The world’s steepest cable car in the Bernese Oberland is in operation
Published: Saturday, Dec 14th 2024, 11:00
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The world's steepest cable car between Stechelberg and Mürren in the Bernese Oberland opened to passengers on Saturday. The cable car ride with a gradient of 159.4 percent over the vertical walls of the Mürrenfluh takes just four minutes.
The classic aerial tramway of superlatives climbs a height of 775 meters on a track length of almost 1194 meters. The two cable car cabins offer space for 85 people each. According to Schilthornbahn AG, 800 people can be transported per hour at full capacity.
Due to the steep incline, the cabins are each suspended from an eleven-meter-long arm. The cable car with two supports and a speed of seven meters per second runs in an automatic mode without any staff. Cameras and sensors guarantee constant monitoring, it was said.
Faster up the "Piz Gloria"
The cable car is part of the "Schilthornbahn 20XX" project. The Schilthorn, also known as "Piz Gloria" from the 1969 James Bond film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", will ultimately be accessible 365 days a year. However, operations on the top section between Birg and Schilthorn have been suspended since mid-October.
The project includes the construction of a new cable car system: there will be three sections, each with two cabins, on the route from Stechelberg to Mürren via Brig up to the Schilthorn.
This eliminates one transfer: the journey time is reduced from 32 minutes to just over 18 minutes. Schilthornbahn AG estimates the costs at 90 to 100 million Swiss francs. The project should be completed in spring 2026.
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