Mürren, Switzerland — A new tram in Switzerland is a record-breaker.
On December 13th, Schilthorn Piz Gloria held the grand opening ceremony for its new cable car. Six hundred people showed up for the occasion. Festivities include tours of the gondola terminals, food and drinks, interviews with the construction crews, and a trip to the bar for the after party.
The new tram officially opened to the public on Saturday, December 14th. It boasts the title of the steepest cableway on the planet, with a gradient of 159.4%. The cable car’s four-minute ride time takes riders from Stechelberg to Mürren. The tram has a vertical rise of 775 meters (around 2543 feet) and a length of nearly 1194 meters (3917 feet).
The two trams can carry 85 people or 6.8 tons of cargo, with the cargo being taken care by a loading robot that occurs underneath while passengers load. When it’s at full capacity, the tram can carry 800 people per hour. It also features a very long suspension arm of 11 meters (36 feet), which was done because of the lift’s steep gradient. The cable car has an AURO system (Autonomous Ropeway Operation), which allows it to operate without workers inside the cabins or stations thanks to camera and sensor monitoring.
On the same day, the opening for the first section of the Funifor between Mürren and Birg occurred. The first of its kind in Switzerland, it will initially run side by side with the old cabin. Since they operate independently, one side can function even if the other breaks down. The second Funifor track is scheduled to open in November 2025. When completed, each cabin will be able to fit 100 people.
This is only part of Schilthorn’s SCHILTHORNBAHN 20XX upgrade plans. The summit of Schilthorn, which is home to the Piz Gloria rotating restaurant (featured in James Bond film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”), is currently closed for construction, with a scheduled opening date of March 15, 2025 for the first tram track. A second track to the summit is planned to open in the Spring of 2026. When fully completed, it will drastically cut down on the ride time from the base to the summit. Originally a 32 minute ride time, it will become an 18 minute journey. This will also remove the need for changeovers that were previously needed to get on the other trams.
Image/Video Credits: Schilthorn Cableway Ltd., Doppelmayr Group