Alemão cable car reaches milestone of 2 million passengers.
The milestone was reached last Saturday, after nine months of operation; the transport system connects communities in the area and operates every day of the week; residents celebrate the arrival of tourists.
247 - The Alemão cable car has surpassed the mark of two million passengers. The first mass cable transport system in the country and an icon of the interventions of the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC), the means of transport was inaugurated on July 8, 2011 by President Dilma Rousseff and the governor of Rio, Sérgio Cabral. In nine months of operation, four of which were in full use, the cable car has become indispensable in the daily life of the complex of communities in the northern zone of the city.
"Reaching this milestone of two million passengers in less than a year is proof of the population's confidence in the cable car services. It is also a demonstration that the cable car contributes to reinforcing the feeling of citizenship and dignity in the Complexo do Alemão, in addition to establishing itself as one of the most important tourist attractions in Rio de Janeiro," said the president of SuperVia, Carlos José Cunha.
During the inauguration of the first two Pacifying Police Units (UPPs) in Complexo do Alemão, Governor Sérgio Cabral celebrated the milestone, reached last Saturday (14).
"With just a few months of full operation, we already have two million passengers. Two million people who used to take an hour, an hour and a half to get around. And we will continue. I just went to Medellín again to see innovations and urban interventions in communities to bring to Rio de Janeiro," said the governor.
After a testing period, the system operates Monday to Friday, from 6 am to 9 pm; Saturdays, from 8 am to 21 pm; and Sundays and holidays, from 20 am to 15 pm. Registered residents of the complex can make two free daily trips. The fare for non-residents (or for those who use the cable car more than twice a day) is R$ 1. The integrated fare between the train and the cable car, boarding at any SuperVia station, is R$ 2,90.
Community celebrates attracting tourists.
The cable car is being used more and more by residents of Alemão, such as students Vicente Júnior, 15, Welerson Xavier, 15, and Iuri Teixiera, 14. They said that the cable car has also attracted visitors.
"Many tourists are visiting us, which didn't happen before," said Welerson. This is the case for Fernando de Souza, 64, and his wife, Olinda Ferreira, 80. The couple, who live in Penha, decided to see the Complexo do Alemão from above. "It was a wonderful tour," said Souza.