The Maokong Gondola is the easiest escape from the city. It starts beside Taipei Zoo station, at the end of the brown MRT line, and swings up over wooded valleys and Zhinan Temple to Maokong, a hilltop area of tea fields and teahouses in the Wenshan district. The ride takes around half an hour, and some cabins have glass floors for a view straight down into the trees. At the top, paths wander past tea bushes to teahouses where you can sit for hours over a pot of local Tieguanyin or Baozhong tea, with Taipei 101 on the horizon. This pass combines a full day of gondola rides with entry to Taipei Zoo, one of the largest zoos in Asia, known for its giant pandas, plus the shuttle train that runs inside the zoo grounds.
How it works: the ticket covers unlimited gondola rides for the day, entry to Taipei Zoo and the zoo’s tourist train. Station staff take your ticket before boarding. The ticket is nonrefundable and cannot be rescheduled. The gondola has regular maintenance days, usually Mondays, and stops in high winds, thunderstorms and typhoons, so check that it is running before you set out.
What to expect: weekend afternoons bring long queues for the cabins, especially the glass-floored ones, which have their own line. Maokong is cooler than the city and can be misty. The zoo is large and hilly, so the shuttle train saves your legs.
Making the most of it: visit the zoo in the morning, when the animals are most active, then ride up to Maokong for a late lunch and tea. Stay for sunset and the city lights before riding back down. If you are not interested in the zoo, you can just buy single gondola rides with an EasyCard.
What to expect
The experience
A day pass for the Maokong Gondola with Taipei Zoo entry and the zoo shuttle train.
Best time
Weekday mornings for the zoo, late afternoon for tea and sunset at the top.
How long
Half a day for the gondola and tea, a full day with the zoo.
Tips
Check the gondola is running, as it pauses for maintenance and bad weather.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Anyone who wants hills, tea and views without a hike.
- Families
- Pandas, a cable car and a train: an easy win with children.
- Couples
- Sunset tea in a Maokong teahouse, then the ride down over the lights.
- Pair with
- Elephant Mountain or Taipei 101 on another day for the city view.
- Time needed
- Half a day, or a full day with the zoo.
Good questions
What does the Maokong pass include?+
A day of gondola rides, Taipei Zoo entry and the zoo shuttle train.
Where does the gondola start?+
At Taipei Zoo station, at the southern end of the brown MRT line.
Is the gondola open every day?+
It has regular maintenance days, usually Mondays, and stops in bad weather.
Are there glass-floored cabins?+
Yes, some cabins have glass floors, with a separate queue that can be longer.
What is Maokong known for?+
Tea: teahouses serve locally grown teas such as Tieguanyin and Baozhong.
