Bolivia Inaugurates World's Highest Cable Railway [VIDEO]

Bolivia inaugurated the first segment of the world’s highest cable car railway line in the world on Friday in its capital La Paz, AFP reports.

The cable line is called Mi Teleférico, or My Cable Car. The line carries passengers six miles and 13,000 feet above sea level between La Paz and its neighboring city, El Alto. La Paz is the highest administrative capital in the world. It sits at around 12,000 feet above sea level, but since it is spread across mountainsides, elevations in the city vary across 3,000 feet.

The cable line is not specifically made for sightseers – although it does offer incredible views of the Andes mountains -- it is primarily for commuters. The cars will carry passengers between the two cities in 10 minutes and will help alleviate traffic between the cities. It would typically take a half an hour to drive between La Paz and El Alto on winding and potentially dangerous roads.

“Transportation in La Paz is a disaster,” said Pamela Linarez, 32. “Peak hours are a headache for people who just want to go to work or come home. There are so many cars, the traffic jams are endless.”

According to AFP, the train cars will run for 17 hours a day for all but five days out of the year, transporting up to 18,000 people an hour. Each ride will cost riders just under 50 cents. The cable cars are run on electricity and even have Wi-Fi.

About 260,000 people got to take a free ride on Mi Teleférico back in April and thousands more showed up on Friday to participate in its inaugural rides.

The Bolivian government spent $230 million dollars on the project. It was constructed by the Austrian gondola and aerial company Doppelmayr.

Now imagine this view for your everyday morning commute: