Sholingur Temple Rope Car Online Booking Ticket Prices Charges
Short answer: The Sholingur temple ropeway (cable car) carries pilgrims up the Big Hill (Periya Malai) to the shrine of Lord Sri Yoga Narasimha Swamy. It was launched by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on 8 March 2024. There is no official online booking for the ropeway — tickets are bought in person at the base counter on the day of your visit. The commonly reported fare is a small per-person charge (widely quoted as around ₹15 one way / ₹30 return), but because the operator has not published an official rate card online, please confirm the current fare and timings at the counter before you travel.
Sholingur Temple and the Big Hill climb
Sholingur (also spelt Sholinghur) is a famous Vaishnavite pilgrimage town in Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu, about 105 km from Chennai. The main temple of Lord Sri Lakshmi Yoga Narasimha Swamy sits atop the taller of two hills — Periya Malai (Big Hill), roughly 750 feet high, reached by a flight of about 1,305 steps. A second shrine dedicated to Lord Yoga Anjaneyar (Hanuman) stands on the adjacent Chinna Malai (Small Hill). Sholingur is revered as one of the 108 Divya Desams, the sacred Vishnu temples celebrated by the Alvar saints.
For decades, elderly and differently-abled devotees found the long stone stairway difficult, and many relied on doli (palanquin) carriers to reach the summit. The new ropeway was built specifically to make the hilltop darshan accessible to everyone.
Sholingur Temple Rope Car — online booking, ticket prices and charges
Here are the key, verified points about the ropeway service, with a few figures kept general where no official rate card has been published:
- Online booking: There is no online booking for the Sholingur rope car. Tickets are issued only at the counter at the foot of the hill on the day of travel.
- Ticket price: The fare is a modest per-person charge. Multiple pilgrim-guide sources report roughly ₹15 one way and ₹30 for a round trip, but the operating body has not published an official online rate card, so treat this as indicative and confirm the exact amount at the counter.
- Ride time: The cable car reaches the hilltop in only a few minutes — the launch reporting cited an ascent of about 4 minutes, far quicker than the stair climb.
- Capacity: The system uses four cabins and, according to launch reports, can move up to about 400 devotees per cycle.
- Return journey: You can use the ropeway both to go up and to come down; buy the return leg as needed at the counter.
- Timings: The ropeway runs during daytime hours. Guide sources commonly cite roughly morning to early evening (around 9 AM to 5 PM), but as timings can change on festival days, please confirm on arrival.
Quick facts table
| Item | Detail (verify locally before travel) |
|---|---|
| Temple | Sri Lakshmi Yoga Narasimha Swamy, Sholingur, Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu |
| Hill height / steps | Periya Malai (Big Hill) ~750 ft; about 1,305 steps |
| Ropeway launched | 8 March 2024, by CM M.K. Stalin (virtual launch) |
| Cabins / capacity | 4 cabins; up to ~400 devotees per cycle (per launch reports) |
| Ascent time | ~4 minutes |
| Ticket fare | Indicative ~₹15 one way / ~₹30 return (no official online rate card — confirm at counter) |
| Online booking | Not available — counter tickets only |
| Ropeway timings | Daytime, commonly cited ~9 AM–5 PM (confirm locally) |
| Managing body | HR&CE Department, Government of Tamil Nadu (temple administration) |
How the ropeway was built and who runs it
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin virtually inaugurated the Sholingur hill ropeway on 8 March 2024, after a trial run in late February 2024. According to news reports at the launch, the cable car project cost about ₹8.34 crore and was funded by the state, while allied amenities — waiting halls, toilets and a lift — cost around ₹12 crore and were donated by a group of six philanthropists (so no public donations were collected for those works). HR&CE Minister P.K. Sekar Babu and Handlooms Minister R. Gandhi were associated with the trial run and launch. The Sholingur Narasimha Swamy temple itself is administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department of the Tamil Nadu government, whose official portal for this temple is sholinghurnarasimmar.hrce.tn.gov.in.
Temple darshan timings
Separate from the ropeway, the hill temple generally follows morning and evening darshan sessions with a midday break, typically opening in the early morning and closing at night, with an afternoon closure. General darshan is free; a special-entry darshan ticket (a small charge, commonly cited around ₹20) is offered for quicker access. Exact session times and any special-darshan and pooja ticket prices should be checked on the official HR&CE portal or at the temple, as they vary on festival days.
Tips for using the Sholingur rope car
- Reach the base of the hill early, especially on weekends and festival days, as counter queues build up quickly.
- The ropeway is a genuine help for senior citizens and those who cannot manage 1,305 steps — but it is one facility, so allow buffer time during peak footfall.
- Carry small denominations of cash for the counter fare.
- Do not rely on any third-party website offering “online rope car booking” — no such official facility exists; tickets are counter-only.
Frequently asked questions
Can I book the Sholingur rope car online?
No. There is no official online booking for the ropeway. Tickets are sold only at the counter at the foot of the hill on the day of your visit.
How much does the Sholingur rope car ticket cost?
It is a small per-person fare, widely reported as around ₹15 one way and ₹30 return by pilgrim-guide sources. As the operator has not published an official online rate card, confirm the exact amount at the counter.
How long does the ropeway take to reach the top?
Launch reports cited an ascent of about 4 minutes — much faster than climbing the roughly 1,305 steps.
When was the Sholingur ropeway opened?
It was launched by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on 8 March 2024, following a trial run in February 2024.
Who manages the Sholingur temple and ropeway?
The temple is administered by the HR&CE Department of the Tamil Nadu government. The cable car was a government-funded project, with waiting halls, toilets and a lift donated by philanthropists.
What are the ropeway timings?
The ropeway runs during daytime hours, commonly cited as roughly 9 AM to 5 PM. Timings can change on festival days, so confirm on arrival.
See also: Palani Temple Rope Car Timings and Ticket Price details
Sources & last verified (July 2026)
- HR&CE Tamil Nadu — Sholingur Narasimha Swamy temple portal: https://sholinghurnarasimmar.hrce.tn.gov.in/
- DT Next — “CM to launch Sholingur temple ropeway today”: https://www.dtnext.in/news/tamilnadu/cm-to-launch-sholingur-temple-ropeway-today-772592
- Live Chennai — Sholingur temple cable car facility report: https://www.livechennai.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=70324
- DT Next — “Rope car operations at Sholingur temple to commence in two months”: https://www.dtnext.in/tamilnadu/2023/05/23/rope-car-operations-at-sholingur-temple-to-commence-in-two-months
This site (tirumalatirupationline.com) is an independent pilgrim-information guide. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or partnered with the HR&CE Department, the Sholingur temple, or any government body. Fares, timings and facilities can change — always confirm current details on the official HR&CE portal or at the temple counter before travelling.
Last reviewed: July 6, 2026
