Leitner: Scandinavia’s First 3S System At Voss

The latest spectacular 3S projects by LEITNER ropeways at Stubai Glacier and Klein Matterhorn (which will be in operation from September on) already attracted a lot of attention. The company is now adding another highlight: Building the first 3S ropeway in Scandinavia in the Norwegian tourist destination of Voss. Operating company Voss Resort AS and Voss Gondol AS is investing a total of 31 million Euros to modernize the popular hiking, excursion and ski area at Hanguren mountain.

Voss, conveniently situated on the railway line between the major cities of Oslo and Bergen, is the home of many famous winter sports athletes and boasts an extensive ski area. By choosing the 3S technology, Voss is following an international technical trend. The local conditions with a steep slope and the long crossing over a residential area at the start of the route made a tricable ropeway the obvious choice. From summer 2019 on, it will replace the already decommissioned “Hangursbanen” aerial tramway and its yellow and red cabins, which were lovingly nicknamed “Dinglo” and “Danglo”. In future, the old cabins will be replaced by up to 13 Pininfarina “Symphony” gondolas capable of carrying roughly 1,500 persons per hour to the “Hangurstoppen” (810 m) in just under seven minutes.

The bottom station includes also a bus station and a railway station.

The other planned building projects on the mountain and in the valley will embed the roughly two kilometer-long ropeway in an elaborate overall concept. For example, the operators are building a panorama restaurant for 450 persons right beside the new top station, where it will be part of the same structure as the new 3S station. The bottom station will be integrated in the redesigned railway station, which includes a new bus station. Combining these forms of transportation creates a central transportation node near the center of town. The lower nominal speed of the cabins allowed the designers to make the station shorter. The building itself is borne by one central concrete support due to space restrictions, and is designed as an “urban ropeway stop”. The design makes it easy and convenient for guests to reach the 3S system entryway on the third floor of the building from the bus station on the ground floor or the train station on the first floor.

As the area is also very popular with hikers and paragliders in the summer, the 3S system currently under construction on Hanguren will run all year-round in future. As a result, the new system also strengthens Voss’ positioning as an attractive holiday and leisure destination in all four seasons.

For Øyvind Wæhle, Managing Director of Voss Resort AS and Voss Gondol AS, the decision to cooperate with LEITNER ropeways was clear. “We chose LEITNER ropeways to build this ropeway because its 3S system is the most user-friendly, modern and reliable ropeway system on the market. And the fact that we for several years have had a good cooperation with LEITNER ropeways, and not at least a very close cooperation with their agent in Norway, Taubane Teknikk AS, made our choice easy.”

With its new project and as market leader in Scandinavia, LEITNER ropeways continues its latest success story in 3S systems. Another example is the system in Bolzano, which runs from the city center to Soprabolzano, 1,000 meters higher. It significantly reduces traffic in the city center and makes the destination of Renon even more attractive. The Prodains Express tricable gondola lift has a similar bonus impact. It connects the Morzine and Avoriaz ski resorts in France and not only transports winter sports enthusiasts, it also reduces road traffic between the two locations. Two other LEITNER ropeways projects are also breaking records: While the new Eisgrat-Bahn ropeway in Tyrol’s Stubaital valley is the longest 3S system in the Alps, LEITNER ropeways is currently building the highest 3S system in the world at Klein Matterhorn – it will soon take passengers to 3,883 meters above sea level in top drawer comfort and design. 

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