Zermatt’s New State-Of-The-Art Tramway Is Incredible

Zermatt’s New State-Of-The-Art Tramway Is Incredible

Zermatt’s new Zermatt–Furi tramway, made by Doppelmayr, went into service back in early November.

Zermatt’s new Zermatt–Furi tramway, made by Doppelmayr, went into service back in early November, increasing transport capacity of the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing, a ropeway system that crosses the border between Italy and Switzerland. It’s a stunning tramway, featuring a remarkable magnifying glass-like first tower that opens up stunning views of the Matterhorn.

The new system sits next to the 8-seater Matterhorn Express gondola, which operates nearly 360 days a year. It also has special features on the tower saddles dampen noise through the first tower, and it’s the first aerial tramway to use the Performa haul rope made by Fatzer AG. Plus, the cabins (made by CWA based in Olten) offer rooftop rides on the uphill side during the summer.

If that’s not enough, this is the first large aerial tramway to incorporate Doppelmayr’s new Autonomous Ropeway Operation system, or AURO. With AURO, station attendants aren’t necessary. Cameras and sensors ensure that the system is operating smoothly during boarding, disembarking, and general travel, while a ropeway operator keeps an eye on the system in the Ropeway Operation Center (ROC)

The technology was first introduced in December 2020 in Zermatt for the 10-seater Kumme gondola lift. The lift is split into two sections, and with AURO no operators are needed at the top or bottom station. Instead, just one person is needed at the mid-station to ensure everything is running smoothly.