La Paz lies at altitudes ranging from 3,200 m to 4,100 m, making it the highest seat of government on earth. On the Altiplano highlands to the west of La Paz is the even larger city of El Alto. These two Bolivian cities are now linked by the world’s biggest urban ropeway network. From the opening of the first line in May 2014 up until January 8, 2015, more than 12 million trips were recorded. La Paz and El Alto are therefore providing an impressive example of how ropeways can be used to benefit millions of passengers as an effective and environmentally friendly means of public transport. Each line operates 17 hours a day and can carry 3,000 passengers an hour in each direction. The network has a total of 443 cabins, each offering room for 10 people.

Three ropeway lines comprising a total of six detachable gondola lifts with eleven stations cover a network length of almost ten kilometers. Compared to a car trip, the new transport system saves passengers up to an hour per journey – a huge benefit for residents, commuters and tourists alike.

The Línea Roja (red line) is the shortest of the three ropeway lines and was the first to open in May 2014. Within just 28 days, it had already achieved the one million trip mark.