Zugspitze: New Record-Breaking Uber Cable Car Ride To The Top Of Germany Opens

A new cable car is beginning service at Germany’s highest peak, with VIPs getting to enjoy the first ascent Thursday.

The cable car will break three world records. It will have the tallest steel tower, the longest cableway span, and greatest overall height difference from the valley to the mountain station.

The cable car's inaugural journey on December 21st 2017 marks  the beginning of a new era: one in which the state of the art cable car Zugspitze whisks passengers up to the highest mountain in the country in unparalleled comfort.

Six years in total of planning and construction work, sometimes under the most challenging of conditions at 3,000 metres above sea level, have been invested in this superlative project and resulted in an indisputable highlight, not only for Bayerische Zugspitzbahn Bergbahn AG, but the entire tourism dominated region.

Ever-increasing numbers of visitors to the Zugspitze - around half a million every year - was one of the reasons for replacing the former funicular ropeway.

In future, two fully glazed high-capacity cabins will transport up to 580 passengers per hour to the peak, banishing queues to history. Along the journey, they will traverse the world's highest steelwork pylon for aerial tramways at 127 metres, the world's greatest overall height difference of 1,945 metres over one section as well as the world's longest unsupported span, measuring 3,213 metres. Three records, which passengers can experience as they savour full panoramic views of picturesque Lake Eibsee, Waxensteine and the Alpspitze as their appetites are whetted for the mountain experiences to come.

Integrated window heaters make it possible to enjoy unobstructed visibility even in bad weather and as far as Munich on clear days. Both cabins are eye-catchers in themselves, with their elegant and understated design.

Once at the top of Germany's highest peak, visitors can look forward to unique 360° panoramic views of over 400 alpine peaks in four different countries, as well as a range of all-year round adventures.

The lift replaces the Eibsee Cable Car which had a length of 4,450 metres (14,600 ft) and an elevation gain of 1,950 metres (6,398 ft). The Eibsee Cable Car ran over two pylons, which were 65 metres (213 ft) and 85 metres (279 ft) high, respectively. The latter wss the highest cable support pylon in Germany. The two cabins transported 44 persons each suspended from two track ropes and moved by two haulage ropes. The track ropes had a diameter of 46 mm (1.81 in) each, and the hauling cables a diameter of 29 mm (1.14 in) each. It ran on 750 kilowatts (1,010 hp) of power, generated in the valley station. The route was normally traveled in 10 minutes at a speed of 36 km/h (22 mph). The tramway could accommodate 300 persons per direction each hour. The elevation gain of 1,950 metres (6,398 ft) was the highest of all aerial cableways achieved in a single section.