The Schilthorn summit is once again accessible to all!

On Saturday, 15^th March 2025, the Schilthorn - Piz Gloria will open again after being inaccessible for five months. The first track of the two new Funifor cable cars will start operating and the 360° restaurant and the Top Shop will also open again. Construction work will continue in parallel with guest operations. The major SCHILTHORNBAHN 20XX project will be completed in spring 2026 with the opening of the second track between Birg and Schilthorn.

Almost exactly two years ago, on 6^th March 2023, the gigantic SCHILTHORNBAHN 20XX project was launched with the last ride and subsequent dismantling of the former transport cable car ‘Käthi’. Since then, no stone has been left unturned from the valley station to the summit: Three new pylons have been erected at sometimes breathtaking heights, cable cars and stations have been demolished and removed in a dusty process and rebuilt in all weathers and sometimes over long days - and all of this has been done while the transportation system remained open to guests. Only on the Schilthorn did the limited space make it impossible to separate the construction site from the flow of guests. Therefore, the revolving restaurant was quickly converted into a construction site hotel in mid-October 2024 and accommodated around 15-25 construction workers week after week over the winter months. The temporary accommodation was removed again in mid-February and the building was transformed into the familiar restaurant in good time.

Reopening of the Schilthorn on Saturday, 15^th March 2025

From Saturday, 15^th March 2025, the first track of the new Funifor cable car between Birg and Schilthorn will be in operation and the summit building, including the restaurants and Top Shop, will be accessible again to the guests. “Following the opening of the world's steepest cable car last December, this is another important milestone for us in our project,” says Christoph Egger, Director of the Schilthorn Cableway Ltd. "Over the past few months, we have been reminded once again how important it is for our guests to be able to travel to the very top and we are delighted that we can offer this again. So, it's worth going back up on skis or on foot until the end of the season and taking a look at the new features. It's very exciting, I can thoroughly recommend it," says Egger. There will be no more operating restrictions in future. “From now on, the Schilthorn summit will be accessible 365 days a year,” Autonomous operation of the two carriageways between Mürren and Birg and Birg and Schilthorn will allow operation without maintenance breaks. In the event of an inspection, one carriageway is shut down while the second can continue to operate. Normally, the two tracks are electrically coupled, and the cableway is operated as a ‘classic’ pendulum aerial tramway.

Construction work continues in parallel

However, the second track still needs to be built. "Even if we open the summit, it doesn't mean that the construction work is finished," says Egger. After Easter, the old aerial tramway between Mürren and Birg, which ran alongside the new cableway during the winter season to increase capacity, will be demolished. Construction of the second track will begin immediately afterwards and by the end of November 2025, just in time for the next winter season, both tracks will be in operation with the wind-stable cabins, each designed for 100 people.

Project completion in spring 2026

Construction work on the Schilthorn is also continuing seamlessly after the reopening. In addition to the cable car station for the second Birg-Schilthorn track, the new octagon also needs to be completed. There is still a large gap where the new cable car will run. The new building will gradually be completed, additional space will be created for guests and the catering and shop facilities will be expanded further. From July 2025, however, the construction work will be so far advanced that the restrictions for guests will be minimal, and the new interior spaces and the extended terrace will already be in use. It should be possible to keep to or even be ahead of all schedules. This fact is extremely impressive considering that the construction sites, with their difficult logistics and exposure to wind and weather, presented all those involved with extremely tough challenges! Egger also emphasises: "Whenever we fell behind schedule, we were able to define and implement suitable measures to speed things up. This would not be possible without the enormous commitment of these companies' employees - and our own team.” All construction work is scheduled for completion in spring 2026 - in other words, in one year's time. Roughly summarised: Two thirds are done. One third and further challenges still lie ahead before everyday life on the Schilthorn can return to normal.