Last Updated on December 9, 2025 by Jade and Deeshen
Are you wondering how to get to Maokong Gondola?
You came to the right place!
We’ve explored Maokong more times than we can count, and as Taiwan travel experts who’ve lived in Taipei, it’s is easily one of the best places to visit in Taiwan.
We love Maokong because it feels like a peaceful mountain escape, even though it’s right on the southeastern edge of Taipei city.
The Maokong Gondola (貓空纜車) is Taipei’s only cable car, stretching 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from Taipei Zoo up to Maokong.
The ride takes about 25–30 minutes, gliding over lush hills dotted with oolong tea plantations, forested hiking trails, and beautiful spiritual temples.
This area also has the highest concentration of traditional teahouses in Taipei, making it a dream for tea lovers!
You can sip freshly brewed high-mountain oolong, wander quiet walking paths, explore tiny cliffside temples, and even indulge in tea-flavored ice cream or noodles cooked with tea-infused oil, all while taking in the stunning views of Taipei 101 below.
It’s definitely a popular tourist attraction, but with the right tips, we think you can still experience the quiet charm that makes Maokong so special.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about getting to the Maokong Gondola and booking tickets.
We’ll cover Maokong opening hours, prices, the different ways to reach it, how to travel from Taipei Main Station, Ximending, and Taipei 101, the easiest MRT route, and what to expect when choosing between the regular cabins and the see-through Crystal Cabins.
Let’s dive into your ultimate guide to get to the Maokong Gondola!
Maokong Gondola Opening Hours
First things first, the Maokong Gondola schedule is open on weekdays (Tuesday to Friday) from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
On weekends and holidays, it opens a little earlier—around 8:30 or 9:00 AM, depending on the season—and stays open until about 9:30 or 10:00 PM.
The last ride usually departs 15–30 minutes before closing, so make sure to plan your visit accordingly.
The gondola is CLOSED on Mondays for general maintenance, unless it’s a national holiday or the first Monday of the month.
Don’t worry—the Taipei Zoo is still open on Mondays, so you can enjoy the zoo even if the gondola isn’t running.
Even if the gondola is closed, you can still reach Maokong by bus, taxi, or private tour. The restaurants, teahouses, and temples in the mountains remain open, so your visit can still be full of tea, views, and adventure.
The gondola also closes on Lunar New Year’s Eve.
The gondola may shut down temporarily if the weather gets too windy or rainy, especially during summer typhoons or heavy rain. You can check its live operational status here.
It doesn’t close for light drizzles though, we’ve rode the Maokong Gondola plenty of times when it rains.
About once a year, the gondola closes for 2 weeks for annual maintenance, so it’s always a good idea to check for updates before your visit.
How to Ride Maokong Gondola
We highly recommend booking your Maokong Gondola tickets here.
By pre-booking your Maokong Gondola ticket, you get the best deal and skip the long lines! (plus, you can redeem it within 180 days!)
One ticket is a whole day pass, which means you get unlimited rides. (a fantastic deal imo!)
This means you walk directly up to the 3rd floor to hop right onto a gondola cabin! Tickets can be also be bought at the station, but I personally always pre-purchase to save time.
Once you arrive at the Maokong Gondola, walk directly up to the 3rd floor with your mobile tickets for scanning.
There will be people waliting in line outside of the station, but you can ignore this as they are usually part of mass tour groups, or just don’t know where to go.
There are lockers, restrooms and photo booths on the 1st floor (ground level) and 2nd floor.
Once, on the 3rd floor, you can choose between regular cabins and crystal cabins.
Maokong Gondola Regular Cabins
Maokong Gondola Regular cabins are comfy and spacious, great for couples, groups or families.
Here’s how the regular cabins look like below.
We love simply looking out the windows and listening to the birds chirp in the forest.
The long tranquil ride makes Maokong gondola completely worth it.
Maokong Gondola Crystal Cabins
Same sized cabins with glass bottoms for a fun view over the hills and tea plantations below. Here’s how the Crystal Cabins look like below.
You’ll also love: How to Hike Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan) to see the best Taipei views!
Maokong Gondola Price
The Maokong Gondola regular cabins cost $300 NTD = ~$9.80 USD per person, which is a fantastic deal.
You get unlimited rides all day for this ticket, and there are many stops to explore.
The Maokong Gondola Cystal Cabin price is $300 NTD (=$9.65 USD) plus a 50 NTD (=$1.75 USD) upgrade from a regular cabin to a crystal cabin.
You pay 50 NTD for every ride, so if you get off at an earlier station, you have to upgrade again when you hop on, or come back down.
It’s a nice experience to try at least once.
You can’t buy the crystal cabins online, you have to pay for the upgrade on the 3rd floor, right before you get on.
It takes less than 30 seconds to upgrade.
The ride from Taipei Zoo to Maokong takes 25-30 minutes, and both cabin types give you incredible views.
We have rode the regular and crystal cabins both numerous times, and honestly they are both fantastic experiences.
The crystal cabin upgrade did not make much of a difference for us as we mainly look out the windows, so we skipped it the last time.
There are air vents and little windows that you can open inside the gondolas. We simply love feeling the fresh breeze and listening to the birds!
How to Go to Maokong Gondola
Now that you know how to buy your tickets, here’s a detailed guide of how to get to Maokong Gondola, from Taipei main station, Ximending, and Taipei 101.
There are a few ways to get to Maokong Gondola, and which one works best depends on where you’re starting from.
The MRT (Mass Rapid Transit / Taipei Metro) is usually the easiest option, especially if your hotel is near a MRT station.
Staying close to the MRT — like at our favorite hotels, Grand Hyatt Taipei (next to Taipei 101 and one of the best luxury hotels in Taipei) and Tango Taipei Hotel Shilin (a terrific budget hotel right next to Shilin Night market) — makes getting around Taipei city super easy.
To ride the MRT, you’ll need an EasyCard, a rechargeable card that works on the subway, buses, and even some taxis.
You can preorder an Easy Card at Taipei Taoyuan Airport (TPE) so it’s ready to pickup and use as soon as you arrive.
I recommend getting one in advance with $400 NTD money already preloaded on it, because later on you can only refill EasyCards with CASH at convenience stores.
MRT fares to Taipei Zoo Station are usually around NTD 30–40 (≈ US$1–1.30). We love how affordable, reliable and clean public transporation is in Taiwan!
From there, it’s just a 5 minute walk to the gondola entrance.
There will be people waiting in line outside of the station, but you can ignore this as they are usually part of mass tour groups, or just don’t know where to go.
Once you arrive at the Maokong Gondola, walk directly up to the 3rd floor with your mobile tickets for scanning.
There are lockers, restrooms and photo booths on the 1st floor (ground level) and 2nd floor.
If you’re not near an MRT station, taxis and Uber are the next best option.
We recently took an Uber from near Guting Station (Daan area) to Maokong Gondola and it cost about NTD 622 (~US$18). A regular taxi ride would be roughly the same.
Read my Uber in Taiwan guide for more fare comparasions.
You can also take buses. Bus fare is usually NTD 30–50 (≈ US$1–1.60).
Lastly, you could hire a driver for the day, or rent a car in Taipei, which is great for families or private parties.
Read Next: You’ll also love visiting Longshan Temple in Taipei, one of the most iconic spiritual temples in Taiwan
How to Go to Maokong Gondola from Taipei Main Station
To get to Maokong Gondola by MRT from Taipei Main Station (Train):
- Take the Red Line (Tamsui‑Xinyi Line) toward Xiangshan direction. The trains usually come once every 5-15 minutes, depending on the time of day.
- At Zhongxiao Fuxing transfer to the Brown Line (Wenhu Line / Muzha Line) toward Taipei Zoo direction.
- Ride to Taipei Zoo Station.
- Walk ~ 5 minutes to the gondola entrance.
By Taxi or Uber:
- Tell the driver you want to go to: Maokong Gondola or in Mandarin 貓空纜車 (Māo kōng Lǎn chē).
- Fare: typically NTD 600–650 (~US$18–20)
By Bus:
- There are plenty of buses. You can take bus 236 (or 236‑區), 237, 282, 294, 295, 611, 676, 679, 1073, 1501, 1558, Small 12, or Brown‑line buses (棕3, 棕6, 棕11, 棕15, 棕18, 棕21).
- Use Google Maps for the best live timings. Buses usually come every 10-30 minutes, depending on the time of day.
- Get off at a stop near Taipei Zoo / Maokong Gondola, then walk to the gondola entrance.
How to Go to Maokong Gondola from Ximending
To get to Maokong Gondola by MRT from Ximending (Train):
- Start at Ximen Station on the Blue Line (Bannan Line) toward Nangang / Exhibition Center. Here’s Taipei’s MRT map.
- Transfer at Taipei City Hall Station to the Red Line (Tamsui‑Xinyi Line) toward Xiangshan direction.
- Continue on Red Line until Taipei Zoo Station.
- Walk ~5 minutes to the gondola entrance.
By Taxi or Uber:
- Tell the driver you want to go to: Maokong Gondola or in Mandarin 貓空纜車 (Māo kōng Lǎn chē).
- Fare: roughly NTD 600–650 (~US$18–20)
By Bus:
- Some of the same bus lines servicing Taipei Zoo / Maokong are available depending on where in Ximending you start. Look for buses such as 236, 237, 282, 294, 295, or the Brown‑line buses that pass near your area.
How to Go to Maokong Gondola from Taipei 101
By MRT (Train) to Maokong Gondola from Taipei 101 (Xinyi / Xinyi‑Anhe Area):
- Hop on the Red Line (Tamsui‑Xinyi Line) toward Xiangshan (just a short ride if you’re near Taipei 101 / Xiangshan station). Here’s Taipei’s MRT map.
- Continue to Taipei Zoo Station.
- Walk ~ 5–10 minutes to the gondola entrance.
By Taxi or Uber:
- Say to the driver you want to go to: Maokong Gondola or in Chinese 貓空纜車 (Māo kōng Lǎn chē).
- Expect the fare to be around NTD 600–650 (~US$18–20)
By Bus:
- As with other areas, there are buses that go toward Taipei Zoo / Maokong. Look for buses such as 236, 237, 282, 294, 295, or relevant Brown‑line / tour‑bus routes depending on which part of Xinyi you start from.
Maokong Gondola Map
Before you head up into the mountains, it really helps to take a quick look at the Maokong Gondola map.
This map below shows you all four stations, how they connect to the MRT at Taipei Zoo Station, and where the tea houses, temples, and viewpoints are spread out.
Once you get a feel for the route, you’ll know exactly where to hop on, where to explore. It makes the whole experience smoother—and a lot more mindful and fun!
Taipei Zoo Station (動物園站)
This is where almost everyone begins their gondola journey. It’s right beside the MRT Taipei Zoo Station, so getting here is super easy.
This is the ideal starting point to visit Maokong, or if you want to visit Taipei zoo and Maokong on the same day.
Here’s the best place to book your Taipei Zoo tickets to save money and skip the line! (its valid for up to 180 days)
Taipei Zoo South Station (動物園南站)
This smaller stop sits next to the zoo’s South Entrance. It’s handy if you’re already inside the zoo and want a quick hop onto the gondola.
If you’re not visiting the zoo that day, you can usually skip this station.
If you want to visit the zoo after Maokong, this is a good stop to get off at and start.
The reason I recommend this as a good starting point after Maokong is because Taipei zoo is set on a hill, and if you start here, you’ll be walking downhill to explore the rest of the zoo. (which is surprisingly huge!)
Zhinan Temple Station (指南宮站)
This stop drops you right at the doorstep of Zhinan Temple, one of Taipei’s most scenic and spiritually rich Taoist temples.
It’s a peaceful place to pray, enjoy a gorgeous panoramic lookout of Taipei city, and enjoy the mountain atmosphere before continuing up to Maokong.
In March, you can even see cherry blossoms in Maokong! We visited last March on LaoTzu’s birthday and it was one of the best spiritual experiences and memories of my life.
We also absolutely love bird watching in the Maokong area, and there are so many melodious birds.
Birds we spotted included Bulbuls, Rufous-capped babblers, Scaly-breasted munia, Taiwan scimitar babbler, Taiwan blue magpie, Eastern cattle egret, Oriental turtle dove, and the Grey wagtail!
Maokong Gondola Station (貓空站)
This is the final stop—and the one everyone’s excited for. Once you step out, you’re surrounded by tea houses, shops to buy Taiwan’s best souvenirs, mountain cafés, nature trails, and magical views.
It’s the perfect spot to sip oolong tea, eat tea ice cream, wander through the village, and explore Taipei’s beloved tea countryside.
Read Next: 60+ Best places to visit in Taipei and Taiwan!
Final Thoughts: How to Go to Maokong Gondola
Hope this guide helps you plan how to get to Maokong Gondola—it’s honestly one of the best things to do in Taipei and see it from above!
We’ll write a more detailed guide soon on how to plan your entire trip to the Maokong Gondola, including info on the temples and what to do in each station.
If you’re looking for more places to visit in Taiwan, check out Jiufen for the best food and Sun Moon Lake for a serene lakeside retreat.
The ride has amazing mountain views, peaceful tea plantations, and little glimpses of local life that make it really special.
Use our Taiwan travel guides to plan your trip, and make sure to soak in all the calm and charm Maokong has to offer!
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