The mountain station of the “Matterhorn Glacier Ride I” is situated at an altitude of 3821 metres above sea level. This makes it the highest mountain station in Europe. Thanks to the existing cable car dating back to 1979 and the “Matterhorn Glacier Ride I”, access to the Klein Matterhorn is possible 365 days a year.
Since November 2018, the world’s highest, most advanced 3S cableway carries passengers to the Klein Matterhorn. The new lift combines cutting-edge technology with top-class design. This enhances ride comfort, makes the cableway more stable, minimizes essential maintenance work and increases the service life of the individual components – an outstanding technical achievement. Zermatt Bergbahnen AG’s 3S cableway connects the Trockener Steg station with Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at 3883 metres. Cableway manufacturer LEITNER was the contractor with overall responsibility for the construction of the "Matterhorn Glacier Ride l", which is 3940 metres in length.
60 MILLION SWISS FRANCS, 38 COMPANIES, 145 PEOPLE
ust what a gigantic project this had been is underlined by the cost of the construction work, which adds up to around 60 million Swiss francs. With a carrying capacity of 2000 passengers an hour, the new Matterhorn Glacier Ride complements the existing cable car, which continues carrying 600 passengers an hour to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. The dual connection also ensures cableway services all year round, even during maintenance work and in windy conditions. The three-year construction project has involved such companies as LEITNER and PININFARINA, the design studio renowned for its work for Ferrari and Maserati. Overall, some 154 people have taken part in the project.
MORE STABLE, MORE COMFORTABLE AND MORE EFFICIENT
3S cableways combine the most advanced technology with the highest safety standards and greatest ride comfort. They offer numerous advantages over conventional circulating cableways, ensuring a more stable ride in high winds and providing increased carrying capacity and greater driving speed. With a maximum speed of 7.5 metres per second, the new Matterhorn Glacier Ride can carry up to 2000 passengers an hour to the Klein Matterhorn. It travels at a maximum height of 198 metres above the ground on a route that takes it over three support towers, two of which stand 2732 metres apart. “To date, there are only about fifteen 3S cableways worldwide. But the Matterhorn Glacier Ride surpasses them all – both for altitude and the length of the span between towers 2 and 3" explains Jan Sorg, Project Engineer at LEITNER.
IMPRESSIVE TECHNOLOGY
The Matterhorn Glacier Ride 3S cableway carries 25 cabins, with the help of three cables for each cabin. It conveys them over three support towers between the valley station at Trockener Steg and the mountain station at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. Two of the cables, which act as stabilizing support cables, are suspended between the stations in both directions of travel. The hauling cable is in the form of a continuous loop made by splicing the ends together. It circulates between the two stations and transports the 25 cabins, which are attached to the cables with clips. On arrival at the stations, the cabins are uncoupled from the hauling cable and drawn slowly through the terminals on tyre conveyors. They are reattached to the hauling cable before they leave again.
Marc Lagger
Communication & Media Manager
Tel: +41 (0)27 966 01 24
E-Mail: marc.lagger@zbag.ch
