Ngong Ping 360 cable car on track for June reopening amid race to beat Hong Kong’s typhoon season
Aerial tramway on Lantau Island closed since January for HK$80 million cable replacement work
The Ngong Ping 360 cable car, one of Hong Kong’s most popular tourist attractions, is on track to reopen in June after a five-month closure for rope replacement work.
The 5.7km aerial tramway on Lantau Island has been shut since January to replace the cables, which reached the end of their lifespan after a decade of operation.
Weller Chan, project manager for the work, said it had not exceeded its initial budget of HK$80 million despite weather challenges and limited space for workers due to the location in a country park.
He said the project must be completed before the typhoon season hits the city in the summer to ensure the safety of workers.
The project included replacing a 10km haul rope, which pulls the cabins, and a 14km track rope which supports their weight.
Construction work for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge also added to difficulties with the project, Chan said. Work on the bridge occupied a site near the airport that could have been used for a rope pulley for the cable car. A boat had to be deployed instead to position the machinery.