The Metrocable is a system of aerial cabins that connects the center of Medellín with the neighborhoods located on the hillsides. The Medellín Metro has 6 Metrocable lines, 3 of which are very popular with tourists. Riding on them is an experience that allows you to appreciate not only the beauty of the city, but also its impressive contrasts.

If you are visiting the city for the first time, you may be surprised: what is used worldwide as a system to visit tourist attractions, in Medellín is used to give access to transportation to thousands of families who live far from the central areas of the city.

Something that is not only exclusive to the metrocables, but also to other infrastructures such as the escalators in commune 13.

And this is exactly what makes the Metrocable ride so magical. You can enjoy different panoramic views of Medellin “from the sky” while you get closer to the daily life of its inhabitants.

I like to compare the Metrocable to a multicultural elevator ride. In a small cabin, with a view of the whole city, you can easily meet tourists from other parts of the world, Medellín residents who go “sightseeing”, inhabitants of the popular neighborhoods who use it as their means of transportation and farmers who go to their farms located in rural areas of Medellín. A magical mix!

Rates

The price of a trip on Metrocable is $3,430 pesos for frequent travelers and $3,900 pesos for travelers without a Cívica card (0.95 usd), except for the “L” line that connects to Arví Park. In this case you must pay 2 tickets, the first one to access the Metro system and the second one to take the cable to Arví, which costs $13,700 pesos (3.33 usd).

To understand exactly how much you must pay, it is important to understand that the Medellín Metro is an integrated system, where with a single ticket you can transfer between trains, aerial cables, streetcar and buses. Therefore, the $3,430 pesos is really an access fee to the system.

This means that if you enter the system through a train station, you will not have to pay more, as long as you stay inside a station.

Just remember. The main exception is the Arví Park metrocable, which is charged as a differentiated fare because it is considered a tourist route.

History

The first metrocable arrived in Medellín 9 years after the Metro train system was inaugurated. And it arose because although the Metro was making life easier for people living in the central sectors of the city, the inhabitants of the hillsides continued to have many difficulties in accessing quality transportation.

The great success of this project led to the deployment of new points in the following years to connect with other areas of the city. Next on the list was the San Javier Metrocable, which since 2008 connected western Medellín with the train system. From there, a network of 6 lines has been built and 5 more are in the pipeline.

These projects have been accompanied by the urban transformation of the sectors in which they are implemented. These are usually neighborhoods of humble origins, where people with fewer economic resources live, which are made visible and reconnected with the rest of the city thanks to the Metrocable.

Another curious fact is that Medellín was the first city in Latin America to use this infrastructure as public transportation and inspired other cities such as Caracas or La Paz. And it still remains the second city on the continent with the most extensive and farthest-reaching overhead cable system(see source).

Metrocable Santo Domingo (Línea K)

The first Metrocable line in Medellín was the Santo Domingo line, inaugurated in 2004. At the beginning, its main attraction was that it connected to an imposing building in the middle of the commune, called Biblioteca España (now closed).

Currently, it is a necessary route for tourists who wish to reach the Arví Park through the Metrocable.

To take this route you must get off at the Acevedo station, which is located north of the A line of the subway. Go up to the second floor of the station and ride in one of the cabins. You don’t have to pay an additional fare.

Metrocable Arvi Park (Line L)

The Arví Park Metrocable begins where line K (from Santo Domingo) ends. This is a 25-minute ride that connects the urban part of Medellín with one of the most important ecological reserves in the city.

The route is quite quiet, since most of your cabin will be through the woods, on flat terrain and without any major surprises.

One caveat that may be relevant is that if you suffer from fear of heights or claustrophobia, this can be a difficult ride, as there are no stops during the 25-minute ride. Therefore, once you enter the cabin you will not be able to leave until you reach the Park station.

As mentioned above, to access this Metrocable you will have to pay an additional ticket of $13,700 pesos ($3.3 usd). This ticket only includes one way. Es decir, que si sales de tu cabina y quieres regresar horas después, tendrás que pagarlo de nuevo.

San Javier Metrocable (Commune 13)

With the popularity that commune 13 has gained among tourists, the San Javier Metrocable has also gained its own fame. Although this route does not have any stops of tourist interest, it allows you to see how the inhabitants of the commune live on a daily basis.

While Grafitour in Commune 13 is much more culturally intervened (with music, artwork and commerce adapted to the large influx of visitors) the Metrocable tour gives you a much more realistic view of the daily life of the inhabitants of the sector.

My recommendation, if you are going to visit commune 13 by metro, is that before leaving the San Javier station, you should first do the Metrocable tour circuit and then go to the escalator sector, which you can reach by cab or bus.

General recommendations

If you are thinking of visiting any of the metrocables in Medellín, I would like to share with you a list of general recommendations to make your experience the best.

Leave the stations only if you are clear about what you are going to do.

Although the surroundings of the Metrocable are guarded and safe areas, there are no tourist attractions at most of the stations. The cabin tour can be an attraction in itself.

If you still want to get out of a station to better connect with the local culture, my advice is to stay no more than 4 or 5 blocks away from the station. Normally the vicinity will be surrounded by merchants and people willing to share a little with you and tell you their story.

Use sunscreen

If your ride takes place on a sunny day, it is possible that the rays will hit your face very directly. Take sunscreen with you so that you can enjoy the tour without any consequences on your skin.

Stay with your group

Since the cabins have limited capacity for 6 people, it is possible that a cabin may have room for you but not for your companions. You can give your place to another person in line until you can join your family.

Bring your camera or take out your phone

All Metro and Metrocable stations are very safe places where you can use your devices without problems. Take the opportunity to take good panoramic photos of the city during your tour.

Fear of heights?

Finally, it is worth noting that this can be a traumatic journey for people who are afraid of heights. In some parts of the routes you can be up to 30 meters above the ground, and even experience some “turbulence” in the cabin.

But don’t worry, just like in airplanes, these are small movements that may cause discomfort but will not affect the safety of your “flight” at all.