Getting to Zurich Zoo by public transport will be faster, more convenient and more exciting thanks to an urban cable car – according to the concept presented. The Zurich Administrative Court has already given the green light for these plans, as reported by the online portal “Watson”.

However, the joy over this decision was short-lived – because opponents of the project now want to take the matter further to the Federal Court. They see flaws in the transport concept and in nature and environmental protection.

The delegate of the zoo cable car board of directors, Andreas Hohl, is disappointed that even after 15 years the urgency for an urban cable car has not yet been recognised. The opponents’ complaint relates to points that have already been rectified in a new version of the 2018 cable car plans. The delegate therefore finds the decision incomprehensible.

Current status of the procedure

• The Zurich Building Department approved the design plan for the zoo cable car in May 2019. Following its entry in the cantonal transport master plan by the cantonal council, the cable car thus also received the basis for land use planning.
• On 21 August 2020, the building appeals court dismissed the appeals lodged against the determination of the cantonal design plan.
• On 12 October 2023, the cantonal administrative court dismissed the appeals lodged against the ruling of the building appeals court, thereby confirming the ruling of the lower court.
• Following the expiry of the 30-day appeal period, it is now clear that the opponents will appeal the judgement to the Federal Supreme Court.

Second, parallel proceedings

• In addition to the cantonal design plan, the construction of the zoo cable car also requires planning approval from the federal government. This is expected as soon as the cantonal design plan becomes legally binding.
• Negotiations with affected landowners to acquire the rights as a prerequisite for the operation of the cable car are ongoing.

Project facts

The valley station of the zoo cable car is being built at the Stettbach SBB station to ensure the most attractive transfer connections possible. Stettbach is easily accessible by S-Bahn, Glattalbahn, tram and bus. The top station is located in the Masoala rainforest area, in the immediate vicinity of the main entrance to Zurich Zoo.

The zoo cable car glides from the Stettbach station (440 metres above sea level) to the Gfellergut area through a predominantly agricultural landscape. From Gfellergut, the journey gains in altitude.

It leads over the forest and crosses the Sagentobel. Between Sagentobel and Masoala Regenwald, the railway dips into a forest aisle. The journey continues directly alongside the Masoala rainforest and ends after around seven minutes at the mountain station (600 metres above sea level), according to the project managers.

The zoo cable car will be designed as a detachable cable car with ten-passenger gondolas and will have a high transport capacity of up to 1,800 passengers per hour at peak times. A total of 44 gondolas will travel on the cable.