Cable Car: A new dimension to Muttrah skyline
Muscat: The Cable Car is one of the most ambitious projects that can change the tourism landscape of Muttrah, a place deeply rooted in history and offering attractions such as forts, a souq, museums and the Royal palace, among others.
Providing insight into the project is Khalid al Nabhani, the co-founder & CEO of Sabeen Group, the owner of this private project. Sabeen also manages LunarCinemas, drone shows, and fireshows during specific events.
"This is not about developing infrastructure but about offering an experience to tourists visiting the capital. Muttrah is a unique spot with several viewpoints and historical sites, and according to our studies, tourists coming to the Sultanate of Oman certainly have Muscat on their wishlist." "Our idea is to develop a destination where people can spend time experiencing the cable car itself and view the historical part of the city from the sky." The cable car service will have three stations — the first from the port (next to the fish market), the second at the mountain top (behind Al Riyam Park), which will provide a 360-degree view of the coastal area. The third station will be at Hay Al Ward (the Flower Park).
Cable Car: A new dimension to Muttrah skyline
Al Nabhani mentioned that areas around stations will have several facilities for complete family experiences, including some global brand outlets. The mountain top station will feature an orchid centre and a roller coaster for children, while the Flower Park station will include restaurants and outlets for SMEs to showcase their products.
The project has been designed to accommodate the extreme and long summer months of the city. "The facilities have been designed so that tourists and local residents can visit the site multiple times a week. The cable car cabins are designed to allow people to enjoy the views in a comfortable temperature," he said.
In addition to the three stations, Sabeen will develop the Flower Park, which will continue in the second phase of the tourism project. The Flower Park will also have a dancing fountain, while the Mountain Station will have a walking street for Swiss cuisine, affirming the relationship between the two countries.
Cable Car: A new dimension to Muttrah skyline
The cable car is designed and manufactured by Bartholet Swiss company, which has been in business for over 60 years and has completed over 300 installations worldwide. "We trust their quality. It's considered one of the top companies in this field globally. They have appointed Bosch Studio, the same studio that designed Porsche cars, to design the cabins," Al Nabhani said.
While Bartholet Maschinenbau, based in Switzerland, is a leading international company in the fields of ropeway systems and amusement parks, the standard cable car cabins will have eight seats, while the VIP cabins will be four-seaters. In total, 18 cars will be in operation, including two VIP cabins for special purposes. The cable car will start from the Port Station and transport passengers to the Mountain Top Station, where they can relax for some time and visit the Flower Park.
The service has been divided into two routes - Port Station to Mountain Station and Mountain Station to the Flower Park. The Mountain Station will function as an interchange station between the two routes.
The project is privately owned and self-financed by Sabeen. The company plans to complete the project by the year-end and has currently made progress of 35 to 40 per cent. A multi-floor car park has been designed for the area, but generally, tourists coming to Muttrah arrive by cruise ships or on foot and use public transportation.
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