50 young Saudis trained to operate Abha cable cars

Fifty young Saudis have been trained to operate the four cable car stations in Asir that would handle thousands of tourists this summer.
Saleh Qadah, director general of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities in Abha, said the stations have a capacity of 600 passengers an hour.
Qadah said the first cable car station has 22 cars operating over 4 kilometers at an altitude of 400 meters over New Abha Resort. The second station is located in the Green Mountain and extends over 300 meters toward Abu Khayal and has 11 cars. The third station operates over 650 meters at an altitude of 200 meters in Al-Habla. The fourth station is at an altitude of 1,600 meters in Soudah.
Qadah said traveling on a cable car in the region is similar to taking a plane trip. The cable cars move through clouds when traveling about 900 meters along the two highest points of the journey in Al-Soudah Mountain.
He said the cable car system is one of the most important tourism features of the region because it allows visitors to see the natural beauty of the area.
Qadah said several international companies are responsible for the maintenance of the cable cars including Doppelmayr, an Austrian firm, and the Swiss company Von Roll Ltd.