An artist’s impression of the Penang Hill Cable Car Development.

The Penang Hill Cable Car project is expected to be completed by June next year, followed by two to three months of safety testing before operations officially begin, according to Penang Hill Corporation general manager Datuk Cheok Lay Leng.

According to a report by Kwong Wah Yit Poh, Cheok said the new aerial cable car system is expected to help reduce congestion at the existing Penang Hill funicular railway station, particularly during peak holiday periods.

“The cable car will not only help disperse crowds from the funicular station, but also provide visitors with a completely different experience,” he said.

The 2.73-kilometre cable car system, which began construction in October 2024 near the Penang Botanic Gardens, is a public-private partnership between Penang Hill Corporation, Hartasuma Sdn Bhd and Austrian ropeway specialist Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH. The system will feature 50 eight-seater gondolas capable of transporting passengers from the Botanic Gardens to the hilltop in under 10 minutes.

The project includes three stations, namely Garden Station, Turn Station and Hilltop Station along with a commercial plaza, 700 parking bays and dedicated bus parking facilities. All major infrastructure is designed to meet Green Building Index (GBI) Gold certification standards.

Cheok noted that while the new cable car may initially affect ridership on the century-old funicular railway, both attractions offer distinct experiences. The existing railway, he said, remains an iconic attraction due to its heritage value.

Meanwhile, the Penang Hill funicular railway is also expected to undergo a major track replacement exercise next year, involving significant costs and technical complexity due to the railway’s steep hillside alignment.

To maintain service quality, Cheok said gradual fare adjustments may be introduced over the coming years, although increases would be implemented carefully and progressively.

Currently, Malaysian citizens pay RM16 for adult tickets and RM8 for children and senior citizens, while foreign visitors pay RM30 for adults and RM15 for children.

With the upcoming school holidays and long weekends, Penang Hill is expecting daily visitor numbers to reach around 8,000, with more than 20,000 visitors projected over a three-day holiday period. Visitors are encouraged to avoid peak hours by arriving before 9am or after 4pm to reduce waiting times.

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