Cities, SI Urban 1/2025
Ajaccio: Cable car under construction in Corsica
Ajaccio, the capital of the island paradise of Corsica and the birthplace of Napoléon Bonaparte, has been experiencing significant population growth as a cultural and economic hub. To actively address the resulting challenges in environmentally friendly mobility, the city administration is currently implementing the “Angelo“ cable car, a flagship project with 12-passenger cabins.
The French cable car manufacturer POMA, in collaboration with Egis, Capo Architectes, and Raffalli TP, is responsible for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the urban cable car.
Construction works
on the “Angelo“ cable car is in full swing.
Cable car concept
The system, built by POMA, will connect several key points of the city, starting from the redevelopment project in the Saint-Joseph district along the coastal promenade. The multimodal stations, integrated into their surroundings, will facilitate seamless connections between the cable car, city bus lines, and shuttle boats, forming the core of a particularly clean, quiet, and energyefficient mobility system.
The three-kilometer-long route is designed to transport 1,500 passengers per hour and per direction, providing a convenient link between the new hospital, the school, sports facilities, and the Mezzavia shopping center, as well as new residential areas.
Construction progress
The project is currently in an intensive construction phase. Specialists are splicing the cable on-site, while cable car technology has already been installed at the four stations and is now being fine-tuned.
The station buildings and platforms are under construction, with structural work completed and finishing touches underway. The cable is set to move for the first time in the coming weeks, with the first cabin expected to be installed in two months.
Technical data
„ANGELO” cable car Ajaccio
| Length | 3,012 m |
| Initial capacity | 1.000 p/h/d |
| Final capacity | 1.500 p/h/d |
| Vertical rise | 54 m |
| Initial number of cabins | 34 |
| Final number of cabins | 50 |
| Number of stations | 2 + 2 |
| Speed | 5 m/s |
| Number of passengers per cabin | 12 p |
LIFE R‘way: The sustainable approach
A key goal from the beginning was the integration of the cable car into the landscape. Architects designed sophisticated concrete arches and opted for uniform-colored concrete.
Additional sustainable elements have been incorporated into the stations, control systems, route, and cabins in line with POMA’s sustainability initiative, “Low Impact Environment Ropeway“ (LIFE R‘way, as featured in SI Urban 2/2024).
Notably, the installation of line components will use an innovative lifting solution once full approval is granted by the General Direction of Aviation.
Staff recruitment underway
POMA has been entrusted with the operation and maintenance of the new Ajaccio cable car for the next ten years. The operations and maintenance team is currently being assembled and will undergo training from May to July. The team will take over operation in autumn 2025.
