Rustaveli-Mtatsminda Cableway Officially Opened
The long-awaited cableway connecting Rustaveli Avenue and Mtatsminda Park has officially opened. The inauguration was led by Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. Following the inaugural ride on the cable car, Mayor Kaladze addressed attendees at Mtatsminda Park.
"Congratulations! This historic project is complete. Our beautiful capital has regained one of its iconic features with the reopening of the Rustaveli-Mtatsminda cableway. A journey that began 66 years ago is being revived today. Our priority has always been to preserve the landmarks of the capital and give them new life. I hope this cableway becomes a place of happy moments and cherished memories for many," said Kaladze.
The mayor shared the technical details of the project, highlighting its complexity.
"We began rehabilitating the cableway in 2021. It’s a circular, single-rope gondola system, a sophisticated engineering structure featuring lower and upper stations and five supporting towers. The unique interior of the lower station on Rustaveli, now fully renovated, deserves special attention. Initially, the plan was to build the station in Republic Square, but we reworked the project to preserve this historical building. The upper station, five support towers, and 21 eight-seater gondolas have been added. Each ride takes only 4 minutes, and the cableway can carry up to 1,200 passengers per hour in each direction."
Kaladze noted that the management of the cableway has been handed over to the Mtatsminda Park administration and thanked Tbilisi Transport Company, construction firm DAG, and engineering company Doppelmayr for their contributions. He also recognized the Patarkatsishvili family's efforts in maintaining Mtatsminda Park.
Projects like this, the mayor emphasized, play a vital role in boosting Tbilisi's tourism potential.
The total cost of the Rustaveli-Mtatsminda cableway project was 50 million GEL. Additionally, the city’s environmental protection service developed a new square near the lower station, which includes authentic lighting, footpaths, restored fountains, and landscaping. These improvements cost 700,000 GEL