After three years of construction, the world's steepest gondola lift opened in Stechelberg in the Lauterbrunnen Valley at the end of 2024, marking the first stage of the new Schilthorn cable car. For the first time, a passenger gondola will climb a gradient of 159.4 per cent - surpassing the previous record-breaking cable car by over 26 per cent. The ‘Loen Skylift’ in Norway, with a gradient of 133 per cent, had to relinquish its world record title.
Gilgen has installed various systems and drives at the Stechelberg valley station and the Mürren mountain station at 1,650 metres above sea level. Modern door systems are also being installed at the higher Birg and Schilthorn stations, which are still under construction. Gilgen's chief fitter on site, Jürg Brechbühl, knows: ‘There won't be another mountain railway project on this scale in Switzerland in the next ten years.’
800 vertical metres in four minutes
The new cable car offers convenience to the many tourists who often visit the mountain region for the ski season in the winter months. The cable car climbs almost 800 metres in altitude at a speed of 7 m/s in 4 minutes. It can transport 80 passengers per journey. Passengers also save themselves a change of train: until now, the only way to get to Mürren was to change trains at the intermediate station in Gimmelwald. Overall, the journey time is reduced by two thirds.
New technology in Switzerland
The first track of the new Funifor cable car between Mürren and Birg went into operation at the same time as the world's steepest gondola. It also sets new standards in Switzerland - not because of the gradient to be overcome, but because of the cable car technology. For the first time, a funifor system with ‘finger dock’ stations was built in Switzerland. The second track is scheduled to open in the last quarter of 2025. The second Funifor cable car from Birg up to the Schilthorn and the famous revolving restaurant ‘Piz Gloria’ is currently being completed.


