Trouble or regular overhaul?: Zermatt’s record railway opens and closes immediately again

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The people of Zermatt have been dreaming of the record-breaking Alpine Crossing cable car for 80 years. Zermatt Bergbahnen was finally able to open the last section of the first trans-Alpine cable car connection from the Klein Matterhorn to Testa Grigia last summer with a big celebration. But just six months later the fun was over again. At least temporarily.

Mountain railways will discontinue the Matterhorn Glacier Ride II from Klein Matterhorn to Testa Grigia from January 8, possibly until the end of March. As they announced on their homepage due to extensive revision work. “The smooth operation and safety of our guests is always the highest priority,” the mountain railway writes. The remaining sections of the route continue to operate.

Is the new connection causing problems?

Overhaul work on mountain railways usually takes several weeks. In Zermatt, they expect this to take less than three months. Does the new railway cause problems? This is exactly what “Walliser Bote” wrote, citing insiders. According to them, the construction is progressing too quickly, which is why there are problems in electricity supply and concrete works.

The mountain railways denied the problems to the local newspaper. “A new energy source will be built for Testa Grigia and Klein Matterhorn, independent of the railway system. However, this is in line with the existing development which will be dismantled once completed. “There will be no concrete work as all work is done to the highest quality within the framework of the construction programme.”

Usually after one season

With the new system, detailed inspection and warranty works are generally carried out after one season compared to mountain railways. Matterhorn Alpine Crossing is geared towards summer errands for day trippers or summer skiers. Therefore, the planned work would have to be carried out in winter. During this time, the connection between the regions of Italy and Switzerland is also guaranteed via ski slopes. If the revision work progresses faster, the reopening will be brought forward.

The harsh conditions on the mountain are also likely to contribute to the long maintenance period. The mountain station at Klein Matterhorn is the highest station in Europe at 3,883 meters above sea level. It is 3480 meters above sea level in Testa Grigia. Round-trip ticket prices along the entire route are also at record levels. It costs 240 francs without discount in high season. (smt)

Source :Blick