Karwendelbahn, Germany's Second Highest Mountain Lift Celebrates 55th Anniversary

On June 7th, 2022 the Karwendelbahn AG celebrated its 55th anniversary.

The history of the Karwendelbahn AG goes back to the founding year 1954. The first train ride was scheduled for 1957. Unforeseeable problems during the construction phase and the scarce financial resources at the time meant that the railway was able to run for the first time on June 7, 1967. Today, 55 years later, the Karwendelbahn - Germany's second highest mountain railway - is one of the most popular destinations in German mountain regions. Experience summit happiness with the Karwendelbahn! In less than 10 minutes, the Karwendelbahn transports its guests to an altitude of 2244 m. This is liberating and offers fantastic views and an unforgettable experience when visibility is good. The tourism-tested, mountainous and mountaineering region in the Karwendel has various hiking routes and via ferratas on offer, from easy to difficult,

The Karwendelbahn inspires more than 65,000 guests from near and far every year. An unforgettable experience is offered to our guests at 2244 m above sea level.

Decades of experience, reliable and competent employees, team spirit and commitment characterize the Karwendelbahn and have made the railway what it is today:

Not only Germany's second highest mountain railway, but also a magnet for visitors and guests from Germany and abroad and for the locals from the region.

They say "A big thank you goes to all guests and visitors as well as to our business partners and employees who have made a significant contribution to the success of the Karwendelbahn in recent years."

Since the "experience" area has become increasingly important in recent years, we have taken numerous measures and investments in recent years to offer our guests something special. The newly designed mountain restaurant based on a new concept with an in-house distillery and brewery in a rustic yet modern style is just one example of the projects that we have successfully implemented so far.

The old sanitary facilities are also a thing of the past. As with the design of the mountain restaurant, great importance was attached to modernity and aesthetics when the new sanitary facilities were built.

In one of the last construction phases, the kitchen in the mountain restaurant was tackled and expanded. The kitchen is a lot bigger than before, more spacious and has been completely remodeled with new fixtures and appliances. A new kitchen at the absolute top level has emerged!

The safety of guests is our top priority. Like any other mountain railway, the Karwendelbahn is exposed to enormous loads every day, which means that the technology has to be "overhauled" regularly and brought up to date. In order to meet these requirements, a new control system has already been installed and the ropeway's auxiliary rope has been replaced with a new auxiliary rope. The installation of a new signal system and the replacement of the suspension cable has already been commissioned and is to be implemented this year.

"In the last 2 ½ years we have invested more than 2.5 million euros in the Karwendelbahn and created an absolute visitor magnet for the region," says CEO Wolfgang W. Reich.

• design type two-lane large cabin cable car
• Cab built according to the current CEN standard
• cabins 2 cabins for 25 passengers each, manufacturer: Carvatech (A)
• capacity up to 350 passengers per hour
• speed maximum 10 m/sec
• height of the valley station 933 m above sea level NN
• height of the mountain station 2244 m above sea level NN
• length 2486 m with a maximum gradient of 92%
• ride time 7-10 minutes each way
• carrying rope 48 mm thick, firmly anchored in the mountain station
• tension weights 44 tons of concrete weight per suspension cable in the valley station
• Support Height of column 1 = 20 m, column 2 = 36 m
• drive two completely independent electric drives that can be coupled to the drive pulley either individually or together during peak periods
• energy Direct current via two independently working thyristors
• emergency drive Diesel emergency generator