Ritom funicular
Overview
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Hint
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Intro
Sit on one of the steepest funiculars in the world and ride from Piotta up to Val Piora in 12 minutes. At the top, the turquoise-blue Lake Ritom, alpine hiking trails and a fascinating Ticino mountain landscape await you.
The Ritom funicular at a glance
The Ritom funicular connects Piotta at 1010 meters with the Piora mountain station at 1796 meters. With a maximum gradient of 87.8 percent, it is one of the steepest publicly accessible funiculars in the world. The Swiss Federal Railways built it in 1921 for the construction of the hydroelectric power plant of the same name.
What to experience
Ride on the Ritom funicular (12 minutes)
Experience an once-in-a-lifetime ride: 786 meters of altitude on only 1369 meters of route. Your gaze wanders over the valley of the upper Leventina and the surrounding mountains. With a gradient of up to 87.8 percent, the railway seems to stretch almost vertically up the mountain.
- Good to know: At the Piora mountain station, only cash payment is possible for the return journey.
- Tip: Arrival by train to Piotta, then 5 minutes walk to the valley station.
Nature trail at Lake Ritom (1–2 hours)
From the mountain station, a path leads along the southern shore of Lake Ritom. The nature trail provides information about the flora, fauna and geology of the region with boards. The lake serves as a storage facility for the power plant and supplies the Gotthard railway with electricity. The rock slabs on the shore are ideal for a break.
- Good to know: The path is partly uneven – be sure to wear sturdy shoes.
- Tip: Walk along the right bank of the lake through the larch forest.
Mountain lake circular hike Val Piora (5 hours)
The challenging circular tour leads from Lake Ritom via the Rifugio Föisc to Lago di Tom and on to Lago Cadagno. From the summit of Föisc, there is a wide view of the Gotthard, the Leventina and the Bedretto Valley. The three lakes shine like pearls in the alpine landscape.
- Good to know: Challenging mountain hike over 14.7 kilometres and 880 metres in altitude.
- Tip: Taste the local alpine cheese on Alpe Piora near Cadagno di Fuori.
General information
| Season |
May - October
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|---|---|
| Accessibility |
Not accessible
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Discover the surroundings
Address
Funicolare Ritom SA
Casella postale 17
6775
Ambri
Switzerland
Phone
+41 (0)91 868 31 51
Fax +41 (0)91 868 31 52
info@ritom.ch
ritom.ch
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