Säntis: Deconstruction meets new construction

On April 30, 2026, at 3:41 p.m., the cabin of the existing cable car arrived in Schwägalp with passengers for the last time. This marked the end of an era that had lasted since 1974, and simultaneously the beginning of a new chapter with the "Säntis 2026" construction project.

Final material deliveries for the new building

Dismantling of the existing cable car began as early as 7:00 a.m. on May 1st. The first step involved removing the cable car and its associated installations in the wheelhouse.

Simultaneously, material transport to the Säntis summit continued. All support structures and materials for the mountain station were transported exclusively using the existing cable car. The cable system could transport loads of up to 6 tons to the summit.

Logistics presented a particular challenge, as the extensive material had to be placed in a coordinated, chronological order both at the summit and on the support platform to ensure an efficient construction process.

For temporary storage at the support tower, an extension of the existing work platform was also necessary. This was prepared by clearing snow with excavators and snow blowers. In total, over 160 tons of material are required for the construction of the new support tower. Among the particularly heavy components are the cable saddles, some weighing up to 4.5 tons.

Since the beginning of April, the work has been supported by the Garaventa fitters, who are responsible for the construction of the new cable car.

Dismantling of the existing railway

Last week, the next step involved dismantling the twelve cable support beams using the existing railway system. These beams prevent the cable from sagging over long spans. With the removal of these supports, regular railway operation is no longer possible.

The work to dismantle the haul rope then began. This is a complex process using pulley systems installed on the upper and lower haul ropes. The two rope ends were pulled together so that the clamping bolts on the running gear could be removed. This freed the running gear from the haul rope, allowing for the subsequent dismantling process.

Subsequently, a shuttle service was initiated using an auxiliary track, allowing cabin 2 to be driven downhill in a controlled manner and ensuring both cabins were in the valley station.

To detach the second cabin, pulley blocks were again installed in front of both cabins. This allowed the haul rope to be professionally dismantled both in the engine room and via the deflection pulleys.

On Tuesday, May 12, in a process lasting several hours, the running gear, and thus the cabins, were lifted from the suspension cables using a mobile crane. First, the clamping heads had to be released, a task performed at a considerable height by Garaventa's technicians. The cabins were then lifted from the suspension cables by the mobile crane of Emil Egger AG and safely lowered to the ground.

The running gear and suspension were then dismantled. The cabins were subsequently loaded and will remain on the Schwägalp for approximately two weeks. A decision regarding their further fate will be made at a later date.

Construction of the guy wires at the valley station

Back in February, the necessary excavation work was carried out at the valley station using excavators to prepare the concrete foundations for the temporary bracing of the cable cars. At the same time, walkways were built on the Schwägalp near the old pass road, allowing the cables to be laid down and secured. This prevents the cables from lying directly on the ground for several months.

A total of two guy wires, each containing 8 m³ of concrete, were constructed. The existing track cables will be used for the subsequent cable pulling, i.e., the installation of the new track cables. On the mountain, two existing track cables will be temporarily connected, while in the valley, the new track cables will be coupled one after the other. This cable pulling process will allow the old track cables to be gradually replaced by the new ones.

In this way, the new, 50-ton support cables can be pulled upwards in a controlled manner using this cable system and two installed winches. This proven process makes it possible to move the cables using tension and braking forces and transport them to the summit without them touching the ground.

Engine room expansion

As was already the case in the wheelhouse on the Säntis summit, the walls in the valley station were also reinforced to ensure the building structure can withstand the increased forces expected in the future. To guarantee safety at all times, even during the previously ongoing cable car operations, temporary protective walls were erected in the drive area.

The new drive system at the valley station consists of two main drives and auxiliary drives for the hotel power supply, including gearboxes and brakes. In the event of a system failure, operation with a reduced payload is guaranteed at all times. Additionally, two new emergency generators ensure a continuous electrical supply in case of a power outage.

As with the existing cable car, the haul ropes of the new system are also driven at the valley station. The tensioning of the haul ropes continues to take place on the Säntis summit and is achieved using a pulley system and an 80-ton tensioning weight.