Algiers is the biggest city in the French-speaking North African country, Algeria. The city has a population of about 4 million.
Due to population explosion, the city underwent rapid, uncontrolled development up until the eighties. Today Algiers is the scene of heavy, non-stop traffic and daily bottlenecks.
Movement with the car continues to be residents’ preferred means of transport. Thanks to the country’s oil resources, the price of petrol is relatively low. As a result, downtown Algiers is clogged with cars – often, far too many than the streets can handle. The network was designed to accommodate 40,000 vehicles, but eight times as many vehicles – i.e. over 300,000 cars – are on the road. This has caused the authorities to seek other ways of mass transit in order to de-congest the roads. One of such means that was deployed is the cable car system.
Algiers’ highest neighborhoods, such as Oued Korriche and Bouzareah, have a cable car network. It stretches over 3 km with 58 cars. Each one carries up to 15 people from one end to another within 12 minutes. Note that these are available as from 6 am to 7 pm. The ticket costs 30 dinars.
You can also find the cable car on some other neighborhoods. These stretch over 230 to 420 meters in key neighborhoods. These cabins can carry up to 35 people to places such as the Palace of Culture, El Madania, Our Lady of Africa and the Memorial, for instance.
