Ngong Ping Cable Car

[Rachmaninov]

I hope people from our motherland won't throw cigarettes (or indeed anything) from the cable cars...

[hkia]

Put a trash bin in the each car.

[superchan7]

I'm sure they don't want you to be eating, drinking or smoking in the cars to begin with, so a rubbish bin in each car might send the wrong signal IMO...

[sfgadv02]

Originally Posted by hkia

Put a trash bin in the each car.

Isnt that bad? What if they smoke and the car caught on fire??

I dont think it will be that bad, I mean I havent heard any incidents regarding the cable car in Ocean Park.

[hkskyline]

Ticket fears as Skyrail counts down to opening
Wendy Leung
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, May 26, 2006

With a lavish ceremony, Skyrail-ITM, operator of the Tung Chung cable car, has kicked off its 30-day countdown to the official opening.

But how individuals can purchase tickets for the new tourist attraction is not totally clear.

Skyrail managing director Bill Calderwood said Thursday the first cable car connecting Tung Chung and Ngong Ping, the site of Lantau's giant Buddha statue, will run at 10am on June 24, departing from both terminals.

"We expect the public will come early," Calderwood said.

Visitors can buy tickets from major travel agents such as Hong Thai Travel and Wing On Travel starting from June 2, the cable car terminals at Tung Chung and Ngong Ping from the opening date, selected MTR stations from July 1 and on the Internet, he said.

But the company did not specify which MTR stations will sell tickets, nor the date that online bookings at its Web site will start.

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong legislator Lau Kong-wah said further details about ticketing should be announced as soon as possible.

"After the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland and the Wetland Park, we know that local and overseas tourists are eager to try our new attractions," said Lau, adding he hoped Skyrail had noted the Lunar New Year ticketing problems at Disneyland.

Calderwood said the company has crowd management contingency plans and that trial runs will start June 8.

He was confident the cable car, along with the other attractions at Ngong Ping 360 such as Walking with Buddha, Monkey's Tale Theater and the Ngong Ping Tea House, will be a local and overseas family destination.

Lau hoped Skyrail is fully prepared for the opening: "Tourists from overseas want to plan their trips earlier, especially with the summer holidays approaching, and we still don't know when and how to book tickets online."

He added: "The trial runs shouldn't be too close to the opening day, as they will need time for adjustments and improvements."

DAB colleague Chan Kam-lam echoed Lam's concerns: "Is [the lack of information] because the company is not well prepared? And it has to announce early if the tickets are sold out."

He urged Skyrail "not to repeat the mistakes made by Disneyland. Otherwise it will damage the reputation of Hong Kong tourism."

Skyrail operates similar cable cars at Sydney's Taronga Zoo and the Rainforest Cableway in Queensland.

The cable car is expected to carry 15,000 passengers on its first day, and between 50,000 and 80,000 passengers in the first week after opening. It is also forecast to attract 1.5 million visitors a year.

Round-trip tickets are HK$88 for adults and HK$45 for children. Single trips are HK$58 for adults and HK$28 for children during non-holidays.

[hkth]

MTR Press Release:
Start Your Journey of Enlightenment with "NP360" MTR Commemorative Ticket Set

[hkskyline]

[hkia]

The cable car station looks ugly.

Anyway, anyone seem Cowboy Bebop the Movie? Whenever I see the cable car I want to see Hong Kong build a hanging monorail like in the anime.

[hkskyline]

High winds disrupt Lantau cable car's first trial
Records show ride may be interrupted many days a year
9 June 2006
South China Morning Post

Gale-force winds exceeding 90km/h near the site of the Big Buddha on Lantau disrupted the Ngong Ping 360 cable car on the first day of trials yesterday.

Media invited to try out the ride in the afternoon were informed at 3pm they would be bused to Ngong Ping rather than go by cable car after high winds were detected near the intermediate station on Nei Lak Shan. By 5pm, weather conditions had improved enough to experience the return trip by cable car.

Bill Calderwood, managing director of Skyrail-ITM which operates the ride, said adverse weather in the area, including a typhoon signal number 8, black rainstorm warning, lightning or electrical storms, and prolonged periods with winds topping 90km/h could result in the cable car ride being suspended for safety reasons.

As much advance notice as possible would be given regarding delays, and public notices and announcements would be made through the media. Refunds would be provided for the unused portion of tickets.

"We are constantly monitoring the weather conditions," he said. He pointed out that wind conditions at Ngong Ping and Tung Chung, where the cable car ride starts, were different.

The operator has a link to the Hong Kong Observatory, allowing it to check weather patterns.

The new tourist attraction also features the Ngong Ping Village, with shops, eateries and entertainment. The Hong Kong Tourism Board expects it to have special appeal to families and long-haul travellers. It opens on June 24.

The cable car ride at Ocean Park in Aberdeen is stopped if wind speeds exceeding 75km/h are detected at least three times within 30 minutes, a spokeswoman for the marine park said.

[hkskyline]

昂坪市集面積不算大，但內有多間食肆、茶館及精品店。

[Kaitak747]

I think the Ngong Ping 360 will become a brand-new tourist attraction before long, but I'm quite disappointed by the general design of the Ngong Ping bazaar, those buildings seems too artificial, not as aesthetically pleasing as Chi Lin Nunnery.

[hkskyline]

交通配套不足 指路牌欠清晰
昂坪吊車開幕恐混亂
12/06/2006





【本報訊】昂坪360纜車將於本月二十四日正式投入服務，離島區議員和運輸署官員昨日到東涌纜車站巡視，了解當地的交通配套設施。有議員批評，纜車站附近的車位不足，指路牌亦欠清晰，擔心開幕日會造成混亂，不過，運輸署認為，現有設施已足可容納每日過萬人的載客量。

運輸署助理署長羅鳳屏及離島區議會多位議員，包括民建聯立法會議員譚耀宗，昨日早上視察東涌的交通設施，議員發現東涌地鐵站內有關昂坪吊車的指路牌不足，車站對開迴旋處的設計亦不妥善，擔心吊車啟用後引致擠塞。離島區議會副主席周轉香指出，若同一時間有四、五千人到達東涌纜車站，恐怕來不及疏導，又擔心一旦旅遊巴過多會對東涌地鐵站附近一帶交通造成擠塞。

大風暴雨會停駛
昂坪360常務董事高德偉預期，九成旅客均會以公共交通工具前往東涌纜車站，並會較多選乘鐵路前往，故此，不太擔心對東涌地鐵站對開的迴旋處造成擠塞，相信配套措施已足夠。高德偉又表示，如果遇到大風或黑色暴雨，會停駛吊車。

另外，昂坪360昨日亦安排三千名地鐵員工試搭纜車，地鐵員工吳先生謂，乘纜車可欣賞附近景色，但擔心假日或會較擠迫。另一位試搭的員工張先生則指出，昂坪市集景點不足，建議增加更多景點。

[Sou-jiro]

will it be open by August?...i mean fully operational?...how mmuch per ride is this...i would love to try this...looks awesome

[Kaitak747]

Originally Posted by ^SoMeGuY^

will it be open by August?...i mean fully operational?...how mmuch per ride is this...i would love to try this...looks awesome

http://www.np360.com.hk/html/eng/front/index.html

[Sou-jiro]

Originally Posted by Kaitak747

http://www.np360.com.hk/html/eng/front/index.html

ok i'll check...is there a change the route of Ngong Ping will allow a good view of Chek Lap Kok?....would love to see that..

[spicytimothy]

w00t! can't wait to check it out this summer!

[sfgadv02]

If only it wasnt that expensive.

[Skybean]

Originally Posted by sfgadv02

If only it wasnt that expensive.

I agree. I went to the official site to take a look and the costs seem a bit steep. I've already been to the Buddha and it seems as if the new shoppes and restaurants are not too spectacular.

If anyone gets a chance to take this trip, please let me know if it's worth it.

[hkskyline]

Skyrail (Ngong Ping 360) incident
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Government Press Release

Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) is concerned about the service interruption of the Skyrail system which occurred during its trial operation this (June 17) afternoon. EMSD engineers have been on site after the incident to carry out investigation.

EMSD is working with the Skyrail Company to identify the causes of the service interruption today and the improvement measures required to ensure the Skyrail system could operate safely and smoothly before putting into service for the public.

[hkskyline]

高溫乾煎兩小時 試搭活動腰斬
昂坪纜車又故障500人半天吊
18/06/2006
太陽報







尚有不足一星期便啟用的東涌纜車「昂坪360」，昨午招待地鐵員工試搭時發生系統故障，多架纜車停在半空，約五百名乘客被困，在近三十二度高溫下「乾煎」逾兩小時，這次已是纜車試搭活動第三次出現故障，不少經歷空中驚魂的乘客對纜車系統表示憂慮。纜車公司則暫停今日的試搭活動，並為事故向乘客致歉，至於需否延遲原定二十三日的開幕，則仍須研究。機電工程署亦關注事件，並派遣工程師抵達現場調查原因。環境運輸及工務局局長廖秀冬昨晚表示，纜車並非運輸項目，是否延遲啟用應由旅遊部門決定。

昨日的試搭活動共接待五千名地下鐵路公司員工及家屬，纜車在下午出現故障，至三時半多架纜車在行駛中途更出現停頓，五百多名乘客被困車廂，期間有人等得不耐煩，在車廂內站立拍照打發時間，但纜車又不時向前移動，險象環生。纜車公司馬上進行維修，至下午近六時左右，系統才逐漸恢復運作，將被困乘客分批送達纜車站。

纜車距離太近出事
大批乘客因為故障滯留在昂坪車站大排長龍，昨日是入夏以來最高溫的一天，乘客一度不滿鼓譟。

「昂坪360」常務董事高德偉表示，初步調查發現故障並不涉及任何人為因素，纜車停止運作與部分車廂距離太接近有關，故障並無對乘客構成危險。該公司發言人補充，事發時一輛無載人纜車在昂坪埋站停下，但隨後而至的纜車因距離太接近發生輕微碰撞，其後到站的纜車亦出現同樣情況，相信系統有故障，經四十五分鐘搶修仍然未能回復正常，服務因而停頓。

原定今天的試搭活動暫停，纜車公司已向受影響乘客發信，表示會安排他們再來乘搭；寶蓮禪寺住持釋智慧原定今日試搭纜車亦作罷。立法會交通事務委員會主席劉江華強調，東涌纜車已非首次出現故障，地鐵公司應盡快找出原因，若發現有解決不到的技術問題，應考慮延遲開放使用。

至於曾應邀試搭及給予意見的理大機械工程學系工程師盧覺強則相信，故障是由於電腦操作出現問題所致，但纜車的結構及運作均屬安全。他認為，只要工作人員熟習如何調節系統後，故障問題便會減少。

本月至今三次故障
昨日已是東涌纜車試行以來第三次出現故障，纜車公司原定於上周五早上十時，招待三千名殘障人士及長者，結果系統故障延遲四十分鐘。本月八日招待傳媒試搭亦因強風要延遲三小時。