Of course the idea on an open topped ski lift isn’t new – trundling slow old open topped, walk-in gondolas that lift skiers from the car park to the base of the slopes have been running for decades, often, lovingly called ‘bucket’ lifts.
But now Doppelmayr have taken the idea to another level with an impressive new installation that’s just opened above Lake Lausanne in Switzerland.
The new double-decker cable car, installed at a cost of 28.1m Francs (£18.5m) lets guests enjoy fresh air and great views from the open top deck as the lift ascends to the top of 1900m high Mount Stanserhorn.
Named the “CabriO” cable car it’s the world’s first with a roofless upper deck. The lower level (with nearly wall-to-wall windows) has space for 60 people and from there, an elegant staircase leads up to the sun deck, which has room for about 30 people.
Initially derided as a ‘crazy idea’ the lift is already proving very popular as guests enjoy the 360 degree views and the wind in the hair as the lift ascends 1139 vertical metres in only 6 minutes, 24 seconds.
“Our vision was to enhance the experience during the journey. We wanted to offer the guests a new dimension,” said lift company director Jürg Balsiger.
It’s not the first world first for the Stanserhorn, the old funicular here that opened in 1893 set a world record as the longest funicular at the time, 120 years ago.