world can rival. The three-cable design — using one track cable in each direction and a third propulsion cable — allows for the extraordinary over-water span without intermediate towers rising from the sea. The Hon Thom Cable Car is the centrepiece of Sun World Hòn Thơm Nature Park, which has transformed Phú Quốc into one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing resort destinations.

2. Tianmen Mountain Cableway — 7,455 m (China)

China’s Tianmen Mountain Cableway in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province is the world’s longest high-mountain cable car — ascending 7,455 metres from the centre of Zhangjiajie city to the summit of Tianmen Mountain at 1,279 metres elevation. Launched in September 2005, the cableway takes approximately 28 minutes to complete its dramatic journey at a brisk 6 metres per second.

The ride is one of the world’s most theatrical cable car experiences — passengers begin by gliding over residential rooftops and farmland before ascending rapidly above the famous 99-bend mountain highway known as Tongtian Avenue, then climbing the sheer cliff faces of Tianmen Mountain to reach the spectacular natural arch known as Heaven’s Gate (Tianmen). At the summit, visitors can walk kilometres of glass-floor walkways bolted into vertical cliff faces and climb the 999 Stairway to Heaven to reach the mountain’s peak. The Tianmen cableway has appeared in numerous global travel lists as one of the world’s most unforgettable aerial experiences.

3. Tochal Telecabin — 7,500 m (Iran)

The Tochal Telecabin in Tehran, Iran is one of the world’s longest cable car lines — stretching approximately 7,500 metres from the Velenjak neighbourhood in north Tehran up the slopes of the Alborz Mountains to Tochal peak. Opened in 1976, the telecabin serves a dual purpose as both a major tourist attraction and a practical recreation facility for Tehran’s 15 million residents seeking escape from the city’s heat and pollution.

The cable car ascends through seven stations to Tochal peak at over 3,000 metres elevation — providing extraordinary panoramic views over Tehran’s sprawling urban landscape and the surrounding Alborz range. During winter, the upper stations access one of the world’s most unusually located ski resorts — just 45 minutes by cable car from one of the region’s largest capital cities. The Tochal Telecabin remains a beloved institution for Tehranis and a remarkable engineering achievement given the challenging mountain terrain it navigates.

4. Ba Na Hills Cable Car — 5,801 m (Vietnam)

The Ba Na Hills Cable Car near Da Nang, Vietnam holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s longest single-track gondola cable car — stretching 5,801 metres from the base of Ba Na Mountain to the peak of Vong Nguyet. Opened in 2013, the system was designed and built with international collaboration involving Sweden, Switzerland, and Germany, and was the world’s longest cable car overall at the time of its completion.

The Ba Na Hills system is remarkable not just for its length but for its extraordinary departure station — a grand French chateau-style building that sets an extravagant tone before passengers even board. The 30-minute ascent passes over dense tropical rainforest, cascading waterfalls, and misty mountain valleys, arriving at the Ba Na Hills Resort — a French colonial village recreation at 1,400 metres elevation that is one of Vietnam’s most visited tourist destinations. The ride also holds records for the largest departure station by floor area and the longest unbroken cable in the world for its type.

5. Wings of Tatev — 5,752 m (Armenia)

Armenia’s Wings of Tatev holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s longest reversible aerial tramway in a single section — running 5,752 metres from the town of Halidzor to the medieval Tatev Monastery complex perched on a dramatic canyon cliff in southern Armenia. Completed in October 2010 after a record-setting construction period, the cable car transformed access to one of Armenia’s most revered religious and historical sites.

Before the cable car’s opening, reaching Tatev Monastery required a challenging drive down a steep mountain road — a journey that limited visitor numbers and left the monastery’s extraordinary setting partially inaccessible. The 11-minute ride across the Vorotan River Gorge offers dramatic views of the 320-metre-deep canyon walls before arriving at one of the Caucasus region’s most architecturally significant medieval complexes. The cable car’s completion was a watershed moment for Armenian tourism and a globally recognised engineering achievement in extremely challenging terrain.

6. Ngong Ping 360 — 5,700 m (Hong Kong)

Hong Kong’s Ngong Ping 360 gondola stretches 5,700 metres from Tung Chung Station on Lantau Island to the Ngong Ping plateau — home to the iconic Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery. Opened in 2006 and periodically upgraded since, Ngong Ping 360 is the only gondola in the world to offer two cabin classes — standard enclosed cabins and premium “crystal” cabins with glass floors that provide vertiginous views of the South China Sea, mountainous terrain, and Hong Kong’s outlying islands below.

The 25-minute ride is one of Asia’s most popular tourist experiences, carrying millions of visitors annually across Lantau Island’s mountainous interior at elevations that provide sweeping views on clear days stretching to Macau across the Pearl River Delta. The gondola also serves a practical function — reducing road traffic to the Ngong Ping plateau, which has limited highway access, while providing a journey that is itself a highlight of any Hong Kong visit.

7. Medeu-Shimbulak Tramway — 4,940 m (Kazakhstan)

The Medeu-Shimbulak tramway near Almaty, Kazakhstan covers 4,940 metres — connecting the famous Medeu high-altitude skating rink at 1,691 metres with the Shimbulak ski resort at 2,260 metres in the Zailiysky Alatau range of the Tian Shan mountains. The cable car system opened in its current expanded form in 2011 as part of Almaty’s development of winter sports infrastructure, and it serves both the city’s skiing community and the growing international visitors to Central Asia’s most developed mountain resort.

The tramway provides year-round access to Shimbulak’s dramatic Tian Shan scenery — snow-capped peaks, alpine meadows, and the iconic landscape that frames Almaty’s mountain backdrop. At peak winter periods, the cable car carries thousands of skiers daily between the two facilities, making it Central Asia’s busiest and most economically significant ropeway system.

8. Peak2Peak Gondola — 4,400 m (Canada)

Whistler’s Peak2Peak Gondola in British Columbia, Canada spans 4,400 metres between the peaks of Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain — making it the world’s only gondola connecting two separate mountain peaks. Opened in December 2008, it simultaneously broke two world records: the longest unsupported free span between ropeway towers at 3.03 kilometres, and the highest point above ground for any gondola at 436 metres above the valley floor.

The Peak2Peak transformed skiing at Whistler Blackcomb — the largest ski resort in North America — by allowing skiers to move freely between the two mountains without returning to the village base. Special glass-bottomed cabins are available for passengers seeking the full vertigo experience of seeing the forest floor 436 metres below their feet. At the opening ceremony in 2008, Red Bull athletes famously base-jumped from the gondola’s midpoint — an illegal stunt that has been attempted multiple times since.

9. Sandia Peak Tramway — 4,350 m (USA)

The Sandia Peak Tramway in Albuquerque, New Mexico ascends 4,350 metres from the northeast edge of the city to the 3,255-metre summit of Sandia Peak — the tallest mountain in New Mexico accessible by cable car. When it opened in 1966, it was the world’s longest cable car, a record it held for over four decades. It also holds the world’s third-longest single cable span at 2,353 metres between two towers.

The 15-minute ride lifts passengers from the Sonoran Desert environment at the city’s edge through five distinct ecological zones — equivalent to travelling from Mexico to Canada in vegetation type — to the cool pine forests of Sandia Peak’s summit. The restaurant at the top station — 1,000 metres above the city — offers one of the most dramatically elevated dining experiences in the United States, with views over the entire Rio Grande Valley.

10. Genting Skyway — 3,500 m (Malaysia)

Malaysia’s Genting Skyway in the Genting Highlands resort spans approximately 3,500 metres between Gohtong Jaya and Resorts World Genting — carrying passengers through dense tropical rainforest canopy at 21.6 km/h, making it the world’s fastest cable car. Opened in 1997, the Genting Skyway was once the longest cable car in Southeast Asia and remains the primary access route to Malaysia’s only licensed casino and highland entertainment complex.

The cable car passes over old-growth Malaysian rainforest, providing aerial views of a biodiversity hotspot where orangutans and hornbills inhabit the jungle below the gondola’s path. The cool highland climate at the resort’s 1,800-metre elevation provides welcome relief from Malaysia’s tropical heat, and the cable car’s extraordinary speed means the journey from base to resort takes under 10 minutes despite the considerable length.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Which is the longest cable car in the world?

A: The Hon Thom Cable Car in Phú Quốc, Vietnam at 7,899 metres holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s longest non-stop three-rope cable car over the sea.

Q: Which cable car has the longest free span?

A: The Peak2Peak Gondola in Whistler, Canada has the world’s longest unsupported free span between two towers at 3.03 kilometres.

Q: Which is the longest cable car in Asia?

A: The Hon Thom Cable Car in Vietnam at 7,899 metres is the longest in Asia and the world.

Q: Which is the longest urban cable car system?

A: Mi Teleférico in La Paz, Bolivia is the world’s longest and highest urban gondola network, with 10 lines covering approximately 27 kilometres in total.

Q: Which is the longest cable car in India?

A: The Gulmarg Gondola in Jammu & Kashmir is India’s longest cable car, also recognised as Asia’s highest and longest cable car reaching 13,400 feet altitude.

Brandon

Brandon is the cheif editor and writer at WorldUnfolds.com. With a passion for storytelling and a keen editorial eye, he crafts engaging content that captivates and enlightens readers worldwide.