Industry News
On May 2, Zermatt, Switzerland, opened the ‘Rooftop Ride’ on top of the new Furi tramway, which started operations in November 2023. The open-air platform on top of the tramway will offer guests spectacular views of the Matterhorn.
The Furi tramway takes guests from Zermatt at 1,646 meters (5,400 feet) across the village to the Furi top station at 1,871 meters (6,138 feet). The first pilon on the way up is a special construction to adjust the width of the tracks. Shaped like a circle, it gives the appearance of an otherwordly Stargate. The tramway cabins by Garaventa can carry 100 passengers and the tramway has a capacity of 1,030 passengers per hour.
Furi is the starting point for many hiking trails in summer. Visitors can also take the further tramways to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and from there onwards the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing tramway across to Italy. The new glacier crossing to Italy opened in July 2023 and is the highest cross-country cable car in the world, connecting Zermatt, Switzerland, with Cervinia, Italy.
For the 2024 summer season, an open air platform was added to the Furi tramway, called “the Rooftop Ride.” Guests can enjoy the unrestricted view of the Matterhorn from the balcony, which is mounted on the roof of the cabin, with the fresh wind in their faces. This unforgettable experience can be booked for a small surcharge from the 2024 summer season at the ticket office or online. The cabin interior also offers a fantastic view and the large window fronts ensure a comfortable ride.
The valley station around the new aerial tramway has also been completed. While the first part around the ticket offices, ski lockers, and sanitary facilities has been in operation since January 2024, the offices of the Zermatt Bergbahnen administration, which are located on the upper floors of the building, have now been completed.
While Zermatt is part of the IKON pass, passholders only get free access to Zermatt’s lift infrastructure during the winter season. A one-way ticket for the Furi tramway however is only CHF 13 (USD 14). There is a small surcharge if you want to use the rooftop option. More information can be found at the Zermatt website.
