Tyrol celebrates 100 years of cable cars – a look back at history

The Tyrolean Zugspitzbahn railway will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026, looking back on a century of technical innovation and pioneering work in tourism

A century of cable cars in Tyrol

On 5 July 1926, the opening of the Austrian Zugspitzbahn marked the beginning of a new era in Alpine development. As Austria's second cable car and North Tyrol's first, it was a technical masterpiece that paved the way for modern cable car construction. The Tiroler Zugspitzbahn, which has operated under this name since 1958, climbs 1,725 metres and connects the village of Ehrwald in Tyrol with the Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain. With a journey time of 18 minutes at the time and a maximum capacity of 19 people per cabin, it was a milestone in engineering. Today, it is a symbol of innovation and a key economic driver for the Tyrolean Zugspitz Arena region. In its anniversary year 2026, the museum at the mountain station will be modernised and given a new historical exhibition about the Zugspitzbahn. In addition, a play entitled ‘Sterntaler für die Zugspitze’ (Star Money for the Zugspitze) will premiere..

The history of cable cars worldwide

The Tyrolean Zugspitzbahn is embedded in a long and fascinating history of cable car technology, which has left a significant mark worldwide. The first cable cars were developed as early as the 17th century, primarily for the transport of goods. A notable example is a material cable car built in Danzig in 1644 by Adam Wybe. This early construction marked an important step in the development of cable cars. The invention of the wire rope in the 19th century was a decisive milestone that enabled the construction of more resilient and efficient cable cars. In 1874, Adolf Bleichert founded a factory for wire cable cars in Leipzig, which revolutionised the transport of materials and paved the way for further innovations. The first funicular railways had already been built before this, such as in Lyon in 1862. These early developments laid the foundation for the later use of cable cars in passenger transport.

The first known passenger cable car was built in Neuhausen, Switzerland, in 1866. It connected the banks of the Rhine with a turbine station in the middle of the river and was a pioneering technical achievement. From 1907/1908 onwards, the experience gained from transporting materials was increasingly transferred to passenger transport. An outstanding example from this period is the Kohlernbahn in Bolzano, which went into operation in 1908 as one of the first aerial cableways for passengers in Central Europe. Another milestone in the history of cable cars was the opening of the Rax cable car on 9 June 1926. It is considered Austria's first tourist cable car and was advertised at the time as ‘something between an aeroplane and a bus’. Just two years later, on 1 July 1928, the Predigtstuhlbahn in Bad Reichenhall, Bavaria, was opened. It is still the oldest large-cabin cable car in the world in operation in its original condition and an impressive testament to the engineering skills of the time.

The 1970s marked the beginning of a new era for cable car technology, as it began to be used more widely as a means of urban transport. The pioneers of this development are mainly found in Central and South America, where cable cars were introduced as a sustainable and efficient solution for local public transport. This use demonstrates the versatility of cable car technology, which has continuously evolved from its beginnings in material transport to alpine tourism and urban mobility.

The importance of cable cars in urban areas

Over the past few decades, cable cars have established themselves as sustainable and space-saving transport solutions in cities. They are particularly suitable for areas with difficult topography or densely populated urban areas. Examples such as the cable cars in Medellin (Colombia), La Paz (Bolivia) and the Emirates Air Line in London (Great Britain) show how cable cars can contribute to improving urban mobility. Those interested can gain exciting insights into urban cable car solutions at Mountain Planet in Grenoble as part of the City Cable Car Solutions.

Image source: Tiroler Zugspitzbahn / www.zugspitze.at