Matterhorn Express

Matterhorn Express 1
Matterhorn Express 1 just before the Furi station
Location:	Zermatt , Switzerland
Design type:	8-MGD
Construction year:	2002
Valley station:	Zermatt, 1638 m.
Height difference:	233 m
Mountain station:	Furi , 1871 m.
Route length:	1637 m
Driving time:	5 min
Driving speed:	6 m / s
Number of gondolas:	65 pcs.
Number of supports:	11 pcs.
Capacity:	2800 people / hour
Manufacturer:	Doppelmayr / Garaventa
Operator:	Zermatt Bergbahnen AG
Website:	Zermatt mountain railways

Matterhorn Express 2
Furi valley station of the Matterhorn Express 2; Above the mountain railway of the Matterhorn Express 2
Location:	Zermatt , Switzerland
Design type:	8-MGD
Construction year:	2002
Valley station:	Furi , 1871 m.
Height difference:	450 m
Intermediate station:	Aroleid (one side: mountain), 2321 m.
Height difference:	262 m
Mountain station:	Schwarzsee , 2583
Height difference:	712 m
Route length:	2590 m
Driving time:	6 min
Driving speed:	6 m / s
Number of gondolas:	85 pcs.
Number of supports:	23 pcs.
Capacity:	2800 people / hour
Manufacturer:	Doppelmayr / Garaventa
Operator:	Zermatt Bergbahnen AG
Website:	Zermatt mountain railways

Matterhorn Express 3
Location:	Zermatt , Switzerland
Design type:	8-MGD
Construction year:	2009
Valley station:	Schwarzsee , 2583
Height difference:	-151 m
Intermediate station:	Furgg, 2432 m.
Height difference:	507 m
Mountain station:	Trockener Steg , 2939 m.
Height difference:	356 m
Route length:	2550 m
Driving time:	9 min
Driving speed:	6 m / s
Number of gondolas:	107 pcs.
Number of supports:	22 pcs.
Capacity:	2800 people / hour
Manufacturer:	Doppelmayr / Garaventa
Operator:	Zermatt Bergbahnen AG
Website:	Zermatt mountain railways

The Matterhorn Express is a cable car in Zermatt in the canton of Valais in Switzerland . It leads from the end of the village up to the Trockener Steg at 2939  m above sea level. M. .

It is a single-cable gondola from the Doppelmayr company with a total of four intermediate stations, only two of which are divided into sections . The first two sections were created in 2002 and lead from the end of the village via Furi to the Schwarzsee at 2583  m above sea level. M. . In 2009 the Matterhorn Express was extended with a third section via Furgg to Trockener Steg.

Since the railway was expanded seven years later, the station technology differs a little. The new cabins are also larger and wheelchair accessible.

Lines

The new Matterhorn Express valley station building is located in the Zen Stecken part of the village below the valley station of the Zermatt - Furi aerial tramway. An elevator takes guests from the bus stop to the entry level. Some of the cabins are parked above the station circuit.

The Furi station is reached after about 1.7 kilometers. Here the original aerial tramway continues to the left to Trockener Steg while the Matterhorn Express takes you to the right to Schwarzsee . The one-sided Aroleid middle station is used, especially in winter, to bring skiers back from the Hörnli area.

At Schwarzsee the route turns sharply to the left and leads into the Furggbach valley to the Furgg station. There is no separation of sections. In order to enable continuous operation for the Furgg-Schwarzsee route, the cabins are passed under the station so that they can be retracted on the other side.

Since the partial demolition of the Sandiger Boden chairlift, the last section has served as the only return route to the upper ski area.

Plants before construction

The Schwarzsee was opened up in 1956/57 by means of an aerial tramway that ran from Zermatt via Furi. Both sections were equipped with two 40-person cabins. In addition, the Schwarzseebahn operated a few ski lifts in the Aroleid-Hirli area. In order to also be able to go to Furgg, an aerial tramway was built in 1962 that brought skiers from Furgg back to Schwarzsee. In 1964/65 the Zermatt-Furi-Furgg-Trockener Steg aerial tramway was built, the first section of which ran parallel to the Schwarzseebahn. As a result, this section of the route could be strengthened somewhat.

When ski tourism increased sharply in the 1970s, the Furgg-Trockener Steg section in particular often reached its capacity limits, as it also served as a feeder facility as well as a feeder. The Zermatt-Furi section was also often overloaded despite the double aerial tramway. When the aerial tramway to the Kleine Matterhorn was completed in 1979 and most of the guests wanted to head for Trockener Steg, the decision was made to install a new feeder system to increase capacity between Zermatt and Furi. In 1982 the new Furi-Trockener Steg cable car and the new Zermatt-Furi gondola lift on the Schwarzseebahn were opened. The second section of the Schwarzseebahn continued to exist. The Furi-Trockener Steg aerial tramway was very popular; it brought the guests directly to the Theodul Glacier within a few minutes .

In 1991, the Furgg-Trockener Steg aerial tramway was supplemented by a chairlift that led to the Sandiger Boden middle station as far as the Theodul Glacier. The Furgg-Schwarzsee aerial tramway has been replaced by a modern group lift.

Another story

After the merger of the individual operating companies to form Zermatt Bergbahnen AG, they wanted to expand the area further. There were too many surface lifts and three new chairlifts were planned. They also wanted to replace or upgrade the feeder railways; this particularly affected the 40-seater aerial tramway from Furi to Schwarzsee, built in 1957. So the idea of the Matterhorn Express, which was built gondola to replace Zermatt-Furi and Schwarzsee aerial tramway. During the construction, the Furi-Furgg aerial tramway was dismantled as there was now enough capacity available on Schwarzsee.

In 2009, the Matterhorn Express via Furgg was extended to Trockener Steg, replacing the 18-year-old Furgg-Schwarzsee group lift and the low-capacity Furgg-Trockener Steg aerial tramway.

Web links

Commons : Matterhorn-Express  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Railways and slopes in Zermatt

Coordinates: 46 ° 0 '5.2 "  N , 7 ° 43' 55.4"  E ; CH1903:  622 731  /  94474