It normally takes people one or two days to reach the peak of Fansipan mountain on foot. The three-rope cable car system, invested by SunGroup, will carry passengers from the bottom to the highest point of the mountain in 15-20 minutes. It will come into operation on April 30, 2015. — Photo hoanghasapahotel.com

LAO CAI (Biz Hub) — The world's longest three-rope cable car system, extending from the northern Lao Cai Province's Sapa Town to Fansipan peak, will open for passengers on Liberation Day (April 30) in 2015.

The project's investor SunGroup announced this at a recent meeting with the leaders of Lao Cai Province and the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam JSC (BIDV).

The construction of the cable car is being carried out in the first phase of the Fansipan Sapa tourism complex. The construction began on November 2, 2013 and is expected to be complete by National Day (September 2) in 2015. The cable car can carry a maximum of 2,000 passengers per hour, with each cabin accommodating 35 passengers.

The cable car will transport passengers from the base of the 3,143-metre Fansipan mountain to its highest point within 15 to 20 minutes. Currently, it takes one to two days to trek to the top of the mountain.

The total investment of the first phase of the project is VND2,748 billion (US$130.8 million), with VND2,075 billion ($98.8 million) being borrowed from BIDV. — VNS