The Iranian island of Kish in the Persian Gulf is a holiday paradise and free trade zone. Over an area of around 90 square kilometres, it offers numerous hotels and shopping facilities. Standing out here means being a real eye-catcher.

This was also the thinking of the operators of Mica Mall, who commissioned Swiss cable car manufacturer BARTHOLET for a very special project. Indeed, the flagship for the shopping centre is a state-of-the-art, convenient cable car system.

When commissioning the project, the client placed great emphasis on advanced technology, which is why Swiss manufacturer BARTHOLET attracted attention.

Not only is the system the attraction of Mica Mall; it also offers a direct connection to the Grand Pier harbour. This allows you to travel directly from the shops to the terminal stop at the beach after a long day.

The route, which is just over a kilometre long, begins with a 90-degree turn and then runs along the beach, acting as an extension to the connecting bus station.

Thanks to the beautiful, panoramic view from the comfortable gondolas, the cable car is used not only as a transport system but also as a sightseeing railway. During the holiday season in particular, the route is therefore very popular. From the station at the beach, where the drive is also located, the route climbs to the height of up to thirty metres. This means that passengers can enjoy the view of the Indian Ocean.

It then loses a little height before entering the midstation and then climbing again to reach the terminal stop in Mica Mall. For visitors, seeing it glide into the station building, the fourth floor of the shopping centre, is a further highlight of the route.

Facilities

Kish has a warm climate; temperatures of 40 to 52 degrees are not uncommon in the summer months. The gondolas therefore need an effective air-conditioning system.

Furthermore, the comfortable 8-seater gondolas are also equipped with a radio system. At the request of the customer, two of the 22 gondolas have also been fitted as exceptionally comfortable, VIP gondolas.

The interior space of an urban cable car differs in several respects from that of an alpine cable car. After all, the needs of the target groups also differ widely. With the specially customised design of the gondolas, the Mica Mall cable car has therefore also been adapted to continuous operation in the difficult climatic conditions of Kish.

During the evening, external lighting ensures an exceptional spectacle. BARTHOLET experts trained the operating team in advance on the special features of this system.