For around a century, small cable cars have helped make remote mountain locations accessible. They serve as a winterproof method of transportation for mountain farming families. As nostalgic vehicles, they are also becoming increasingly attractive to tourists.
Small cable cars are most commonly found in Central Switzerland, in the cantons of Uri and Nidwalden. They were initially only used as transportation for alpine pastures and mountain farming, with many later turning into vehicles for tourists as well. However, cable cars are expensive and require a lot of maintenance, especially since the federal legislation on cable cars entered into force in 2007. In many cases, this legislation mandated high levels of investment that would have been difficult to finance. Driven by necessity, local communities banded together and tried to overcome these financial challenges. By lobbying for their “Bähnli”, as the small cars are called in the Swiss German dialect, they won over new supporters for their vintage vehicles, which now serve as a symbol of sustainable mountain tourism.
