Rail lifts
Rail lifts climb on tracks rather than hanging from ropes. A funicular is hauled by a cable, with two cars balancing each other. A cog railway is a train that climbs by meshing a toothed wheel with a rack between the rails. Both carry hundreds of people at a time, and because nothing hangs in the air they keep running in wind that stops most aerial lifts. Some funiculars run inside the mountain.
Lift types
Funicular
Two cable-hauled cars on a steep track.
100–400 people · 5–14 m/s
Cog railway
A train that climbs with a toothed wheel.
No published figure · 2.5–7 m/s
Side by side
| Attribute | Funicular | Cog railway |
|---|---|---|
| Per carrier | 100–400 people | No published figure |
| Line speed | 5–14 m/s | 2.5–7 m/s |
| People per hour | 1,000–8,000 people/hour | No published figure |
| Grip | No rope grip | No rope grip |
| Enclosure | Enclosed | Enclosed |
| Skis on | No | No |
| Wind tolerance | No published figure | No published figure |
| Beginner-friendly | Easy | Easy |
Where you’ll find it
Valley links, steep climbs and tunnels inside the mountain.