How cable car stations might look in the future. Photos: BARTHOLET

Cableway & Technology, SI World 2/2022

World’s first rope taxi in Flims Laax

With BARTHOLET’s rope taxi, cable car stations are undergoing a complete rethink. Equipped with individual eMotion drives, the gondolas travel through the stations independently and autonomously. Switches allow the simple composition of route combinations.

Jonas Graser

5. September 2022

The rope taxi from BARTHOLET is a foretaste of how mobility might look in the future. At the touch of a button, the destination can be determined before boarding.

The gondola then travels from one route section to the next via points that are set automatically. There is therefore no need for passengers to make connections, so they can sit back and enjoy the journey.

The first rope taxi is under construction now in the ski resort of Flims Laax.

Comfortable boarding.

In the stations, the gondolas slow down so much that boarding is no problem.

New drive technology

The new eMotion drive from BARTHOLET, which is used in the stations, controls the speed of the gondolas independently, down to just one metre per second, so that other passengers can board with no problem.

Some of the energy required is generated from recuperation: during the braking process on entry into the station, the kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy, so that part of the battery can be recharged.

The smart battery management system also ensures optimal battery use. With the quick-change system, the battery can be easily and simply replaced with a charged one if necessary. The dual protection therefore means that the eMotion system is 100% safe and reliable.

The gondolas

The rope taxi gondolas stand out for their high accessibility and almost unlimited potential comfort. Coupled with the separation of the access area from the transit point for other gondolas, the slow speed of the gondolas in the stations transforms boarding into a relaxed, stress-free experience.

The facilities in the gondolas can be customised directly by the operator, so that they satisfy the respective individual requirements and conditions of an area. As such, there is a good chance that the rope taxi will become a permanent companion in the future.

Flims Laax schedule

At the end of June 2022, the federal department of transport granted the planning permission and construction permit for the ropetaxi, which will travel autonomously and individually in the stations, according to passenger volume and selected destination.

This acts as the symbolic groundbreaking for the construction project in Flims. Shell construction of Startgels station is currently under way, for example excavation, construction work and slope stabilisation. It should be completed this year.

Moreover, construction of the support foundations for section 2 has begun. The first shipments of technical cable car components will be made soon. Initial operation of the first two sections of this global innovation is planned for December 2023.