Cabin lifts

Gondola

A gondola carries riders in small closed cabins hung from a single moving rope that both holds and pulls them. Cabins detach in each station and slow down so you can step in, then clamp back on and travel at up to 7 m/s. Skis go in racks on the outside of the cabin.

A gondola from the villageSchematic monocable gondola rising from a village over forest to a top station on the mountain; cabins bunch up in both stations where they leave the rope.
  1. Valley station
  2. One rope holds and pulls
  3. Tower
  4. Mountain station
  5. Village

At a glance

Typical range
Per carrier
4–10 people
Line speed
5–7 m/s
People per hour
2,000–4,500 people/hour
Grip
DetachableEnclosed · Skis on: No
Wind tolerance
Beginner-friendly

How it works

One haul rope does everything, which is why engineers call it a monocable gondola. Each cabin hangs on a detachable grip, just like a detachable chair.

In the station the cabins leave the rope, slow on tyres and open their doors. Most cabins seat up to ten; Doppelmayr also builds a 20-person version.

Gondolas are often the first lift from the village, carrying people over forest and roads to the slopes.

How to ride it

  1. Skis off

  2. Skis in the rack

  3. Step in and sit

  4. Step out at the top

  1. Take your skis off and carry them to the boarding area.
  2. Put skis in the outside rack, or carry them in where allowed.
  3. Step into the cabin as it moves slowly past and sit down.
  4. Step out at the top while the cabin is still moving slowly, and collect your skis.

Where you’ll find it

Scandinavia

Found at a few of the largest areas.

The Alps

Very common, often as the first lift from the village. France counted 146 detachable gondolas at the start of 2025.

On PisteWindow

Lift types are recorded for 74 of 247 destinations so far.

History and notable examples

Poma built its first gondolas in 1966, at Val d’Isère and Queenstown.

Compare with

3S gondola

Rolls on two fixed track ropes, with bigger cabins and better wind tolerance.

28–38 people · 6–8.5 m/s

Funitel

Grips two haul ropes set wide apart.

20–33 people · 6–7 m/s

Compare with
AttributeGondola3S gondolaFunitelChair-gondola combo
Per carrier4–10 people28–38 people20–33 people4–10 people
Line speed5–7 m/s6–8.5 m/s6–7 m/s5–6 m/s
People per hour2,000–4,500 people/hour1,500–6,000 people/hour3,000–4,000 people/hour2,400–3,900 people/hour
GripDetachableDetachableDetachableDetachable
EnclosureEnclosedEnclosedEnclosedEnclosed
Skis onNoNoNoNo
Wind toleranceMediumHighHighMedium
Beginner-friendlyEasyEasyEasyEasy

Questions

Do you take your skis off on a gondola?

Yes. Skis go in the rack outside the cabin or, where allowed, inside with you.

When do gondolas stop for wind?

Doppelmayr designs its monocable gondolas for wind of about 80 km/h, depending on the project. Operators commonly slow them earlier.

Can you ride a gondola down?

Usually, yes. Many people ride back to the village at the end of the day.

Are pedestrians allowed?

On most village gondolas, yes, with a pedestrian ticket.

Names in other languages

Names in other languages
LanguageName
EnglishGondola
DeutschKabinenbahn (Einseilumlaufbahn)
SvenskaGondolbana
FrançaisTélécabine
ItalianoCabinovia
NederlandsGondelbaan
EspañolTelecabina
DanskGondolbane
Norsk bokmålGondolbane

Sources

  1. Doppelmayr/Garaventa · Seat Heating brochure (ENG, 09/2013) · Checked
  2. Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH · UP customer magazine, Interalpin 2023 edition: System Overview (D-Line 10-MGD, D-Line 20-MGD, TRI-Line 20-TGD, 3S 32-TGD) · Checked
  3. LEITNER AG · Sustainability: products from LEITNER · Checked
  4. LEITNER AG · Winter sports ropeway systems brochure (EN) · Checked
  5. POMA · The history of POMA · Checked
  6. remontees-mecaniques.net · La pince débrayable (dossier) · Checked
  7. STRMTG (French cableway regulator, Ministry of Ecological Transition) · Rapport annuel 2024-2025 (parc au 01/01/2025, annexes 1, 4, 5) · Checked
  8. STRMTG / RiskNat seminar · Séminaire STRMTG 15 May 2025: adaptation au changement climatique (slides) · Checked
  9. SnowStash (news, via search excerpt) · Titlis gondola crash: wind gust cause (April 2026) · Checked