{"id":16273,"date":"2026-09-03T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=16273"},"modified":"2026-09-03T14:01:49","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T19:01:49","slug":"255-million-for-san-miguelito-cable-car","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/news\/255-million-for-san-miguelito-cable-car\/","title":{"rendered":"$255 Million for San Miguelito Cable Car Project Approved"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For thousands of residents who navigate steep hillsides daily in neighborhoods like Samaria, Mano de Piedra, Valle de Urrac\u00e1, and Torrijos Carter, public transit challenges have long been a defining feature of daily life. That reality is set to change after the San Miguelito Cable Car project <\/a>received its official green light. Metro de Panam\u00e1 awarded the contract to Doppelmayr Panam\u00e1 Corp. for $255,163,788.03, concluding a procurement process that followed an initial failed attempt earlier in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The winning proposal covers the complete design, complementary studies, construction, supply, manufacturing, installation, and integration of an aerial cable transport system. The network will stretch approximately 6.6 kilometers and include six stations, connecting the districts of Panama and San Miguelito directly to the existing Metro network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Financial Restructuring Clears Path for Second Bid<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The road to this award was far from straightforward. A first bidding process concluded on May 28, 2026, without a single proposal on the table<\/a>. Two consortia had advanced to the prequalification stage. The Consorcio Telef\u00e9rico SPE brought together Sofratesa de Panam\u00e1 Inc. and Promotora y Desarrolladora Mexicana de Infraestructura S.A. de C.V. Meanwhile, Cointer Concesiones S.L. joined forces with Doppelmayr Panam\u00e1 Corp. to form the Consorcio Telef\u00e9rico San Miguelito-TSM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neither group submitted an offer, a setback that Metro de Panam\u00e1<\/a> attributed directly to financing difficulties under the original concession model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“The consortia did not manage to secure the financing required under the originally proposed concession scheme.” [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Facing that reality, the government overhauled the financial architecture. The previous arrangements required the concessionaire to finance, build, operate, and maintain the system. Under the revised model, the State assumes the payment commitments, while the selected contractor must secure funding through a Buyer Credit mechanism backed by an Export Credit Agency. The Ministry of Economy and Finance has programmed $270 million between 2027 and 2029 to cover project payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Cable
Cable Car in San Miguelito. (By AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

San Miguelito Cable Car<\/a> Route and Community Access<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The cable car’s alignment will begin at the Cincuentenario station on Metro Line 2 and extend to the intersection of V\u00eda Cincuentenario and V\u00eda Espa\u00f1a. Along the 6.6-kilometer corridor, six stations will serve densely populated hillside communities that have historically faced connectivity limitations tied to the area’s challenging topography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samaria<\/a>, Mano de Piedra, Valle de Urrac\u00e1, and Torrijos Carter represent some of the neighborhoods included in the planned route. For residents in these areas, the cable car offers a practical alternative to winding roads and lengthy bus transfers. Instead of descending hillsides to reach surface transit, commuters will board cabins at elevated stations and connect seamlessly with the Metro rail system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The area of Panama City and San Miguelito<\/a> has grown rapidly in recent decades, with informal settlements often occupying steep slopes where conventional transit infrastructure struggles to penetrate. Aerial cable technology, proven effective in cities like Medell\u00edn and La Paz, provides a scalable solution for such terrain challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n