Metro de Panamá, S.A. and Doppelmayr Panamá, Corp. signed the contract on Monday, September 28, 2026, to design, build, and commission the Panama–San Miguelito Cable Car, worth B/.255,163,788.03. The system will run about 6.6 kilometers, with six stations and a direct connection to Metro Line 2. The next step is countersignature by the Office of the Comptroller General.
The contract was signed after the joint review of the contract documents was completed, according to the Panama Metro’s official announcement (in Spanish). With this step, the project moves toward its execution phase, which aims to improve mobility and public transit integration, especially for San Miguelito residents.
Key facts about the San Miguelito Cable Car
- Contractor: Doppelmayr Panamá, Corp.
- Contract amount: B/.255,163,788.03
- Length: approximately 6.6 km (4.1 miles) of aerial cable transit
- Stations: 6 (Balboa, Cincuentenario, Samaria, Mano de Piedra, Valle de Urracá, and Torrijos Carter)
- Capacity: 2,800 passengers per hour in each direction
- Speed: 6 meters per second
- Integration: connection with Metro Line 2 at Cincuentenario station and with the bus network
- Status: contract signed, pending countersignature by the Comptroller General’s Office
What stations will the Panama–San Miguelito Cable Car have?
The cable car will have six stations: Balboa, Cincuentenario, Samaria, Mano de Piedra, Valle de Urracá, and Torrijos Carter. Cincuentenario will be the transfer point with Panama Metro Line 2, so riders from these communities will be able to connect to the rest of the network without leaving the mass transit system.
What does the contract with Doppelmayr include?
The contract covers the full project cycle: design, supplementary studies, construction, supply, manufacturing, installation, and system integration, as well as testing, certification, commissioning, and operational handover. It also includes a maintenance option.
Doppelmayr is an Austrian manufacturer with extensive experience in cable transportation systems. It had already taken part in the project’s first tender as a member of the Teleférico San Miguelito-TSM consortium.
How the project reached the signing
The cable car’s path was not straightforward. The government first proposed it as an administrative concession, but that tender received no bids, partly because the interested groups could not secure the required financing. The model was then reworked and the process was relaunched as a Best Value Tender (No. 2026-2-80-01-08-LV-000002).
In this new call, Doppelmayr Panamá submitted the only financial bid on August 18, 2026. The evaluation committee gave it 962 out of 1,000 points and recommended awarding it the contract, which the Panama Metro did in early September. The September 28 signing closes that stage.
When will cable car construction begin?
There is no official start date for construction yet. Before it can be executed, the contract must be reviewed and countersigned by the Office of the Comptroller General, a legal requirement for the project to move into the construction phase. The Panama Metro has not yet announced a construction schedule or a date for the start of operations.
Why it matters for San Miguelito
San Miguelito is one of the most populous districts in the country, and its terrain of hills and narrow streets makes conventional transportation difficult. An aerial cable system can overcome those slopes without depending on road traffic, giving communities such as Samaria, Mano de Piedra, Valle de Urracá, and Torrijos Carter a faster, more predictable connection to the capital’s main transit network.
Frequently asked questions about the San Miguelito Cable Car
Who will build the San Miguelito Cable Car?
It will be built by Doppelmayr Panamá, Corp., which signed the contract with the Panama Metro on September 28, 2026.
How much does the Panama–San Miguelito Cable Car cost?
The contract is worth B/.255,163,788.03, about 255.1 million balboas.
How many kilometers and stations will it have?
It will run approximately 6.6 kilometers with six stations: Balboa, Cincuentenario, Samaria, Mano de Piedra, Valle de Urracá, and Torrijos Carter.
Will the cable car connect with the Metro?
Yes. It will connect with Panama Metro Line 2 at Cincuentenario station and will be integrated with the bus network.
How many passengers will it carry?
It will have capacity for 2,800 people per hour in each direction, at a speed of 6 meters per second.
What is still needed before construction starts?
The Comptroller General’s Office must review and countersign the contract. After that, project execution can begin.
Source: Panama Metro (in Spanish). ConstructHUBS will continue reporting on the contract’s countersignature and the start of construction.
