The design of the vehicles was jointly developed by Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ), GARAVENTA, CWA, and Milani Design. © GARAVENTA

Cities, SI Urban 2/2025

Zurich: Garaventa modernizes Rigiblick funicular

The Rigiblick funicular is not only a landmark of the Swiss metropolis of Zurich but also fully integrated into the public transport network of Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ). On their behalf, the cable car manufacturer GARAVENTA, part of the DOPPELMAYR Group, has comprehensively modernized the more than 120-year-old line. The focus was on new, barrier-free vehicles, modern technology, and greater comfort for passengers.

Thomas Surrer

9. November 2025

The new cabins from CWA accommodate 33 instead of the previous 30 people, are about 80 centimeters longer than their predecessors, and are deliberately designed to resemble the Zurich Flexity tram.

Both vehicles are unique. Special lighting rings on the interior ceiling create a distinctive atmosphere inside. On the uphill side, each lighting ring frames a round skylight, allowing additional daylight into the cabin.

Together with the raised wooden seating on the uphill side, this creates a stagelike impression – a tribute to the Rigiblick Theater. Panoramic windows extending to the floor create a bright, open atmosphere.

For a special atmosphere

A round skylight with a lighting ring brings additional daylight into the cabin, especially over the raised seating area.

Less noise from wheels and cable

In addition to the vehicles, the entire electrical control system was replaced by FREY STANS. As part of the work, GARAVENTA modified the brake hydraulics and renewed all bearings of the drive and deflection wheels as well as the cable compensation system.

The motor with gearbox was overhauled and reinstalled. Chassis with low-noise plastic wheels now minimize noise emissions in the city area.

A new PERFORMA haul rope with a diameter of 32 millimeters from FATZER also ensures smooth and quiet operation.

The cable car’s technology was extensively upgraded.

The funicular operates automatically, with staff intervening only when necessary.

More comfort and accessibility

The cable car with it‘s roughly 160 daily trips meets the requirements of the Swiss Disability Equality Act (BehiG): wide doors and an optimized interior design provide more space and facilitate barrier-free access and passenger flow.

Against this background, all five stations were also modernized with a consistent lighting and design concept. “The Rigiblick funicular is an important part of Zurich’s local transport. With this modernization, we ensure that it can be used reliably and barrier-free in the future,” emphasizes Ueli Sutter, Sales Project Manager at GARAVENTA.

The consistent lighting and design concept applies not only to the cabins but also to the five stations.

The cable car’s passengers include theatergoers, tourists, and local residents.

About the funicular

The Rigiblick cable car opened in 1901 and was extensively rebuilt in 1978/79. It is considered Switzerland’s first fully automatic, licensed funicular with intermediate stations.

Fully automatic means that the line operates according to schedule without on-site personnel: control, monitoring, and safety systems run continuously and are centrally managed, while operating staff can intervene in the background if necessary.

The cable car usually runs from early morning until midnight at short intervals, is optimally integrated into the public mobility network of VBZ, and reliably transports 700,000 passengers per year.

The line resumed operations on September 26, 2025.