After 40 years of service the historic aerial tramway from Campitello to Col Rodella in Val di Fassa, Italy was facing a required major overhaul and modernization project which would not have improved performance and comfort so they opted for investing in a completely new gondola by Doppelmayr.
The solution they chose is a tri-cable 3S gondola lift with 22 cabins carrying 30 passengers each. The advantages of this modern aerial tramway system are many including a high transport capacity which will top out 2,812 passengers per hour after its initial introduction phase in December 2025 (previous hourly capacity approximately 1,000 passengers per hour).
“With 22 30-person ATRIA cabins, the state-of-the-art system will transport up to 2,812 passengers per hour in the final capacity layout. The cabins leave nothing to be desired in terms of comfort and technological features.” -Doppelmayr
Some interesting features on the new gondola include cabins with the space for hang-gliders and underground cabin parking areas. If you are wondering what state of the art gondolas look like in 2025, this is it:
Client: SITC Canazei
Location: Canazei, TN (ITA)
Drive station and vehicle parking: top station
Tensioning station: bottom station
Inclined length: 2,571 m
Vertical rise: 980 m
Average gradient: 41.50 %
Maximum gradient: 71.30 %
Capacity of each vehicle: 30 passengers
Maximum final capacity: 2,812 p/h
Maximum operating speed: 8.0 m/s
Total number of vehicles: 22
Maximum motor power: 1,115 kW
Diameter of load-bearing ropes: 62 mm
Diameter of haul rope: 52 mm
Doppelmayr builds the most modern 3S system in Italy on Col Rodella
What is set to be Italy’s most modern and impressive ropeway will be ready in December 2025. The Doppelmayr tri-cable gondola lift with 30-person cabins is already at an advanced stage of construction and will replace the historic aerial tramway from Campitello to Col Rodella in Val di Fassa (TN), after 40 years of service.
The investment, carried out by SITC, aims to offer a more efficient and sustainable transport system capable of eliminating the long queues of skiers that until now accumulated at the ropeway stations. The previous hourly capacity of approximately 1,000 passengers per hour was insufficient for both ascents and descents. On its 40th anniversary, the ropeway would have required major overhaul and modernisation work, which would not have improved performance and comfort. Thus, the decision was made for a completely new installation.
The solution chosen was a tri-cable gondola lift with 22 cabins carrying 30 passengers each. The characteristics of this ropeway system are its two fixed track ropes per route and a circulating haul rope travelling at a speed of 8.0 m/s. In the stations, the vehicles are detached from the haul rope allowing for a slow speed and therefore comfortable access for the passengers. The tri-cable system combines the advantages of the aerial tramway, such as the previous installation at Col Rodella, with the high transport capacity of the continuous movement aerial ropeway. Therefore, it can span large distances between towers and reaches approximately 2,177 passengers per hour in the initial phase, expandable to 2,812 passengers per hour in the future.
A feature-rich installation
The installation has several unique features. For example, it is equipped with a fully automated cabin wash system and an automated lubrication system on the rope saddles of the towers. Particular attention has also been paid to environmental aspects, with heat recovery from the motors for heating the stations, total acoustic insulation of the motors in the drive station and vibration suppression on the towers.
Comfort and safety
Furthermore, there are many solutions for comfort on board: the seats are heated by alternators located on the rollers of the bogies and supercapacitors that keep the energy supply active even when the cabins are moving in the stations; the cabins are lighted, equipped with information monitors, intercom communication with the operating team in the stations and electrically operated doors. Large real glass windows offer extraordinary panoramic views of the surrounding Dolomites. Some cabins are equipped to carry hang gliders, thanks to an innovative transport solution, while the internal layout of the benches can be varied as required to facilitate the transport of bicycles, paragliders and other sports equipment. The entire system has been designed with an “integrated rescue” philosophy in mind, with redundancy and protection solutions that allow the vehicles to be returned to the station.
The new stations
The top station is located further back than the old ropeway station, to allow easier access to the ski slopes without having to walk along a horizontal stretch. The old station is being replaced by a glass structure on the side facing Canazei, while the rest of the station, as well as the cabin parking area, are underground to minimise environmental impact. The bottom station, which is being built behind the existing car park, also houses the ski school office, a storage area, a ski rental shop and the ticket office.
SITC Canazei
The company is very proud to present this important project to the public, which replaces what was an equally significant engineering project for Campitello, Val di Fassa and the ‘Sellaronda’ ski area in 1985. Daniele Dezulian, President of S.I.T.C. S.p.A. explains:
“The new 3S ropeway is the largest lift project undertaken by the company to date. As we did forty years ago, we want to bring innovation, comfort and a new quality of transport to our guests, with a ropeway that is of great importance during the winter season but equally so during the summer season, as it provides connections to a dense network of other ropeway installations and summer hiking trails. The increased capacity and speed of transport, combined with new, more comfortable and panoramic vehicles, will certainly be a major tourist attraction for admiring the beauty of the Dolomites and the Val di Fassa area.”
