Cities, SI urban 2/2025
Lucerne: a mix of tunnel and cable car?
Parking for tour buses has long been a challenge in the Swiss city of Lucerne. The CityLink project offers an unusual solution – a combination of cable car and tunnel. The plan envisions a direct connection between an above-ground parking garage and the city center.
The concept aims to relocate tour bus parking and transform urban spaces into areas for social interaction. This summer, the project took an important step forward: the initiative committee submitted 1.151 valid signatures to the city for the construction of the cable car – well above the 800 required.
Concept
Proposed route: Bus terminal to hospital above ground, then underground to city center.
Traveling above and below ground
According to the concept, the cable car will connect downtown Lucerne with the cantonal hospital and the Ibach business area in the north of the city. The CityLink consists of two sections, each about one kilometer long.
The route to the hospital runs underground, then continues above ground to Ibach. In the tunnel, the cabins travel on a ceiling-mounted rail and transition seamlessly onto a rope guidance system.
A mid-station beneath the hospital provides direct access to the new hospital square. The end stations are located in Ibach and the Old Town, with the mid-station under the cantonal hospital offering direct access to the hospital square.
The cabins are planned to accommodate eight or ten passengers each, with a maximum capacity of around 2,200 people per hour in each direction.
The сost factor
According to proponents, the CityLink project is estimated to cost 150–190 million Swiss francs. The initiators aim to minimize the financial burden on the city and canton but rely on support from authorities, particularly for regulatory approvals, land use rights, and overpass permissions.
Next steps
According to the initiative group, the city council will review the project, followed by a recommendation to the Grand City Council. Consideration by the Grand City Council could take place in the summer of 2026, with a public vote planned for the fourth quarter of 2026.
Project planning could continue until 2030, with the cable car expected to be operational by 2033, which the project team considers realistic.
Who’s behind the project?
According to the project website, the CityLink Lucerne interest group is made up of around 20 committed private companies and organizations from the city and surrounding region.
