Puerto Plata's signature cable car, closed since June 2024, is finally coming back. Renovation work on the Teleférico, which whisks riders up Mount Isabel de Torres, begins on October 3, backed by a US$20 million modernization funded by the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Tourism and the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation.
The project was presented by Presidency Minister José Ignacio Paliza and Tourism Minister David Collado, and it goes well beyond a repaint. The new cabins will carry 50 passengers each instead of 18, which should cut long queues at the base station. A new electromechanical system running at 10 meters per second will shave the trip to the summit from eight minutes to five.
Work is being rolled out in three phases — studies and design, the renovation itself, then installation of the new cable car system — plus the construction of a dedicated electrical supply line to power the upgraded setup.
For context: the cable car has been shut since June 2024 because it couldn't produce the safety certification needed to operate. That closure removed one of the north coast's biggest draws, a ride that delivers visitors up to a mountaintop park with gardens, a Christ the Redeemer-style statue and panoramic views over the Atlantic. The bidding process wrapped earlier this year, clearing the way for work to start.
Why it matters for travellers: if Puerto Plata is on your list, check the cable car's status before you plan a visit — no reopening date has been announced yet, and construction timelines can slip. But when it returns, the experience should be noticeably better: bigger cabins, faster ascents and shorter waits, especially welcome in high season when the old system could bottleneck badly. In the meantime, Puerto Plata still has plenty to offer — the Victorian-era old town, the Fortaleza San Felipe, Playa Dorada's beaches and Pico Isabel de Torres hiking trails for those who'd rather climb than ride.
The US$20 million price tag also signals how seriously the Dominican Republic is investing in its north coast as an alternative to Punta Cana. If you've been putting off a Puerto Plata trip because of the closure, this is a good reason to keep it on the radar for 2026.
Story via Dominican Today.
