Mexico City Begins Construction of Cablebús Line 5
MEXICO CITY, July 10, 2026 – The Government of Mexico City has officially inaugurated the construction of Cablebús Line 5, marking a significant step towards enhancing urban mobility. Work commenced at the Mixcoac Modal Transfer Center (CETRAM) with the drilling of the first foundation piles for the stations of what is projected to be the world’s largest urban cable car system.
An Unprecedented Route with a Dual Branch System
The project encompasses a total length of 15.4 kilometers and a layout of 12 stations, starting in the Benito Juárez borough and extending into the western part of the capital. Cablebús Line 5 will feature a unique design, being the first to operate with two branches to efficiently connect the upper areas and original towns of the Álvaro Obregón and Magdalena Contreras boroughs. This innovative design is expected to achieve an estimated 50% reduction in current travel times for residents.
The Secretary of Works and Services, Raúl Basulto, stated that nearly all soil and technical feasibility studies for the 12 stations have been successfully completed. The project is estimated to take 34 months to complete, with Cablebús Line 5 expected to be operational by May 2029.
Key Features and Stations
According to the executive project, the cable car will operate with a main line of seven stations from Mixcoac to El Tanque station, where the system will bifurcate. One branch with three stations will extend to the El Oyamel terminal (Magdalena Contreras), and the other branch with two stations will reach San Bartolo Ameyalco (Álvaro Obregón).
The complete route between terminals is estimated to take 40 minutes. The 12 confirmed stations are:
- Benito Juárez: Mixcoac.
- Álvaro Obregón: Olivar del Conde, Santa Lucía, Enrique Cabrera, Pueblo de Tetelpan, Lomas de la Era, and San Bartolo Ameyalco.
- Magdalena Contreras: Glaciar, El Tanque, Barros Sierra, Oasis, and Oyamel.
Infrastructure, Investment, and Technology
The civil and electromechanical construction will be carried out by a consortium comprising the Mexican firm Gami Ingeniería e Instalaciones and the Austrian company Doppelmayr. Doppelmayr has previously been responsible for lines 1 and 3 of the system. The total cost awarded for the project’s execution amounts to 7.868 billion 146 thousand pesos in public investment.
The system will be supported by 114 tension towers and a fleet of 462 cabins, each with a capacity for 10 people, allowing for the transport of up to 3,000 passengers per hour per direction. Doppelmayr highlighted that state-of-the-art technology will be implemented, designed for universal accessibility, high energy efficiency, and operation under all meteorological conditions. The project also integrates green areas around the stations to mitigate environmental and urban impact.
This new infrastructure is expected to directly benefit more than 137,000 inhabitants across 61 neighborhoods in western Mexico City, significantly improving their daily commutes and overall quality of life.
