New cable car service to help visitors get around Sentosa

SINGAPORE - A new intra-island cable car service now plys Sentosa, giving the growing number of visitors another option of getting around the island.

The 890m-long link - half the length of the current cableway linking Sentosa to Mount Faber - transports visitors within the island between three main attraction clusters at Merlion Plaza, Imbiah Lookout and Siloso Point.

The new line is not connected to the existing 1.72m Mount Faber Line, so visitors will have to walk three to five minutes from the Sentosa station on the original line to the Imbiah Lookout Station on the new line.

The new $78 million line has 51 eight-seater cabins and is able to move about 2,200 people per hour in one direction.

Mr Mike Barclay, chief executive of Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) which manages the island, said at the line's official launch on Tuesday: "We expect it to become the preferred mode of transport for our guests wishing to access the western tip of Siloso Beach, as well as the Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa Hotel, Underwater World Singapore and Fort Siloso."

The three-station system will cost Singaporeans and resident adults $9 and $5.50 for children for a round trip.

Foreigners pay $13 (adults) and $8 (children).

A new attraction, the Fort Siloso Skywalk, was also announced on Tuesday. The 181m, 11-storey high aerial walking trail will take guests above a canopy of treetops, and allow them to chance upon animals such as the plantain squirrel and white-bellied fishing eagle.

Fort Siloso, which used to be a gated attraction, will permanently open its grounds for all to enjoy for free.

The number of visitors to Sentosa has jumped from 6.2 million in 2009 to about 19 million last year on the back of the opening of Resorts World Sentosa and Universal Studios theme park.

Ms Keerthi Saratchandra, 25, a tourist from India, was seen with her husband taking the Sentosa Line on Tuesday. She said: "We can see the whole island from this cable car, it's an enjoyable view and you get a good feel of what is on Sentosa."

But she thought the signage to and from the stations was "confusing" and suggested that a station announcement be announced in cabins upon arriving at each station. "It will be clearer that way, but overall, it was a great experience," she added.

Another visitor, Ms Kitty Lee, a healthcare professional, took the Sentosa Line earlier and was spotted on Siloso Beach.

Referring to the new line, the 30-year-old Singaporean said: "It's interesting and it is one more attraction to visit. It's good because we can drive into Sentosa but still be able to take the cable car within the island."

limjess@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on July 14, 2015.
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