Dec 82 min read

The History of Public Transport in Algeria (9/10): Cable Transport (cable cars and gondolas)

When we talk about cable transport, we include these two modes of transport:

▪ The cable car, also called an aerial tramway, has two cabins that cannot be detached from the cables. One or two cables support the cabins and one cable propels them. The cabins arrive simultaneously at opposite stops and travel back and forth between the two stations, without the possibility of turning;

▪ Gondolas can be detached from the cables, and thus turn or stop at intermediate stops. They can be single-cable (a single cable to support and propel the cabin) or dual-cable (one cable for support and another for propulsion).

Due to its terrain, cable transport is suitable for the cities of northern Algeria. Algiers was one of the pioneers, with the first cable car opening in 1956.

The El Madania cable car is the first cable car in the city of Algiers. It was put into service in 1956. The cable car is approximately 236 meters long. The low point is located in the Hamma district at a height of 48 meters and the high point is located on the outskirts of the Diar El Mahçoul city at a height of 131 meters. Two cabins serve the two cable car stations alternately. The journey time is approximately three minutes.

The cable cars of Algiers, given their usefulness, are oriented towards public transport.

In the 1980s, many projects to modernize, diversify and extend public transport networks were launched. Initially, three cable car lines were opened in 1984, 1986 and 1987. They respectively served Notre Dame d'Afrique, the martyr's memorial and the palace of culture, which are the main tourist sites of independent Algiers. In order to improve traffic in the center, facilitate access and boost the suburbs, large-scale projects financed by oil revenues were also launched.

In 2007 and 2008, all of Algiers' cable cars underwent a complete renovation.

Currently, Algeria has two cable transport systems: the gondola and the cable car located in: Algiers Constantine, Skikda, Annaba, Tlemcen, Blida and Oran.