The new Zugspitze cable car. The new cable car on Germany's highest mountain opens in December 2017. The Top of Germany will be a Top of the World cable car. With three new world records! As Klaus Schanda of Bayerische Zugspitzbahn Bergbahn AG rightly proudly explains.

KLAUS SCHANDA The new Zugspitze cable car is truly unique, with the world's highest steel support for a reversible cable car, the world's greatest total height difference of 1.945 meters in one section, and the world's longest free span of 3.213 meters.

KLAUS SCHANDA That's right. Of course, these parameters were partly determined by the terrain and the route.
The railway runs over the northern flank of the Zugspitze. As the Top of Germany, we are certainly delighted to be able to boast these records starting in December 2017.

KLAUS SCHANDA There are several: the construction site's altitude, the weather conditions at almost 3.000 meters, the exposed location, and, of course, the logistics are definitely among the biggest challenges. Up there on the mountain, many installers and companies are working simultaneously in a confined space. The individual tasks must be perfectly coordinated.

KLAUS SCHANDA We're on schedule and on budget. This is a sign of good and realistic advance planning. We only work with experts. It's essential for a project like this. Planners, managers, and participating companies bring many years of experience to the table. And so the new Zugspitze cable car can go into operation as planned in December 2017.

KLAUS SCHANDA That's right. Our primary goal is to improve service for our guests. Due to the limited capacity of the old cable car, there were wait times of up to two hours on busy days. That's a thing of the past with the new cable car. Furthermore, the old cable car, which dates back to the 2s, definitely no longer met today's comfort standards—especially in our price range.

KLAUS SCHANDA I would describe it like this: The best views all around! And I mean it literally. Even at the valley station, guests will have a clear view of Lake Eibsee and the Zugspitze. The visual experience remains paramount during the ride. The two floor-to-ceiling glass cable car cabins are equipped with heated windows. This gives Zugspitze visitors an unrestricted view of the impressive surroundings, even in bad weather. A magnificent 360° panorama awaits at the top, with views of over 400 Alpine peaks. Our new restaurant at the summit will open in summer 2018. We're already looking forward to that, too.