Swiss Mountain Awards 2025: The Nominees
Cable cars are known for being on the move. The Swiss cable car industry is also on the move and developing innovative projects. The Swiss Mountain Award recognizes revolutionary ideas and the jury has nominated three groundbreaking projects from the companies Remontées Mécaniques Grimentz-Zinal SA, Mantis Ropeway Technologies AG and Melya Systems GmbH. The winner will be announced at the Swiss Cable Cars industry conference on October 28, 2025 in Rapperswil-Jona.
The Swiss Mountain Award is a national award from Seilbahnen Schweiz (SBS) for outstanding achievements in the Swiss cable car industry and is being presented for the eleventh time this year. The eight-member jury is made up of experts from the fields of mountain railways, tourism, business and research and the prize money of 10,000 francs is sponsored by Sisag AG. This year, too, the jury received numerous applications and nominated three projects for the prize.
Alpine Top – the world's first fully glazed cable car cabin
With the Alpine Top cabin, the mountain railway company Remontées Mécaniques Grimentz-Zinal SA is setting new standards in cable car technology. The fully glazed cabin with two open balconies offers passengers a spectacular panoramic view and ensures a unique ride experience. The innovative design with a glass floor reinforces the feeling of floating above the Alps, while the side glass balconies enable an open-air experience. The Alpine Top cabin is a world first and appeals to both adventure seekers and families. The innovation is an attraction in warmer temperatures, promoting year-round tourism and thus contributing to the economic development of the region. The jury particularly praised the combination of technical innovation, experience value and tourism promotion.
Mantis Autonomy – AI-supported safety for chairlifts
Mantis Autonomy is the world's first AI-supported system for the autonomous operation of chairlifts and was developed by Mantis Ropeway Technologies AG. The system uses cameras and software that uses artificial intelligence to monitor the disembarkation process of passengers and to detect potential dangerous situations. This means that the mountain station can be operated without permanent employees. After five years of development, the first operating permits were issued in December 2023, and six more systems were already put into operation in winter 2024/25. The jury praised the groundbreaking technology, which both increases passenger safety and optimizes personnel resources. Already successfully used in several ski areas, the system shows great future potential for the entire cable car industry.
blueYAGI – early warning system for cable car technicians
The blueYAGI system was developed to increase the safety of cable car technicians during maintenance work on aerial and funicular railways while they are in operation. It offers a three-stage alarm with a range of up to 500 meters for aerial cable cars and 300 meters for funicular railways, and it also works reliably in tunnels and on curves. In practice, the first alarm is triggered at a distance of just 150 meters, with the signal frequency gradually increasing to 100 and 50 meters as you approach. This technical tool enables technicians to concentrate on their tasks without having to constantly monitor operations. By providing timely warnings about approaching vehicles, dangerous situations can be avoided and work safety can be significantly increased. The jury was impressed by the high relevance of this project for safety in the cable car industry and the precise technological implementation.
"The three nominated projects impressively demonstrate how innovations are driving the cable car industry forward. They not only offer technological advances, but also create tangible added value for employees, guests and operators," says Berno Stoffel, Director of SBS and jury member.
