On Saturday, December 14, 2024, the world’s steepest cable car officially began operations. This milestone marks the opening of a new direct connection between Stechelberg and Mürren, inaugurated the day prior during a VIP ceremony.
It marks the completion of the first major construction phase of the SCHILTHORNBAHN 20XX project: the opening of the new direct connection between Stechelberg and Mürren. It is the steepest cable car in the world with a gradient of 159.4 per cent. The classic aerial cableway connects the valley floor with the car-free mountain village in just four minutes via the vertical walls of the Mürrenfluh. It covers a height of 775 metres on a journey of almost 1194 metres. The two cable cars from Carvatech in Oberwies, Austria, have space for 85 people or 6.8 tonnes of cargo. 800 people per hour can be transported at full capacity.
A striking feature is the very long suspension arm of 11 metres, which was essential due to the extreme gradient. The AURO system (Autonomous Ropeway Operation) aerial cableway with constant monitoring by cameras and sensors enables autonomous operation without personnel inside the cable cars and stations. A fully automated loading robot takes care of freight logistics. Transportation of luggage and cargo are synchronised with the passengers in a container attached underneath the cable car.
First Funifor cable car in Switzerland
At the same time as the world’s steepest cable car opened, the first track of the Funifor cable car on the second section between Mürren and Birg also went into operation. It is the first cableway of this type in Switzerland. During winter, both the old and the new cableways will operate side by side in this section to guarantee transport capacity during ski operations. The opening of the second Funifor track is planned for November 2025. The two tracks with the exceptionally wind-resistant cable cars, each designed for 100 people, will be mechanically independent. In the event of an inspection, one carriageway will be shut down while the second can continue to operate. This enables operation 365 days a year, making the maintenance breaks a thing of the past. The two tracks are electrically coupled during normal service, so the cable cars are operated as a ‘classic’ pendulum aerial cableway.
Visible cable car technology
It’s not just the cableways that are unique, the stations also have their special features. The bright copper façades that surround each station are striking. The same goes for the finger docks on the mountain stations, which protrude outwards on concrete V-supports and thus provide an unobstructed view of the surrounding mountains. Another special feature is the visible cable car technology, which is modelled on the old Gimmelwald cable car station. Due to a lack of space and the steep angle, the guide wheels were placed outside the station on the roof in the 1960s. This character has now been transferred to the new stations. Another unusual feature is the fact that the cable car at the Stechelberg station does not exit the station at the front due to the steepness of the cable car, it exits and arrives through the roof. All the buildings are characterised by clear lines of sight, a uniform lighting concept and clear, concise guest orientation.
Schilthorn Summit remains closed until March 2025
Operations on the top section between Birg and Schilthorn have been suspended since mid-October. The first track of the new cable car – also a Funifor – is scheduled to go into operation on 15th March 2025. The second track will follow in spring 2026, completing the project.