La Paz, the highest city in the world, is also one of the most unique; it has cable cars for public transportation. And one of the best ways you can tour La Paz is doing a loop on the cable car lines on a self-guided tour to see the city from above. It was one of the highlights of my one week in Bolivia.
Growing up skiing, cable cars aren’t a novelty for me, but I still found it fascinating using them as a mode of urban transportation. It felt weird getting on with people carrying shopping bags or wearing business attire instead of carrying skis and wearing helmets and snow pants, and looking down to see a vast city below instead of snow-covered pine trees.
But with a crowded city set in the mountains, cable cars make transport so easy, avoiding the traffic and the need to walk up steep hills.
I did find it a bit tricky working out how to do a loop on the cable cars, so I decided to make this La Paz cable car guide. You’ll find all the information you need to know, from tips to recommended route, for a stress-free self-guided tour.
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I thought that when I bought a ticket on a certain line, I could get off at any station on that line using the same ticket. But that’s not the case. Every time you get off at a station, you’ll have to pay to get back on the cable car, even if it’s the same line.
But tickets aren’t expensive (less than a dollar) and it’s not too much of a hassle to buy tickets. Buy the loop on the lines as I suggested, and then buy an extra ticket at the stations where you get off.
To buy tickets for the loop, simply tell the person at the ticket counter the lines you want to do. I found that easy to do even with my limited Spanish; I just pointed at a map to show the direction I wanted to go in.
If you’re following my suggested itinerary below, go to El Prado station and show that you want to do:
El Prado —> Libertador (Linea Celeste)
Libertador —> Satelite (Linea Amarilla)
Satelite —> 16 de Julio (Linea Plateada)
16 de Julio —> Central (Linea Roja)
Central —> Villarroel (Linea Naranja)
Villarroel —> Del Poeta (Linea Blanca)
Del Poeta —> El Prado (Linea Celeste)
This ticket will take you on a full loop and you won’t have to buy separate tickets. However, if you decide to take any of the optional stops I recommend, you’ll buy a single ticket once you get back onto the cable car.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to worry about the hassle of buying tickets/ finding your way on your own, or want more information about La Paz as you go, you can do a guided tour by cable car.
Each ticket is 3 bolivianos ($0.44). If you don’t get out at any of the recommended stations and just ride all the lines in a circle, it will cost 21 bolivianos ($3). If you take the whole day to explore and get off at all the recommended stops, it will cost 39 bolivianos ($5.64).
Given how cheap tickets are, going in a loop around La Paz by cable car is a great way to spend a whole day.
As a solo female traveler, I found it very safe.
In fact, I’d argue it’s the safest way to sightsee in Bolivia. While I was warned by locals about frequent muggings down on the streets of El Alto, you’ll be safe from that above the streets. I did go with a tour guide when exploring El Alto on the ground.
And, my guide joked that to ensure the safety of the mechanics of the cable cars, they contracted a Swiss company to design and build them (Doppelmayr).
I’d say at minimum you should give yourself two hours to complete the full loop around La Paz by cable car.
But that’s assuming you don’t get out to explore at the stations I’ll recommend or take the optional green line (Linea Verde).
Also, keep in mind that during rush hour there may be lines for the cable cars as people commute, but the lines do move quite fast.
I would recommend allowing a full day to do the loop so you have time to explore and eat lunch. I spent about 7 hours leisurely completing the full loop (including walks and meal stops), although of course you can do it faster.
Where you’re staying in La Paz will determine where you should start the loop. El Prado is likely within walking distance of your accommodation, so that’s where this self-guided cable car tour will start from. If it’s not close to you, start from whichever line on this loop is closest.
This itinerary goes clockwise on the cable car lines because that’s the way I went. But you can of course go counter-clockwise, as the cable cars run in both directions.
Before heading to El Prado to start the loop, stop by the nearby Paceña la Salteña for breakfast. Salteñas are an empanada type pastry with stew-like filling, and they’re delicious. From here, walk the few minutes to catch the cable car from El Prado.
Linea Celeste, or the Silver Line, is a quieter line. It ends in Libertador, where you can either detour to the Green Line (Linea Verde) or start your loop along the Yellow Line (Linea Amarilla). Alternatively, if you’re going counter clockwise, you’ll be catching the White Line (Linea Blanca).
I wouldn’t recommend getting off at any stops along the way, as you’re just on this line to get to other lines.
The Green Line (Lines Verde) isn’t part of the loop and involves going round trip to get back on the self-guided cable car tour. But it goes to the south which is the nicest part of the city, so worth going to. Simply buy an additional ticket at Libertador for a round trip to Irpravi.
If you want to try fine dining, plan to arrive at Irpravi station around lunch or dinner time. Gustu is a world known restaurant, and Ancestral is also a well-reviewed restaurant. Otherwise stop in a café or go shopping as you wander around this neighborhood.
The yellow line was one of the most interesting for me because you’ll pass by interesting rock formations. For this reason it was one of the more scenic lines.
I recommend getting out at Sopocachi station and walking down to Monticulo, which is a nice little park with great views. If you didn’t already eat near Irpravi station on the Green Line, Sopocachi is a nice neighborhood with lots of good restaurant options. I was recommended Manq’a, although didn’t get the chance to try it myself.
After a stop in Sopocachi buy a ticket up to Satelite. (Remember, the loop ticket you’ll buy will only include a ticket for one ride on each line, so you’ll need a single ticket every time you leave a station).
The Platinum Line (Linea Plateada) goes over El Alto. A local I met warned me not to walk around El Alto, as she used to work there and witnessed lots of muggings. However, I got out at both Faro Murillo and 16 de Julio, and I felt safe (although I was with a guide at Faro Murillo on a guided walking tour). This great cable line to get a good panoramic view of all of La Paz, and watching the bustle of El Alto down below is interesting too.
I got off at Faro Murillo station when I took a walking tour that included taking the cable car up from Obelisco station (via Linea Morada: not part of this cable car tour but might be a good place to start if it’s near your accommodation!).
From Faro Murillo you can wander the market near this station; my guide said you’ll find the best prices here. Near the station you can also find the local witch market (not the touristy one in La Paz), which is located near a sacred stone and is where locals go to amautas (shamans) for rituals.
Another stop I’d recommend getting off at if you’re there on a Sunday is 16 de Julio, as there is a huge Sunday market there. I wasn’t planning to get out at this station, but I saw the immense market from above and decided to explore. Since it was the end of the line, I didn’t have to pay for another ticket.
The Red Line (Linea Roja) is another panoramic line, one of the most unique on this self-guided cable car tour of La Paz. In addition to the mountain views that you can see from other lines, the red line passes over a neighborhood of colorful houses and also a huge cemetery.
Get off at Cementario station to explore the above-mentioned cemetery more in depth. I personally didn’t as it was interesting seeing it from above.
I would also recommend spending a bit of time at Central station before switching over to the orange line. Here you’ll find a trendy, modern area which is worth walking around for a bit. You can eat or have ice cream in one of the old train carriages turned into a restaurant or in the restored Central train station. It’s the end of the line so you won’t have to pay for an extra ticket.
The Orange Line (Linea Naranja) is a bit similar to the red line, in my opinion. It’s on the same side of city, just going up a different side of the valley, and it also passes over a cemetery (although a smaller one). But of course, each line can offer a different perspective of La Paz, and this was a nice one too.
If you’re interested in museums and have some time to spare, you can get off at Armentia station. From there it’s a five-minute walk to Calle Jaen, an old pedestrian-only street with lots of museums like the Museo del Litoral Boliviano, Museo de Metales Preciosos Precolombinos, Casa de Murillo and Museo de Instrumentos Musicales. The Museo Nacional de Etnografia y Folklore is not far away from there too.
The White Line (Linea Blanca) is one of my favorite cable car lines in La Paz, and I think it’s one of the nicest on this self-guided tour. It goes above a wide, tree-lined boulevard with tall modern buildings flanking it. It also has a nice view of the mountains, including Devil’s Tooth.
You’ll have to take Linea Celeste once more to complete your cable car loop of La Paz, but it’s a short line. And then you’re back where you started on your self-guided cable car tour of La Paz, having done a loop along 6-7 lines!
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I can’t imagine a more fun way to tour a city than above ground in a cable car. This is TOO cool. Thanks for inspiring me about another place to add to my travel wish list.
We loved the city of La Paz...so much better than I had expected! And what a treat it was to use the cable cars both to get around and as a form of entertainment. I really would like to visit again some day.
Touring La Paz with cable cars sounds like a great way to explore town.
What a fun way to see the city. I absolutely love cable cars, so this would be my ideal way to see La Paz. The views look stunning! That is so fun that these are used as transportation by the locals.
Cable car sounds like such a fun way to explore the pretty town. The views are gorgeous.