PUERTO PLATA — After more than five decades welcoming visitors and locals alike to one of the Dominican Republic’s most beloved scenic destinations, the historic Puerto Plata Cable Car has entered an era of full-scale renewal, with construction crews launching a comprehensive modernization project to reimagine the iconic attraction for a new generation of tourism.
Leading the official groundbreaking ceremony for the initiative was José Ignacio Paliza, Dominican Minister of the Presidency. The large-scale upgrade is being executed jointly by two entities: the country’s Unit for the Redevelopment of Neighborhoods and Environments (URBE) and the DOMA Consortium, a partnership between Austrian global cable transport manufacturing leader Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH and prominent Dominican construction firm Grupo Malespín.
At the core of the transformation is a full replacement of the cable car’s aging infrastructure with a cutting-edge double-cable aerial tramway (ATW) system. The new design will feature two spacious panoramic cabins, each with a capacity to carry 55 passengers — a dramatic jump from the current system’s 18 to 20 passengers per cabin. When fully operational, the upgraded tram will move up to 430 passengers per hour in each direction, cutting wait times and addressing longstanding capacity bottlenecks that have limited access to the site.
Beyond cabin and line upgrades, the project includes full overhauls of the cable car’s drive, control, monitoring, and safety systems, alongside critical upgrades to electrical infrastructure and the route’s two terminal stations. Notably, the original scenic path connecting the coastal city of Puerto Plata to the summit of Loma Isabel de Torres will remain unchanged, preserving the stunning panoramic views that have made the cable car a bucket-list destination for decades.
In remarks at the launch, Paliza emphasized that the initiative balances heritage preservation and modern improvement. The project’s core goals are to protect the cable car’s unique place in the province’s cultural and tourist history while delivering a far safer, more accessible, and higher-volume attraction for both residents and international visitors. “This is not just about replacing the cabins,” Paliza stressed, noting that the work encompasses a full system-wide renewal of all core operating and safety components that keep the attraction running.
Following completion of installation, rigorous technical testing, and all required regulatory commissioning processes, the upgraded Puerto Plata Cable Car is on track to welcome its first passengers in the first quarter of 2028.