Italy’s first cabrio cable car in Tiers celebrates its début
It is 8.30 in the morning and the thermometer reads -2 degrees. In St. Zyprian/S. Cipriano in the Tiers Valley, the sunshine is still hidden behind the Rosengarten, but the clear air and blue sky promise the perfect weather for the opening of the new open-top cable car, which now links Tiers with the Carezza Dolomites skiing and hiking area. A few skiers and curious visitors are already waiting in eager anticipation for the inaugural journey of the cable car from St. Zyprian to the Frommer Alm. The excitement is tangible – this moment has been feverishly awaited for a long time now.
Low Impact Mobility ...
Florian Eisath, Managing Director of the Carezza Dolomites company, welcomes me and tells me a little more about the exciting cable car project. Every 20 minutes two gondolas serve the almost four kilometre-long stretch from St. Zyprian to the Frommer Alm, although at present only one of two gondolas is running with an open-top balcony. The second cabin will be converted after the winter season and will therefore also be operating as a “cabrio” cable car from the start of the summer season. To enable visitors to make the journey car-free, the hotels in the Tiers Valley will be connected to the cableway by shuttle service, and there is a public transport stop located directly in front of the valley station.
Low Impact Architecture ...
The cableway isn’t the only spectacular thing: the architecture of the valley and mountain stations also heralds a new step towards the development of low-impact mobility too. The stations are located below ground and are thus almost invisible. From the outside they are “greened” and integrate gently into the landscape – the view of the impressive mountain scenery of the Rosengarten remains unobstructed. Only the entrances and exits are visible. Inside, modern architecture welcomes me: green lighting, walls with a wood finish, jagged ceiling structures and thoughtfully positioned glazing that offers views of the spectacular surroundings.
And off it goes!
At last the wait is over! A start filled with “oohs” and “aahs”, then the two-storey open-top gondola glides out of the valley station and floats above the dark green forest and snowy meadows. Magic and excitement fill the air. The open balcony of the cable car is fully occupied with ten people. Everyone wants to be part of this experience. In the lower “normal” part of the gondola, there is room for a further 50 people, plus, of course, in summer, bicycles too.
The cold winter air blows around my nose, the 360 degree all-round view is breathtaking and, when the sun appears over the jagged summit of the Rosengarten, the experience is complete!
After seven minutes the journey is over, and I find myself standing at the heart of the Carezza Dolomites winter wonderland. And now, it’s time to strap on those skis! After all, there are 40 km of perfectly groomed slopes just waiting for me here...
