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🚠 Attraction Deep-Dive · Updated 2026

Sail Over Tea Plantations
Crystal Cabin — The Maokong Gondola Guide

The cabin lifts away from beside Taipei Zoo and floats out over four kilometres of forested valley — treetops unspooling beneath you, the city shrinking behind, and ahead, Maokong: the old tea hills where hillside tea houses pour hot Tieguanyin oolong over a view of the whole city. We walk you through this ride in depth — the glass-floor cabin, the route, how to get there, and the golden hour at the top.

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Introduction

A four-kilometre cable carthat lifts you out of the city and up to the tea hills

In the southeastern corner of Taipei, in Wenshan District (文山區), there is a ridge of green forested hills that was once the city's old tea country — and since 2007 a thread of silver has been strung across that valley: the Maokong Gondola (貓空纜車, Maokong Lanche), a roughly 4-kilometre aerial cable car that climbs from beside Taipei Zoo up over the treetops to its terminus at Maokong, the hilltop district famous for its Tieguanyin oolong tea.

The line was built by the French company Poma and is operated by the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation — the first passenger cable car integrated into the city's metro network. Forty-seven support towers carry the cable across the hills, and what turns Maokong from a transfer into an experience is that the line does not run straight — it bends, turning a corner mid-route through two angle stations. As you ride, the view keeps changing: green forest, distant Taipei, and the long curve of cabins threading away ahead of you. This page gets you ready for the ride — tickets, the Crystal Cabin, and everything waiting at the top.

🚠
4 km · 4 stations
Climbs from Taipei Zoo up to Maokong, stopping at Zhinan Temple along the way
🔍
The Crystal Cabin
A glass floor you can see straight through — the famous "Eyes of Maokong"
🍵
Tieguanyin tea hills
At the top: hillside tea houses pouring oolong over panoramic city views
🌇
Sunset views
On a clear day the tip of Taipei 101 shows — evening is this ride's golden hour
A Maokong Gondola cabin floating above dense green forest treetops on the hills of Wenshan District, Taipei
A Maokong Gondola cabin gliding above the forest — nothing but treetops below, one of the views that sets this ride apart.
A line of Maokong Gondola cabins strung along the cable across green forested hills in Taipei
The line of cabins threading across the hills — 47 towers carry the cable over 4 kilometres from the valley floor up to Maokong.
Getting There · Hours

Ride the MRT to the end of the linethen walk 5 minutes — but remember, it's closed on Mondays

The Maokong Gondola is very easy to reach, sitting right beside an MRT terminus — but it carries the rule visitors miss most often: it is closed every Monday for maintenance.

🚆 How to get there

  • 🚇Take the MRT Brown Line (Wenhu Line) to its terminus, Taipei Zoo Station (動物園), then follow the signs for about a 5-minute walk to the gondola station.
  • 🚠The boarding point is Taipei Zoo Station — the line has four passenger stations: Taipei Zoo, Taipei Zoo South, Zhinan Temple and Maokong (the terminus).
  • 🐼The lower station sits right beside Taipei Zoo — many visitors do the zoo in the morning, then ride the gondola up to Maokong in the afternoon.
  • 🚌Coming back down, if the gondola queue is long or it's closed, bus BR15 also runs down the hill from Maokong to Taipei Zoo (about 15-20 minutes).

🕙 Hours · Fares

  • 🚫Closed every Monday for maintenance — except when the Monday is a national holiday or the first Monday of the month.
  • 📅Tue–Fri 09:00–21:00 · Sat–Sun and holidays 09:00–22:00 — always check the latest hours on the official website before you go.
  • 🎟️A single ride is priced by section, roughly NT$70–NT$120 (full route NT$120) · just tap in with an EasyCard, the easiest way · a one-day unlimited pass is NT$300.
  • ⏱️A one-way ride end to end takes about 20–30 minutes, not counting time in the queue.
⚠️

The most common mistake — closed Mondays: plenty of visitors arrive at Taipei Zoo on a Monday only to find the gondola shut. Before you plan, check that your day is not a Monday (or, if it is, that it's a national holiday or the first Monday of the month). Service can also be suspended in strong wind or lightning, and during typhoons or thunderstorms — always check the status before setting out.

The Ride · The Crystal Cabin

Take a standard cabinor hold your breath in a glass-floor Crystal Cabin

The Maokong Gondola runs two kinds of car — a standard cabin and one with a glass floor. Each gives a different experience, and there's a trade-off worth knowing before you join the queue.

The standard

Standard Cabin

The regular gondola car, holding up to 8 passengers, with glass windows all around for a full view — the queue is shorter and the cars move faster, so it's the choice if you'd rather not wait long.

The fare is included in your standard ticket, with nothing extra to pay — and for most people the standard cabin already delivers a beautiful ride.

The star · +NT$50

Crystal Cabin — Eyes of Maokong (水晶車廂)

Introduced in 2010, 30 cabins were retrofitted with a transparent glass floor 48 mm thick — you look straight down as the treetops and valley slide by beneath your feet. It's a genuine thrill, and it makes for striking photos.

The trade-off: a Crystal Cabin holds only 5 people (the glass floor weighs over 200 kg) and there are fewer of them — only roughly every third or fourth car is a Crystal Cabin — so the queue is much longer on weekends. The upgrade costs NT$50 per person per trip.

💡

Is it worth waiting for the Crystal Cabin? On a quiet weekday, when the queue is short, riding a Crystal Cabin once is good fun. But on a busy weekend, when the Crystal queue snakes back, the smart move is to take a standard cabin up (the view is just as good) and chance the Crystal Cabin on the way down once the line thins out. Some travellers simply ride standard both ways and spend the time saved sipping tea on the hill instead — far better value.

Maokong at the Top

Step off at Maokongand Taipei's oldest tea-growing district is waiting

Maokong is not just the end of the gondola line — it's a hilltop district of tea houses, plantations, walking trails and an old temple, easily worth a whole afternoon.

Maokong's highlight

Hillside tea houses · Tieguanyin oolong

Maokong is known for Tieguanyin oolong (鐵觀音 — Iron Goddess), a darker, deep-roasted oolong with a long aroma. Tea houses line both sides of Zhinan Road, many with terraces where you can sip tea over the city view — some serve a tea set for one from around NT$190, others offer cakes and dishes made with tea leaves.

Locals come here to linger for hours — brewing slowly, talking, watching the view, not just stopping for a photo. Slow yourself down and you'll understand Maokong's charm.

City views

Views of Taipei and the tip of 101

On a clear day, from certain spots on Maokong you can see the tip of Taipei 101 rising above the ridgeline — though honestly, the city view from Maokong Station itself is partly screened by trees. The best vantage points tend to be the tea-house terraces; walk left (east) of the station for the more open outlooks.

The view is at its finest near sunset and into the evening, as the city lights come on across the basin.

Trails · plantations

Tea plantations and walking trails

Several footpaths thread the hills around Maokong. The Camphor Tree Trail drops down to an actual tea plantation and a small pond, a short walk perfect for stretching your legs after tea — longer routes such as the Yinhe Cave trail lead to a temple hidden in the jungle and a waterfall.

An honest note: you won't see many tea fields from the gondola itself, as the line floats above forest — to see the real plantations you need to come down and walk the hilltop trails.

A stop along the way

Zhinan Temple (指南宮)

The gondola stops at Zhinan Temple Station mid-route — here stands a large Taoist temple complex, several halls climbing the hillside, with open, sweeping views from the courtyards. And it's pleasantly uncrowded, since most visitors ride straight on to Maokong.

Allow around 15–45 minutes if you want to stop — a one-day pass pays off if you plan to get off at more than one station.

Best Time to Visit

A clear day, late afternoonis the secret formula for the Maokong Gondola

Maokong is very much a weather-dependent outing — pick the right day and the right hour, and it becomes a completely different experience.

Evening view from the Maokong Gondola, cabins and a station among green forest with the Taipei cityscape in the distance
The view from the Maokong Gondola at dusk — late afternoon into evening is when this ride is at its most beautiful.

🌤️ The best timing

  • ☀️Choose a clear day — Maokong is all about the view, and a grey or drizzly day takes half of it away. Check the forecast before you plan.
  • 🌇Ride up around 15:00–16:00 so you cross in soft light, sip tea on the hill right at sunset, then watch the city lights come on.
  • 📅Weekdays are far quieter — if you can choose, avoid weekends and holidays; the gondola queue, especially for the Crystal Cabin, will be much shorter.
  • 🌙Check the last gondola — if you'll stay for tea into the evening, leave time to get back down before the final ride (typically around 21:00 weekdays / 22:00 on holidays).
⏳

Allow enough time: Maokong is not a "stop for an hour and move on" kind of place — a one-way gondola ride is about 20–30 minutes, plus time queueing up and down, plus walking between tea houses spread out along the hilltop roads. Allow at least 3–4 hours for the whole Maokong outing.

Optional Extra · Not Required

Want to do Maokong with a guide,
or pair it with a tea-tasting tour?

The gondola itself is inexpensive and you can simply tap in with an EasyCard — no tour is needed. But if you'd like a package that includes a tea tasting, a chance to learn about Tieguanyin tea culture, or a guided Maokong visit, there are tours and tickets on Klook worth comparing.

🍵 See Maokong tours & tickets on Klook →
Wherebest is an affiliate partner of Klook — we may earn a commission when you book through our link, at no extra cost to you · riding the Maokong Gondola yourself is easy and cheap with an EasyCard.
Insider Tips

6 tipsto get the most out of the Maokong Gondola

🚫
Don't go on a Monday
Closed for maintenance every Monday (except holidays / the first Monday of the month) — double-check before you plan.
💳
Tap in with an EasyCard
No need to queue for a ticket — tap and go, and the fare is calculated by section automatically.
🌤️
Check the forecast first
Maokong is a view outing — pick a clear day, and bear in mind strong wind or lightning can suspend the service.
🔍
Chance the Crystal Cabin
Crystal queues are long on weekends — ride standard up, then try the Crystal Cabin down once the line thins.
🍵
Leave time for tea
Maokong's magic is sipping Tieguanyin tea over the view, unhurried — allow at least 3–4 hours for the whole trip.
🐼
Pair it with Taipei Zoo
The gondola station is right beside Taipei Zoo — do the zoo in the morning, ride up to Maokong in the afternoon.
Plan the Rest

Fit the Maokong Gondolainto your Taipei trip

Carry on with the rest of Taipei — ride up Taipei 101, hike Elephant Mountain, or graze the night markets after dark.

🏙️

Taipei 101 Guide

How to ride up to the Taipei 101 observatory — which ticket to pick, which floor, and how to catch the sunset.

See the Taipei 101 guide →
⛰️

Elephant Mountain Guide

The 20-minute climb up Elephant Mountain to Taipei's most famous photo spot of the 101 skyline.

See the Elephant Mountain guide →
🌃

Taipei Night Markets Guide

Taipei's best night markets — Shilin, Raohe, Ningxia — what to eat and how to start.

See the night markets guide →
🟠 Klook

🚠 Maokong Crystal Cabin Gondola on Klook
Mountain View + Tea Plantation

Upgrade to the glass-floor Crystal Cabin for a dramatic see-through view over the forested hillside. Book through Klook to secure your slot — especially worth it on weekends when Crystal Cabin queues can be over an hour. Combine with a tea-tasting experience at Maokong's hilltop tea houses.

🛒 Check Price on Klook →
Wherebest is a Klook affiliate partner — we may earn commission at no extra cost to you
Frequently Asked Questions

What to know beforeyou ride the Maokong Gondola

Which day is the Maokong Gondola closed, and what are its hours?
The Maokong Gondola is closed every Monday for maintenance — except when the Monday falls on a national holiday or is the first Monday of the month. This is one of the most common visitor mistakes. From Tuesday to Friday it runs 09:00–21:00, and on weekends and holidays 09:00–22:00. Service can also be suspended in strong wind or lightning, so always check the official website before you go.
How much does the Maokong Gondola cost, and can I use an EasyCard?
A single ride is priced by the number of sections you travel, roughly NT$70–NT$120 (the full Taipei Zoo to Maokong route is NT$120). Tapping in with an EasyCard is the easiest option. You can also buy a single-trip ticket for NT$180 or a one-day pass with unlimited rides for NT$300. Upgrading to a glass-floor Crystal Cabin adds NT$50 per person per trip, and children aged 0–5 ride free when accompanied by a ticketed adult.
What is the Crystal Cabin and how is it different from a standard cabin?
The Crystal Cabin, also called the Eyes of Maokong, is a gondola car with a transparent glass floor 48 mm thick, so you can look straight down through the forest as you glide. It is far more thrilling than a standard cabin, but it holds only 5 people (versus 8 in a standard cabin) and there are fewer of them — only roughly every third or fourth car is a Crystal Cabin — so the queue is much longer on weekends. The upgrade costs NT$50 per person per trip.
How do I get to the Maokong Gondola?
Take the MRT Brown Line (Wenhu Line) to its terminus, Taipei Zoo Station, then follow the signs for about a 5-minute walk to the gondola's Taipei Zoo Station, the boarding point. It is easy to find and very convenient.
How long should I allow at Maokong, and when is the best time to go?
Allow at least 3–4 hours. A one-way gondola ride takes about 20–30 minutes, plus queueing time, plus walking between the tea houses and trails which are spread out along the hilltop. The best time is a clear day, and if you time it for late afternoon into evening you can ride the gondola at sunset, then sip tea while the city lights come on — just watch the time of the last gondola back down.
What is there to do at the top in Maokong?
Maokong is Taipei's historic tea-growing district. The highlight is the hillside tea houses serving Tieguanyin (Iron Goddess) oolong, where you can sip tea over panoramic city views. There are tea plantations and walking trails such as the Camphor Tree Trail, and the gondola also stops at Zhinan Temple, a large and uncrowded Taoist complex with sweeping views. On a clear day the tip of Taipei 101 is visible from some spots on the hill. See more in our Taipei attractions guide.
Ready to Travel

Stay near the MRT Brown Line or in the city centre
and reaching the Maokong Gondola is easy from early afternoon

Pick a hotel near an MRT station and Maokong, Taipei Zoo and the rest of the city's sights are all within easy reach. Open our full Taipei guide to plan every day, or start your hotel search now.

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