Group Excursions: Cable Car Rides

The Allalinhorn above Saas-Fee is what gave the area its name. With the right equipment and in the company of a mountain guide, the four-thousand-metre peak is a relatively easy climb for a sporty mountaineer.

At the very heart of Switzerland, a world record-holding technical innovation awaits: the steepest funicular railway in the world leads from Schwyz up to the car-free mountain village of Stoos. The journey there is an experience in itself, with passengers being taken up to a natural paradise 1,300 metres up.

One of the most beautiful and perhaps most impressive mountain lakes can be reached by gondola from Kandersteg. The gondola also carries walkers looking to hike over the Hohtürli pass into the Kiental valley.

The journey to the Titlis is truly an adventure in itself. First take the Titlis Xpress gondola to the middle station, then continue your journey in the TITLIS Rotair, the world’s first revolving cable car, all the way to the top.

With his keen eye for beautiful landscapes, and unique light conditions, Segantini discovered this special patch of the earth. Between the wide valley of the River Inn and the valley that leads to the Bernina Pass, this is probably the most beautiful vantage point above the lakes of Upper Engadine. Sunsets from here are a sight to behold.

Two cable cars over the blue lakes of the Upper Engadin – different heights, different experiences: On the Corvatsch you can enjoy high-alpine views of Piz Bernina’s Biancograt ridge, while Furtschellas offers a hiking paradise with six mountain lakes.

This viewpoint was known a long time ago for ore mining, but is now famous for its far-reaching views. You could spot as many as 1,000 peaks from up here.

Despite undergoing a number of technical updates, the funicular railway still radiates the same nostalgic charm and romance it did way back in 1879.

The glacier to the west of the Wildstrubel is flat, 200 metres thick in places, and drains mainly towards Lenk in the Bernese Oberland but also into the Rhone Valley in Valais.

Since 1885, this funicular has been the fastest route from Bern railway station to the Aare and the Marzili-Bad lido. It now carries a million passengers per year, departing every few minutes on its one-minute journey.

The cable cars once used by mountain farmers are known in Swiss dialect as Buiräbähnli. They are now are the highlight of a multi-day hike through the mountains of the Engelberg region – the Buiräbähnli Safari.

The Rigi is the most visited mountain of Swiss people. With breathtaking 360-degree panoramic views, the Rigi offers a first-class mountain experience whatever the season. The cogwheel train from Goldau and Vitznau, as well as the cable car from Weggis, enable a variety of round trips, which can also be combined with a boat trip on Lake Lucerne.

It’s not hard to pinpoint the distinctive head of rock at the entrance to the Bernese Oberland – but the fact that you can stand pretty much on top to enjoy views direction Thun, Aare Valley and Bern as far as Jura is known to few.

A culinary voyage of discovery between mountains and lakes on lake Brienz. This allows you to discover the Bernese Oberland.

The panoramic view stretches across large parts of the Valais Haute Route: to the west, the Dents du Midi and Mont Blanc; to the south, the Grand Combin with the Val de Bagnes and Mauvoisin reservoir; to the east, the Weisshorn, Dent Blanche and Matterhorn; and northwards across the Rhone Valley to the Vaud and the Bernese Alps.

Geneva’s local mountain lies 900 metres above the Jet d’Eau – on French soil but very much part of Geneva’s identity. The mountain has been accessible by rail for over 120 years and offers impressive views over the canton of Geneva to the Jura, and on a clear day to Mont Blanc.

The “Funi” (funicular railway), which overhang the Old Town and the river Sarine, is a “technical engineering marvel”, listed as a cultural asset of national importance. This nostalgic railway has been running since 1899 – with no exhaust fumes.

An impressive view from Piz Palü across the Bellavista to Piz Bernina. Six kilometres before the Bernina Pass, the cable car climbs up on the right to this glacier viewpoint at almost 3,000 metres above sea level.

A stately ibex, head bowed, sits atop its throne on the summit of Piz Nair, overlooking the Upper Engadin at its feet.

One of the world’s steepest funicular railways departs from Leventina for the Ritomsee lake. Built by Swiss Federal Railways in 1917 to aid with the construction of the reservoir and power station, the little red train has been carrying 100 people per hour to the recreation area around the mountain lakes in the Val Piora since 1921.

Lugano’s home mountain and pinnacle of enjoyment - that’s San Salvatore! The striking mountain south of the town boasts 360° views over the lake and environs, far south and to the high Alps in the west.The funicular railway up this landmark mountain starts in Lugano-Paradiso.

Some people say that the Matterhorn is best viewed from the Rothorn, since it showcases its pyramid shape perfectly. And who are we to argue? The mountains to the east of Zermatt are great viewpoints.

Already the Romans trod this path from the main Valais valley to the north. The historic Gemmipass crossing unites Leukerbad with Kandersteg – without roads, instead mountain rail.

The view from Stanserhorn overlooking ten Swiss lakes and 100km of Alpine mountains is quite superb. The 30-minute Stanserhorn circular trail is the best way to enjoy these 360-degree views.

Many may know this name thanks to the Gurten festival, but also on the other 361 days of the year Berne’s home mountain has plenty to offer to visitors, hikers and families from near and far.

The Aletsch Arena offers an impressive mountain backdrop in the heart of UNESCO World Heritage site Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch, with a view of the longest glacier in the Alps, the Great Aletsch Glacier.

The nostalgic red cable car carries passengers from the sunny mountain village of Isenfluh above Lauterbrunnen up to the hamlet of Sulwald. The cabin has enough room for eight people or one cow.

Above the treeline, on a terrace created by a glacier, you soon discover the sun-spoilt Alps of the Lötschen Valley: Kummenalp, Hockenalp, Lauchernalp, Weritzalp and Tellialp.

Easily accessible by public transport from Lucerne, Mount Pilatus is the ideal adventure mountain for the entire family.

The Albishorn, Hochwacht, Felsenegg and Uetliberg are the four best-known viewpoints on the Albis chain and are linked by a network of walking and hiking trails.

Enjoying the wind in one’s face and the perfect view: first on the open funicular – rumbling and bumping just as it did 120 years ago – and then on the rooftop deck of the futuristic CabriO aerial cableway.

The cable cars in the canton of Uri achieve a combined total ascent of 23,000 metres. Many of the 36 or so small cars are open to the elements, and sometimes there is only space for four people per journey.

Enjoy local products with a wonderful panorama.

The mountain ridge to the south of Gstaad is well known to hikers as the most beautiful starting point for the panoramic hike to the hugely popular Lauenensee lake. A gondola takes visitors up to Höhi Wispile.

The highest mountain in the Arosa region accessible by cable car offers impressive views as far as Chur and to the south across the Graubünden Alps to Piz Bernina.

The First is an ideal starting point for action-packed hikes, the new “First Cliff Walk by Tissot” being a prime example.