Maokong Gondola: Tickets, Hours and the Ride to Taipei's Tea Mountain
Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
The gate window at Taipei Zoo Station can mean a long wait on weekends and holidays; a pass bought ahead sends you straight to the barriers.
from $9.49 Tickets start at $9.49 per person, with options up to $17.40.
Check Price & Availability →The button opens the operator's official listing, with live dates and the full option set. You book and pay there; nothing is charged on this site at any point.
The cable car leaves from beside Taipei Zoo and climbs the Wenshan hillside to the tea terraces of Maokong. Four stations sit along the way: Taipei Zoo, Taipei Zoo South, Zhinan Temple and Maokong. One ride end to end takes about 20 to 30 minutes, and the line is run by the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation as part of the wider Taipei transit network. Most riders come for the tea houses and walking trails at the top, then ride back down after dark to catch the city lights.
This page lays out what you need before you go: how the ticket options differ and what each one bundles, the fares charged at the gate against the day pass, and what waits at each of the four stations, from the zoo at the bottom to the Tieguanyin tea houses at the top.
Which Maokong Gondola Ticket Fits Your Day?
Maokong Station
Sky Green observation deck
The Maokong tea houses
Zhinan Temple's 1,185 steps
Camphor Tree Trail
Taipei Zoo Station
Taipei Zoo South Station
Zhinan Temple Station
Most riders do best with the plain one-day pass, which starts at about $9.49 per person. It matches the operator's own NT$300 day pass and covers unlimited rides all day, so you can hop off at Zhinan Temple and ride on without paying again.
The option that folds in Taipei Zoo admission and the zoo shuttle train suits families giving the hill a full day. It costs a little more than the bare pass, and the zoo at the bottom station pairs naturally with the ride up.
There is one ticket, sold in a few price tiers. Every option carries the same one-day pass, unlimited rides on the day you activate it, and one end-to-end journey takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Prices run from $9.49 to $17.40.
If you only want the options side by side, the inclusions table further down lists what each one carries. If it is gate prices you are after, the fares section compares the single-journey fare with the day pass.
Plan Your Maokong Gondola Ride in Three Taps
A small planner on this page asks three things and hands back a ticket, an exit station and a rough duration. It wants to know who is riding, how long you can give the hill, and whether Taipei Zoo is part of the plan. Answer those and the suggestion follows.
All 5 ticket options are in the shortlist. Answer a question and it narrows; answer the same one twice and that answer is released again.
Adds One Local Experience
One Maokong experienceMaokong discount booklet
Included set varies
Check availability →Gondola, Zoo and an Experience
Taipei Zoo entryOne Maokong experience
Included set varies
Check availability →Adds Two Local Experiences
2 Maokong experiencesMaokong discount booklet
Included set varies
Check availability →Maokong Gondola: Key Takeaways
- Prices across the option set run from about $9.49 to $17.40 per person, and the plain one-day pass sits at the bottom of that range, matching the operator's own NT$300 day pass sold at the stations.
- The one-day pass buys unlimited rides on the day it is activated, across all four passenger stations. Get off midway at Zhinan Temple, look around, then rejoin the line at no extra cost.
- The line runs from morning into the evening, with later closing at weekends and on public holidays, and it closes most Mondays for scheduled maintenance. Check the live listing before you build a plan around a Monday.
- The route runs over four passenger stations from Taipei Zoo to Maokong, and one ride end to end takes about 20 to 30 minutes, long enough for the hillside and river views to open up properly.
- The glass-floor crystal cabins are not part of any ticket option. They carry a separate per-trip surcharge added at the station, so budget for it separately if a see-through floor appeals.
- The listing carries a 4.7 rating across roughly 11,700 reviews, a strong signal for a transport product where riders mostly judge the view and the queue.
Five Maokong Gondola Tickets, Compared
Treat these as options of one listing rather than separate products. Every one includes the same unlimited one-day gondola pass. What changes is what sits on top: zoo admission, the zoo shuttle train, one or two Maokong experiences, or the discount booklet. Pick the bundle that matches your day and skip the rest.
$9.49 to $17.40 per person across the 5 ticket options
The plain pass every other option starts from
Gondola Pass Only
- Maokong Gondola one-day pass, unlimited rides on the day it is activated
One pass, unlimited rides all day between the four stations, nothing bundled. Hop off midway, rejoin, ride again as often as you like.
Equivalent to the operator's own NT$300 one-day pass.
Gondola with Zoo and Train
Taipei Zoo entry Zoo shuttle train
from $12.69
Taipei Zoo admission plus one ride on the zoo shuttle train, folded into the pass. Animals at the bottom, tea houses above, one booking.
Check availability →
Adds One Local Experience
One Maokong experience Maokong discount booklet
Included set varies
The pass plus one Maokong experience and the discount booklet, for riders who want a set activity at the top rather than just the ride.
Check availability →
Gondola, Zoo and an Experience
Taipei Zoo entry One Maokong experience
Included set varies
Zoo admission paired with one Maokong experience, for visitors planning a full day: animals in the morning, tea houses in the afternoon.
Check availability →
Adds Two Local Experiences
2 Maokong experiences Maokong discount booklet
Included set varies
Two Maokong experiences and the discount booklet on top of the pass. Built for a slow day up top, with tea, a walk, or both.
Check availability →What Each Maokong Gondola Ticket Includes
The table below lays out the bookable options side by side. The plain one-day pass publishes a from-price of $9.49, so that row carries a number. The rows without a price show what the ticket includes instead.
| Ticket | Gondola pass | Zoo entry | Zoo shuttle train | Maokong experience | Discount booklet | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gondola Pass Only | unlimited rides for the day | from $9.49 | ||||
| Gondola with Zoo and Train | unlimited rides for the day | full admission | one one-way ride | from $12.69 | ||
| Adds One Local Experience | unlimited rides for the day | one to choose | Included set varies | |||
| Gondola, Zoo and an Experience | unlimited rides for the day | full admission | one to choose | Included set varies | ||
| Adds Two Local Experiences | unlimited rides for the day | 2 to choose | Included set varies |
A few shared rules apply to every option. The voucher is open-dated and stays valid for months, and on the bundled options the extra items expire a set period after the first one is used, so plan the zoo visit and the tea sessions within that window.
Maokong Gondola Fares at the Gate vs the One-Day Pass
The official fare table is simple since the flat fare came in on 3 March 2025. A single journey costs NT$180 at any distance, and the one-day pass costs NT$300. A stored-value card pays the same as cash. Two single rides already cost more than the pass, so anyone planning to come back down the same day saves by taking it.
| Fare at the gate | Price | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Single ride, one journey | NT$180 | Adult, any distance since the flat fare came in |
| One-day pass, unlimited rides | NT$300 | Valid all day on the day it is activated |
| Concession single ride | NT$50 | Concession fares are for eligible local card holders, such as children and seniors with valid ID, not for overseas visitors paying at the gate. |
| Concession one-day pass | NT$100 | |
| Crystal cabin surcharge | +NT$50 | Per person, per trip, added at the station to whichever ticket you hold |
| Chartered cabin surcharge | +NT$600 | Per cabin, per trip, added to the single tickets or day passes the riders already hold; booked at a station information counter |
| Children | Free | Under 6, up to 2 per paying adult |
| Group discount | 10% | Group discounts are for organized parties booked through the operator in advance and apply to day passes only, not single-ride tickets. |
The one-day pass wins by NT$120.
- Single ticketsNT$7202 riders, 2 rides each, at NT$180 a ride
- One-day passesNT$6002 riders at NT$300 each
- DifferenceNT$120in favour of the one-day pass
On a Saturday the line runs 09:00 to 22:00. Public holidays keep the later closing time whatever the weekday.
Most Mondays the line shuts for maintenance, so no fare is quoted for that day. The operator publishes the exact dates a month at a time, so check the current calendar before you build a plan around a Monday.
The crystal cabin surcharge is added on top of whichever ticket you hold, so it never decides which of the two is cheaper. Children under 6 ride free, up to 2 per paying adult, and the concession fares in the table above are for local card holders with ID rather than overseas visitors.
What Makes the Maokong Gondola Worth the Trip
The Maokong Gondola is a cable car run by Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation, lifting riders out of southern Taipei over forested slopes and tea terraces to the hillside village of Maokong. Four stations break up the climb, and the Taipei basin opens behind you as the cabin leaves the ground. The figures below cover fares, hours and what a ticket buys.
When to Ride the Maokong Gondola
Weekday and weekend schedules differ, with weekend service generally running longer. Most Mondays the line closes for maintenance, though there is no fixed rule: the operator publishes exact closure dates a month at a time. For any Monday visit, check the current calendar rather than assuming.
Weekdays
Weekdays run quieter than weekends, with the clearest window mid-morning before school groups arrive and again late afternoon as the tea houses fill.
Weekends and public holidays
Weekends and public holidays bring longer hours and bigger crowds, and the extra evening running rewards anyone who stays for the night view over Taipei before heading down.
Mondays
Mondays are the usual maintenance closure, but dates are published month by month, so check the operator's schedule for your travel month rather than trusting a rule of thumb.
Cable-splicing works
Occasionally the line shuts for days for a major overhaul, replacing drive parts and testing everything; these closures are announced well ahead, so plan around them.
Annual overhaul, reopened 29 June
Occasionally the line shuts for days for a major overhaul, replacing drive parts and testing everything; these closures are announced well ahead, so plan around them.
The operator publishes no last-boarding time, so none is printed here. What is published is the closing time at each end of the line, and that is the number to plan around. Arrive well before it, since boarding stops when the last cabin fills, not when the doors officially shut.
Cable cars answer to the weather, and this one is no exception. Service pauses whenever conditions on the route make running unsafe, and when that happens shuttle buses bring riders down from the upper stations. A clear weekday morning is the calmest bet for a cabin with room to spare.
What You Will See From the Cabin
The four passenger stations work as four different days out. Taipei Zoo Station sits at the bottom, next to the zoo entrance; Taipei Zoo South is a second gateway into the zoo grounds; Zhinan Temple perches on its hillside; and Maokong, at the top, is where the Tieguanyin tea houses and hiking trails begin.
Taipei Zoo Station 動物園站
Taipei Zoo Station is the bottom terminus: the ticket gates sit steps from the Taipei Zoo metro stop, and the zoo itself opens right beside the boarding area, which is why most trips up the hill start here.
About 350 metres southwest of Taipei Zoo MRT station, the Brown Line terminus (BR01)
- Taipei Zoo 165 hectares next door. Admission NT$100, open 09:00 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:00. Individual houses rotate their Monday closures rather than shutting together, so the giant panda house is closed on the first Monday of the month.
- The ticket gates and machines Single-journey and one-day-pass tickets are QR codes scanned at the automatic gate. You must get off at a terminus, so a return ride needs a new ticket unless you hold the day pass.
Taipei Zoo South Station 動物園南站
Taipei Zoo South sits inside the zoo grounds and mainly serves people already there, so most riders stay in the cabin through it. Board here if you finish at the zoo's far end.
- The zoo's inner grounds This station sits beside the far end of Taipei Zoo, so zoo visitors can join or leave the line halfway rather than walking back to the main gate.
Zhinan Temple Station 指南宮站
Zhinan Temple Station is the stop most riders skip, riding through on the way to tea. Step off and a hillside temple complex waits a short walk from the platform, calm where the top station is busy.
- Zhinan Temple Also called Xiangong Temple, dedicated to Lu Dongbin of the Eight Immortals and blending Taoist, Buddhist and Confucian practice. Founded around 1890 to 1891. It keeps a Dream Interpretation Room where believers stay the night hoping for an answer.
- The 1,185 stone steps Twenty-three flights over more than 900 metres climb from the archway on Lane 33, Section 3 Zhinan Road. The operator's English page gives 1,185; its Chinese page rounds to about 1,200. The steps were rebuilt in 1936, with Japanese-era stone lanterns still standing on the landings.
- Lingxiao Hall, damaged A fire on the evening of 24 August 2026 damaged about 1,500 square metres of Lingxiao Hall. Nobody was hurt and the rest of the complex stayed open. Restoration is reported as at least three years.
- Monkey Mountain The hill the temple sits on. Its main peak reaches 551 metres and the trig point 553 metres, with a trail leaving from the car park behind the temple.
Maokong Station 貓空站
Maokong Station is where the line ends and the hill begins. The Sky Green deck, opened in early 2026, looks over the Greater Taipei basin, and Tieguanyin tea houses and hiking trails spread from the platform.
- Sky Green observation deck An open deck over the whole Taipei basin that opened at this station in January 2026, day and night.
- The LOVE sculpture Built at the station's welcome wall from the gondola's own decommissioned steel haul rope, on the idea that true love grows better with age.
- The tea houses The hillside grows Muzha Tieguanyin and Wenshan Baozhong. Muzha is the only place in Taiwan that cultivates Tieguanyin, from twelve seedlings the tea master Chang Nai-miao carried from Fujian in 1895.
- Taipei Tea Promotion Center About 15 minutes on foot, left out of the station along Lane 38 of Section 3 Zhinan Road. Open daily 09:00 to 17:00, closed Mondays. It holds a working tea plantation, a weather observation platform and an artificial rainfall erosion trough.
- Camphor Tree Trail About 1.5 km and roughly 30 minutes one way, and Taipei's first fully level trail. A 1.5-hectare lupin field flowers along it from late March to mid-April, the only one of its kind in Taiwan; the same slope turns to cosmos around Mid-Autumn Festival.
- Denggao Trail Seventy metres long, the shortest signposted trail in the Maokong area, a wooden stair up to the Wangyuan Pavilion lookout through silver grass and cherry trees.
- Little Sky Trail An elevated boardwalk of about 250 metres with a wide view down into the Maokong valley, taking in the Yongjie Pavilion, Tongxin Pond and the Moon Elder tree.
- The Maokong Tour Bus Free the same day to anyone who has ridden the gondola, on both the Right and Left lines, tapped with the same stored-value card. The Right Line loops past the Camphor Tree Trail, Zhangshan Temple, the telescopic deck and the apricot grove.
The Maokong Gondola Route Map, Station by Station
The route leaves Taipei Zoo Station heading east, bends south at the first angle station just past Taipei Zoo South, then climbs to Zhinan Temple and Maokong. That double bend is why the operator describes the line as tracing the shape of the numeral 7 when you plot it on a map of the district.
The route runs end to end through four passenger stations, Taipei Zoo, Taipei Zoo South, Zhinan Temple and Maokong, with the two angle stations drawn midway along the bends they mark.
Showing everything at all 4 passenger stations, 15 things in all. Tap a station, or a pin on the map above, to see just that stop.
Taipei Zoo Station 動物園站
- Taipei Zoo 165 hectares next door. Admission NT$100, open 09:00 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:00. Individual houses rotate their Monday closures rather than shutting together, so the giant panda house is closed on the first Monday of the month.
- The ticket gates and machines Single-journey and one-day-pass tickets are QR codes scanned at the automatic gate. You must get off at a terminus, so a return ride needs a new ticket unless you hold the day pass.
Taipei Zoo South Station 動物園南站
- The zoo's inner grounds This station sits beside the far end of Taipei Zoo, so zoo visitors can join or leave the line halfway rather than walking back to the main gate.
Zhinan Temple Station 指南宮站
- Zhinan Temple Also called Xiangong Temple, dedicated to Lu Dongbin of the Eight Immortals and blending Taoist, Buddhist and Confucian practice. Founded around 1890 to 1891. It keeps a Dream Interpretation Room where believers stay the night hoping for an answer.
- The 1,185 stone steps Twenty-three flights over more than 900 metres climb from the archway on Lane 33, Section 3 Zhinan Road. The operator's English page gives 1,185; its Chinese page rounds to about 1,200. The steps were rebuilt in 1936, with Japanese-era stone lanterns still standing on the landings.
- Lingxiao Hall, damaged A fire on the evening of 24 August 2026 damaged about 1,500 square metres of Lingxiao Hall. Nobody was hurt and the rest of the complex stayed open. Restoration is reported as at least three years.
- Monkey Mountain The hill the temple sits on. Its main peak reaches 551 metres and the trig point 553 metres, with a trail leaving from the car park behind the temple.
Maokong Station 貓空站
- Sky Green observation deck An open deck over the whole Taipei basin that opened at this station in January 2026, day and night.
- The LOVE sculpture Built at the station's welcome wall from the gondola's own decommissioned steel haul rope, on the idea that true love grows better with age.
- The tea houses The hillside grows Muzha Tieguanyin and Wenshan Baozhong. Muzha is the only place in Taiwan that cultivates Tieguanyin, from twelve seedlings the tea master Chang Nai-miao carried from Fujian in 1895.
- Taipei Tea Promotion Center About 15 minutes on foot, left out of the station along Lane 38 of Section 3 Zhinan Road. Open daily 09:00 to 17:00, closed Mondays. It holds a working tea plantation, a weather observation platform and an artificial rainfall erosion trough.
- Camphor Tree Trail About 1.5 km and roughly 30 minutes one way, and Taipei's first fully level trail. A 1.5-hectare lupin field flowers along it from late March to mid-April, the only one of its kind in Taiwan; the same slope turns to cosmos around Mid-Autumn Festival.
- Denggao Trail Seventy metres long, the shortest signposted trail in the Maokong area, a wooden stair up to the Wangyuan Pavilion lookout through silver grass and cherry trees.
- Little Sky Trail An elevated boardwalk of about 250 metres with a wide view down into the Maokong valley, taking in the Yongjie Pavilion, Tongxin Pond and the Moon Elder tree.
- The Maokong Tour Bus Free the same day to anyone who has ridden the gondola, on both the Right and Left lines, tapped with the same stored-value card. The Right Line loops past the Camphor Tree Trail, Zhangshan Temple, the telescopic deck and the apricot grove.
What Riders Say
★★★★★
“Such a beautiful experience and definitely one of the memorable parts of our trip! The Maokong Gondola ride was really enjoyable, especially with the amazing views of Taipei and the surrounding mountains along the way. The ride was comfortable and gave us a completely different view of the city.”
Shiela, operator-listing review of Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
★★★★★
“2nd time in Taipei and 2nd time trying the gondola. very good value for money considering the Taipei zoo entrance inclusion. we enjoyed exploring every gondola station and had a great time. an awesome experience indeed.”
Jessa, operator-listing review of Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
★★★★★
“We bought the 3 cats combo ticket and chose the small sealed tea DIY experience. We didn't have time to get off at Zhinan Temple Station since we spent more time at the Zoo. We saw alot of active animals. Walking around the tea farm was peaceful and the ice cream was perfect for a hot day.”
D, operator-listing review of Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
★★★★★
“We had an amazing experience in riding the Gondola one day pass. There’s no line on the way up since we arrived early morning. We also had a fun day in the zoo and we were able to see a lot of animals which can’t be seen in our country.”
operator-listing review of Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
★★★★★
“A Breathtaking Experience, Highly Recommend. We recently took the Maokong Gondola Tour and it was absolutely one of the highlights of our trip! From the moment we stepped into the gondola, we were treated to stunning panoramic views of Taipei’s lush green hillsides. The ride itself is smooth, scenic, and genuinely memorable.”
LadyDiane, operator-listing review of Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
★★★★★
“amazing venture, a gift. you have 2 stops a temple then at the top spectacular views with a abundance of resturant and trails. unlimited all day. easy to access zoo beforehand as it closes by 4.30 throughly enjoyed”
Sarah, operator-listing review of Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
★★★★★
“This was an excellent activity. We went to the gondola on the MRT from Central Station, which was very easy. The scenery from the gondola was excellent and the tea houses at the summit very relaxing.”
Michael, operator-listing review of Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
★★★★★
“Very easy to access each of the activities, the zoo and cable car definitely worth it, the tea experience I could have done without but overall was a great day”
Karla, operator-listing review of Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
★★★★★
“amazing tour easy to exchange the voucher for the ticket. beautiful place”
Martha, operator-listing review of Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
★★★★☆
“The ride itself was fabulous, great panoramic views of Taipei and surrounds What I didn’t like was the instruction on exchanging your emailed advise/voucher for an actual ticket. The information sent said there is a kiosk at Taipei Zoo station to exchange these but that’s incorrect no kiosk there.”
Warren, operator-listing review of Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
★★★☆☆
“The cable car ride itself is pretty comfortable - no air conditioning, though, so be prepared. The views were good but not exceptional. Maokong itself is really charming.”
Alice, operator-listing review of Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
★★★★★
“Great views from the gondola! Navigating the zoo was a bit difficult as a foreigner but the employees there were always able to help!”
Oscar, operator-listing review of Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
★★★★★
“The view from the gondola, both during the day and at night, is really beautiful. You can take nice walks in Maokong. A visit to a tea house is definitely worth it too.”
Christina, operator-listing review of Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
★★★★★
“It is very simple, with the messages received, to be guided to collect the tickets that will accompany us throughout the day at each stop along the route.”
LAURENT, operator-listing review of Maokong Gondola Ticket in Taipei
These are real traveler reviews published on the operator's own booking listing for this ticket. We copy them as written, we do not collect, select or edit them, and we earn nothing from a review either way.
Where to Stay Near Taipei Zoo Station
Almost nobody sleeps in Wenshan District, so the useful question is which Taipei neighbourhood puts you on the brown Wenhu line with no transfer. Ride that line to Taipei Zoo station, its terminus at BR01, and the gondola entrance is a short walk away. Stations along the brown line in the city centre are the practical base.
Shangri-La Far Eastern, Taipei
Daan District, Taipei (No. 201, Section 2, Dunhua South Road)
Technology Building (BR08) or Liuzhangli (BR07), brown Wenhu line, about an 11 minute walk
The easiest splurge for a gondola day: it sits between two brown Wenhu line stations, so you ride straight through to the Taipei Zoo terminus without ever changing trains.
Check ratesTaipei Charming City Hotel - Xinyi
Xinyi Road Section 4, on the Daan and Xinyi border, Taipei (No. 295, Section 4, Xinyi Road)
Xinyi Anhe (R05A on the red Tamsui-Xinyi line), about a 3 minute walk
Staying in Xinyi keeps the city's dining, shopping and night markets on your doorstep while leaving the cable car within easy reach. The MRT run to Taipei Zoo station, where the gondola begins, is a straightforward transfer, so you can be up among the tea houses in the morning and back downtown by evening.
Check ratesMacchi Hotel
Wenshan District, Taipei (3F, No. 6, Lane 30, Jingzhong Street)
Jingmei (G05) on the GREEN Songshan-Xindian line, about a 2 minute walk
This is the only listed hotel inside Wenshan itself, the district the cable car calls home. Jingmei station sits close by, and the zoo terminus where boarding starts is a quick ride away, which makes it the practical pick for anyone who wants an early start before the Crystal Cabin line builds on weekend afternoons.
Check ratesBooking, Hours and Ticket Questions
What does the Maokong Gondola one-day pass actually cover?
The pass covers unlimited rides on the day you activate it, at all four passenger stations. You can step off at Taipei Zoo South, Zhinan Temple or Maokong, look around, and rejoin the line with the same pass. The one thing it cannot do is turn a single-journey ticket into a return: cabins run one way, and you must get off at a terminus, so riding back down on a single-journey ticket means buying a new one. The day pass exists for exactly that loop.
How long does the Maokong Gondola ride take end to end?
One ride end to end takes about 20 to 30 minutes, covering 4.03 km of cable. Cabins travel at 3 to 5 metres per second against a design maximum of 6, and the pace varies with wind and traffic. Stopping at a station and rejoining later stretches your day, not the ride itself: each leg is timed the same whether it is your first or your third boarding of the afternoon.
Which days is the Maokong Gondola closed for maintenance?
The line shuts on most Mondays for maintenance, but the operator publishes exact dates month by month rather than following a fixed rule, so a rule of thumb in English and the dated Chinese calendar can disagree. Two longer shutdowns are planned for 2026: 20 to 24 April for cable-splicing works, and 8 to 28 June for the annual overhaul, with service resuming on 29 June. If your trip falls near either window, confirm against the current month's calendar before committing.
Is the crystal cabin included in a standard ticket?
No. The glass-floor crystal cabin, called the Eyes of Maokong, is not part of any ticket option. It is an on-site upgrade: you pay NT$50 per person per trip at the station, added to whichever ticket you already hold. Of the fleet's 147 cabins, 31 are crystal ones, and they carry five passengers instead of the usual eight, which is why the upgrade line can move slowly on busy days.
Does buying a Maokong Gondola ticket ahead beat paying at the gate?
The arithmetic is simple. A single journey costs NT$180 and the one-day pass NT$300, so two rides already cost more than the pass, and a stored-value card pays the same fare as cash. Buying ahead fixes the price in your own currency before you travel and lets you skip the ticket window at Taipei Zoo Station, which is where the queues form on weekends and holidays.
How do you get to the bottom station of the gondola?
The bottom station, Taipei Zoo Station, sits at No. 8, Section 2, Xinguang Road in Wenshan District, roughly 350 metres southwest of Taipei Zoo MRT station. That MRT stop is BR01, the terminus of the brown Wenhu line, so from anywhere on that line you ride to the end and walk the rest. If you are driving, there is an underground car park at the station with 150 spaces, and it charges separate weekday and weekend rates, so check which applies before you set out.
Does the gondola ticket include entry to Taipei Zoo?
The plain pass covers the gondola alone and nothing else. Zoo admission is folded into two of the five ticket options, and one of those two also throws in a one-way ride on the zoo shuttle train, which saves the walk up the hill inside the grounds. If you buy the plain pass instead, the zoo charges its own NT$100 admission at the gate and keeps hours of 09:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:00, so a combined visit works best in the morning.
Is there a concession fare, and do children pay less?
There is a concession single at NT$50 and a concession day pass at NT$100, but both are limited to Taiwanese nationals carrying ID, so an overseas visitor simply pays the full fare at the gate. Children under 6 ride free, with up to two free per paying adult. Beyond that, the ticket options themselves carry one flat price for every age, so a teenager and a senior pay the same as anyone else.
Maokong Gondola, Answered
The short answers below are grouped by what you are trying to settle: which ticket to buy, when to ride, how the line itself works, and what waits on the hill at the top. Each guide sticks to the route and its stations.
Before booking
Opening hours and closures
Stations along the line
- Are There Cable Cars In Taiwan?Answer
- How Can I Get From Maokong Cable Car Station To Taipei 101?Answer
- How Do Cable Cars Stay On The Cable?Answer
- How To Get To Maokong Without GondolaAnswer
- What Is The Difference Between A Gondola And A Cable Car?Answer
- What Is The Longest Cable Car In The World?Answer
- Stations and routeGuide
- Zoo & Gondola ComboGuide
What waits at Maokong
- What Are Some Things To Do In Maokong?Answer
- What Does Maokong Mean?Answer
- What Is Maokong Famous For?Answer
- What Is Taipei Famous For?Answer
- Free Things in MaokongGuide
- Hiking TrailsGuide
- Maokong TeaGuide
- Tea HousesGuide
- Zhinan TempleGuide
All-Day Taipei Cable Car Pass
closed most Mondays
Valid all day; one ride end to end takes about 20 to 30 minutes · Rated 4.7 across about 11,700 reviews, from $9.49 · Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation
A one-day pass for the cable car run by Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation, valid all day once activated. It covers the full line, so you can step off at Taipei Zoo South, Zhinan Temple or Maokong and board a later cabin. One ride end to end takes about 20 to 30 minutes. The base option is the gondola only; Taipei Zoo entry and the glass-floored crystal cabin cost extra.
Check availability →