Ulaanbaatar Cable Car to Open 15 December 2026
Short answer: Ulaanbaatar's new cable car line is due to open to the public on 15 December 2026. The 4.2 km line runs between Yarmag and Kharkhorin, crossing the Tuul River, with 98 ten-seat cabins and room for about 2,300 passengers an hour. It is built for commuters rather than sightseers, and as of 1 October 2026 no fares or timetable have been announced.
What was announced
On 1 October the state news agency Montsame reported that the cable car on the Yarmag–Kharkhorin route will be commissioned on 15 December 2026. According to the report, construction and assembly are finished and overall progress stands at 90%, with safety testing and calibration now under way. The project manager at Monnis Engineering, the local subcontractor, told Montsame that the mechanical assembly is complete and that the system will be ready for public use by 15 December.
The line is 4.2 km long with two stations and 98 cabins, and Montsame gives its capacity as 2,320 passengers per hour. The French company Poma Group is the main contractor, and 48 operating rules supplied by Poma have been translated into Mongolian ahead of opening. The stated goals are to give the capital another form of public transport, improve access and ease traffic.
A project two years in the making
The cable car has been a long time coming. Ground was broken on 4 April 2024, financed by a soft loan from the French government, and at the time opening was planned for the second quarter of 2025, as Montsame reported. In June 2025 another Montsame progress report moved commissioning to the second quarter of 2026. That report gave a journey time of about 11 minutes at 21 km/h, with 19 pylons standing between 7.5 and 42 metres tall, six of them in the Tuul River basin.
Earlier plans were more ambitious. When the French contracts were first reported in 2020, Railway Gazette described a 6 km, three-station line serving the city's ger districts. In February 2024, Global Construction Review explained the thinking behind it: affordable, all-electric mass transit for the fast-growing ger suburbs, which it said house 60% of the capital's population. The first line to open is the shorter 4.2 km section.
Why it matters for Ulaanbaatar
Anyone who has sat in Ulaanbaatar's rush-hour traffic understands the appeal. The route crosses two of the city's worst bottlenecks, the Tuul River and the railway line. Montsame's 2025 report said the line should relieve congestion around Yarmag and Nisekh and lift average road speeds by about 4%. At the 2024 groundbreaking, the French ambassador described the system as built for Ulaanbaatar's climate. Montsame reported that it is all-electric, able to run in winds of up to 75 km/h, and designed for wheelchair users, prams and bicycles.
This is a commuter line, not a scenic ride to a viewpoint. Most short-stay visitors spend their time around Sukhbaatar Square, Gandan Monastery and the museums, and none of those are on the route. Still, a cabin ride over the Tuul valley will give you a new view of the city, and it adds a new kind of public transport to Mongolia's capital.
What this means for your trip
Winter visitors (from mid-December): if the 15 December date holds, the line will be running during the winter season. It could be a short side trip on a free afternoon in the city.
Fares and hours: none have been published as of 1 October 2026. We will update this post when the operator announces them.
Dates can slip: the opening has already moved twice, from 2025 to mid-2026 and now to December. Treat 15 December as the official target, not a guarantee, until testing is signed off.
Airport transfers: the cable car does not go to Chinggis Khaan International Airport, so plan your arrival and departure transfers by road as usual.
Getting around the centre: for most sightseeing, walking and pre-booked transport are still the practical choice.
How Enza Tours can help
We are based in Ulaanbaatar and follow city transport news closely. When you plan a city day with us, we fit in whatever is open and running at the time. If you are visiting in December or later and want to try the cable car once it opens, tell us and we will build it into your itinerary. You can see what a typical day looks like in our guide to the best local tours in Ulaanbaatar.
FAQ
When does the Ulaanbaatar cable car open?
The official target is 15 December 2026, according to Montsame's 1 October report. Safety testing was still under way at the time of writing.
Where does the cable car go?
It runs 4.2 km between Yarmag and Kharkhorin, crossing the Tuul River and the railway. The ride takes about 11–12 minutes, according to earlier Montsame reports.
How much will a ticket cost?
No fare has been announced as of 1 October 2026. We will add it here once it is official.
Is Ulaanbaatar worth visiting in winter?
Yes, if you dress for serious cold. Winter brings clear skies, quiet museums and festivals in the countryside. Our month-by-month season guide explains what to expect. For other changes to city costs, see our report on the proposed Ulaanbaatar city tax cut.
