Grouse Mountain Skyride, Vancouver, Canada

Some of the world's most breathtaking views are only accessible through hours of hiking up mountains or through forests, but cable cars (also known as gondolas and aerial tramways) cut travel time to minutes. From an open-air, double-decker cable car in the Swiss Alps to a rotating tramway that brings you up sheer cliffs in a California canyon, these cable cars offer some of the most thrilling rides in the sky.

The Grouse Mountain Skyride goes to the mountain’s summit, climbing 3,700 feet in twelve minutes. It is North America’s largest aerial tramway system, offering visitors a view of the city of Vancouver, the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf Islands. This breathtaking journey can be taken 365 days a year, with trams departing every 15 minutes.

Hakone Ropeway, Japan

The Hakone Ropewayruns at one-minute intervals from the Sounzan Station to the Togendai Station. The journey lasts 30 minutes and along the way, visitors get a view of the Lake Ashi, the volcanic fumes of Owakudani, and, on a clear day, Mount Fuji.

Sandia Peak Tramway, Albuquerque

The Sandia Peak Tramway extends for 2.7 miles from the Sandia foothills to the top of the mountain, where there are several hiking trails, restaurants and, in winter, snow-covered ski slopes. Trams depart every 20 to 30 minutes. During the journey, visitors travel 10,378 feet above the Rio Grande Valley.

CabrioBahn, Mt.Stanserhorn, Lucerne, Switzerland

The world's first open-air double decker cable car system, called the 'Cabrio' is seen on October 6, 2012 on the Stanserhorn mountain, near Lucerne, Switzerland. (Credit: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)

The Cabrio Bahn (Cabrio cable car) is the world's firstcable car with a roofless upper deck, allowing thrill-seeking adventurers to ride "convertible-style" and feel the wind in their hair as they take in the breathtaking views around Mount Stanserhorn in Switzerland. Launched in June 2012, the cable car has a capacity of 60 passengers and the upper deck has standing room for half of them. Starting at the Kalti, which is 2,332 feet above sea level, the Cabrio ferries passengers to the summit station 6,069- feet up in just over six minutes.

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, Cape Town, South Africa

One of Cape Town, South Africa's most popular tourist attractions, the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway carries approximately 800,000 passengers a year to the top of Table Mountain, according to its official website. Unveiled in 1929, the cableway has been upgraded three times since. The most recent renovations, completed in 1997, featured new circular cabins which rotate to give passengers a panoramic view of the ocean and neighboring peaks, and a faster journey of five minutes to the summit.

Complexo Alemao Cable Car, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Cable cars move commuters over the Complexo do Alemao complex of shantytowns in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on May 10, 2013. The cable-car system linking six hilltops over a 2.3 mile route has become a popular tourist attraction. (Credit: AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Most cable cars offer breathtaking views of mountains and oceans, and there are some that soar over more "urban" man-made spectacles, such as shantytowns. The cable car system at Alemao in Rio de Janiero was launched in 2011 to service the favela (shantytown) complex, making it the first mass transit aerial lift passenger system in Brazil. But the cable-car system, which links six hilltops over a 2.3-mile route has also become an unlikely tourist attraction, according to the Associated Press. Before the cable cars, Alemao was inaccessible to outsiders due to its unnavigable landscape, but 65 percent of passengers on the weekends are now non-locals looking to get a glimpse of the shantytowns.

Aeri de Montserrat, Catalonia, Spain

The fastest, safest and most scenic way to get to the multi-peaked mountain Montserrat in Catalonia, Spain is via the Aeri de Montserrat cable car system. Pilgrims and visitors take the breathtaking five-minute ride up the mountain to reach the abbey Santa Maria de Montserrat, home to the 12th-century sculpture of the Virgin Mary, and the historic Benedictine monastery.

Palm Spings Aerial Tramway, Palm Springs, Calif.

The largest rotating aerial tramway in the world, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in Palm Springs, Calif., was launched in 1963 to take visitors into the majestic mountains of the Coachella Valley. The 12-minute ride begins at the Valley Station and passes up North America's sheerest mountain face on its way to the Mountain Station, where travelers disembark 8,500-feet up in the alpine wilderness of Long Valley and Mount San Jacinto State Park. If heights make you hungry, don't fret—there are two restaurants located at the top of the tramway for lunch and dinner with a view.

Skyline Gondola, Queenstown, New Zealand

For stunning views of the lakes and towns of Queenstown in New Zealand, the Skyline Gondola is a must-ride for visitors. The gondola sits on top of the steepest lift in the Southern Hemisphere on Bob's Peak, with a top terminal that reaches half a mile high. Once they reach the top, visitors can take in more of the views from outdoor terraces and viewing platforms, or enjoy other activities such as luge rides, nature walks, stargazing tours and a traditional Maori performance.

Masada Cableway, Masada, Israel

Built in 1971 at the ancient desert fortress of Masada in Israel, the Masada cableway is the lowest aerial tramway in the world. But the views from the three-minute ride to one of Israel's archeological wonders is still some of the most spectacular in the region. From the top of Masada, visitors can enjoy more scenic views of the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea, explore the Northern Palace, which resembles an overhang on the plateau’s steep face, or see historic artifacts in the local museums.

Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car, Hong Kong

The Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car in Hong Kong takes visitors on a 25-minute ride from Tung Chung to North Lantau, providing a breathtaking panorama of the mountainous terrain of Lantau Island, the world-famous giant, bronze Tian Tan Buddha and the Ngong Ping Plateau. For a customized experience, there are three types of cabins to choose from—the Standard Cabin, the Crystal Cabin, which is equipped with a glass floor, and a Private Cabin, which features a queue-free ticketing and priority boarding service.

Banff Gondola, Banff, Canada

In the heart of the Canadian Rockies, visitors can relax and take in the unsurpassed views of Banff, the Bow Valley and six mountain ranges from the Banff Sightseeing Gondola, which takes them on a eight-minute journey to to the summit of Sulphur Mountain. The gondola is a fully-enclosed, four-passenger cabin which climbs 2,299 feet to an elevation of 7,485 feet at the Summit Upper Terminal, where passengers can disembark and enjoy hiking trails, observation decks and dining options.

Sugarloaf Mountain Cable Car, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

No visit to Rio is complete without a visit to the iconic, monolithic Sugarloaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar), and the best way to get there is with the world-famous cable car, which has carried over 37 million visitors since it opened in 1912. Rebuilt in 1973 and 2008, the glass-walled cable car to Sugarloaf Mountain holds 65 passengers and runs along a 1,400-meter route between the peaks of Pão de Açúcar and Morro da Urca, providing 360-degree views of the surrounding city, the beaches, the Rio-Nitero Bridge, Corcovado Hill, the Santa Cruz fortress, and will allow tourists a peek of the famous Christ the Redeemer statue. The ascent takes approximately three minutes from start to finish.

Ba Na Hills Cable Car, Da Nang, Vietnam

In March 2013, a third cable car system became operational at Ba Na Hills in Da Nang, Vietnam. With a length of 16,500 feet and a height difference of more than 4,230 feet between its upper and lower stations, it set the Guinness World Records for longest non-stop cable car and highest non-stop cable car. The system runs from the foot of Ba Na Mountain to the peak of Vong Nguyet Mountain. Before the cable car was operational, visitors had to travel along a steep mountain pass to get to Ba Na. With the the cable car, tourists enjoy a scenic 15-minute ride.

Emirates Air Line, London, England

A general view from the Emirates Air Line cable car (also known as the Thames cable car) on July 23, 2012 in London, England. It is the UK's first urban cable car. (Credit: Scott Heavey/Getty Images)

Also known as the Thames cable car, the Emirates Air Line operates between the Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks in London, England, and is the UK's first urban cable car. Launched in June 2012, in time for the London Olympics, the cable car can transport up to 2,500 passengers in each direction per hour, in one of 34 cabins, according to the Telegraph. The cable car crosses the River Thames at a height of up to 300 feet and was designed to operate throughout the year and in most weather conditions.

Merida Cable Car, Merida, Venezuela

Closed indefinitely in 2008, the Merida cable car in Venezuela was one of the world's highest and longest cable cars. Built in 1960, it offered tourists a direct route from the center of Merida to the top of the country's snow-capped peaks, according to the BBC. The ride allows visitors to enjoy beautiful views of the Sleeping Giant (El Gigante Dormido) mountain and the Lion Mountain, the Merida valleys, Pico Bolivar (the highest point in Venezuela), the La Negra and La Colorada lagoons. It has been reported that the cable car will finally reopen in 2013.

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