Loads on the ladder to heaven

Kone is currently installing the highest lift in Germany at almost 3000 m in the mountain station of the new "Zugspitze cableway.” It will commence operation in one year.

A second lift will be installed in the likewise new 1945 m lower valley station. The challenge is the delivery of the parts and installation of the lift: since there is a lack of storage space on the mountain top, everything has to be delivered and installed with pinpoint timing.

A material cableway ensures the transport of components in the construction phase. On top of this, there are the difficult climatic conditions: strong winds, snow and cold. The annual average temperature at the Zugspitze is -4° C. In winter this quickly drops under -20° C. To compensate for these temperatures, installation of a heater in the shaft head was necessary.

International project

The two Kone lifts in the valley and mountain stations with their 1,600 kg nominal load primarily serve the supply of the different, also gastronomic, facilities on the Zugspitze. They are only to be used exceptionally by the passengers of the Bavarian Zugspitze cableway.

The lift project is an international project. Kone Austria has been cooperating for a lengthy period with general planners and the implementing engineering firm from the federal state Salzburg and preparing the project. The lifts were then planned in detail in cooperation with Kone Germany, with their installation being handled by the German Kone organisation. This is because the lifts are being produced on the German side of the Zugspitze on behalf of the Bayerische Zugspitzbahn AG.

www.kone.de