URBAN CABLEWAYS
Cableways and mountain railways are not only used in the winter sports industry. They’ve also become a practical means of transportation in cities, which is why we decided to launch SI Urban Magazine. Here we focus on the various topics that are relevant to the urban sector, which are sorted into the categories city, tourism and airport. Each of them will provide you with exciting news about technology, maintenance & service, security, surveillance, city and landscape planning and much more. Innovations, new types of projects and optimal solutions from all over the world should encourage reflection, help in finding ideas and reveal new opportunities.
Zurich: Garaventa modernizes Rigiblick funicular
The Rigiblick funicular is not only a landmark of the Swiss metropolis of Zurich but also fully integrated into the public transport network of Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ). On their behalf, the cable car manufacturer GARAVENTA, part of the DOPPELMAYR Group, has comprehensively modernized the more than 120-year-old line. The focus was on new, barrier-free vehicles, modern technology, and greater comfort for passengers.
Friction Products: High-performance drive and brake solutions by Becorit/Wabtec
Without friction, there is no drive. What may sound like a physical paradox is actually a technical necessity for cable cars and rail transport. For almost a century, BECORIT – part of the WABTEC Group since 2006 – has ensured reliable operation in these systems with its traction sheave linings.
Tizi Ouzou: cable car by POMA – the second one
The urban cable car of the Algerian city of Tizi Ouzou has proven exemplary reliability of 98 percent since 2020 and carries more than 3.7 million passengers per year without serious incidents. Now, the line is being expanded with two additional sections: the French manufacturer POMA is currently constructing the “Tizi II” 10-seater gondola lift.
Remec in Berlin: External operations manager for cable cats
In the summer of 2024, the urban cable car in Berlin suddenly found itself without a technical manager. To ensure operations could continue quickly, the operator relied on external operations managers from the Swiss company REMEC. Together with the operator, the experts reorganized maintenance and operations and introduced the maintenance software SAMBESI. Since then, REMEC has been responsible for technical operations – an example of a success story with potential to be replicated.
Curvo: non linear ropeway bends and curves along city roads
All existing ropeway systems share a key limitation: they can only operate in straight lines between the stations. The Indian company Conveyor & Ropeway Services Pvt. Ltd. (CRSPL) solved this problem, with its globally patented technology, CURVO allowing ropeways to bend and curve horizontally along city streets, integrating seamlessly into urban infrastructure as a second tier urban transportation.
Rope & Splice: The dream duo for urban cable cars
Where urban cable cars are built with the rope manufacturer FATZER, the lownoise PERFORMA rope is indispensable. Combined with the TRUsplice ES splicing technology, it meets the highest demands of urban installations.
Kosovo plans cable car: Feasibility study completed
In the city of Prizren, Kosovo, a new cable car to the city’s fortress is planned to serve both as a means of transport and as a tourist attraction. The feasibility study has been completed. What is already known about the project?
Thailand cable car dispute: Who is pushing the project forward?
In Chiang Mai, Thailand, a debate has flared up again over the construction of a cable car that is intended to serve both tourist and urban purposes. Who supports the project – and who opposes it?
Vienna: Cable car project struggles with bureaucracy
Vienna’s Kahlenberg cable car project enters new legal phase: the Administrative Court orders an individual environmental assessment. A timeline of legal disputes and new details.
Georgia: Three New Cable Cars for Tbilisi?
The Georgian capital, Tbilisi, already relies on urban cable cars. Now, three additional cable car routes are being considered. They are intended to serve as public transport and to reduce the burden on buses and minibuses.
Cable Car Instead of Tram: A New Landmark for Kassel?
In the State of Hesse (Germany), there is a discussion about which transport solution is best suited to relieve the city of Kassel from traffic congestion. For a long time, the focus was on the feasibility of a new tram called "Herkules." But now, a cable car is coming into focus. What arguments speak in its favor?
New Ropes Monitored by AI: Visual defect detection
The Alliance for Intelligent Rope Monitoring (AIM) enables real-time supervision of cable car ropes. Johannes Smetana, Head of Business Unit Cableways at TEUFELBERGER-REDAELLI, explains the benefits for operators, the role of the new Solitec XD rope, and the company’s “Fit for Future – Innovation happens now” strategy, including expanded rope production.