The world’s steepest funicular railway lift is due to go in to service at the small Swiss ski area of Stoos this December.
The futuristic looking lift has been built by Garaventa, part of the Doppelmayr group, and will climb a gradient of up to 110% (nearly 48 degrees) in steepness over more than 740 vertical metres of ascent. Each train will have four cylindrical self-leveling cabins that will always sit vertical regardless of the angle of the track.
The new Stoosbahn will run 28 times a day between 7am and 9pm and operate on a completely new line created especially for it from the valley station near Schwyz at 562masl into the centre of the mountain village of Stoos at 1,306masl.
Stoos, which is located about 50km south of Zurich and has a population of just 100 has a small ski area with about 35km of runs on the Stooshorn, the longest 2.1km in length. Besides the new funicular there are half a dozen chair and drag lifts located between 1256 and 2000m.
