Decisive Milestone Reached for the Direttissima Gondola in Adelboden-Lenk

A decades-long ambition to modernize transport across the Swiss Alps has crossed its most critical procedural hurdle. The Canton of Bern is set to officially approve the zone planning (Ueberbauungsordnung / UeO) for the replacement of the iconic Sillerenbahn aerial ropeway in the Adelboden-Lenk region, after all affected land owners signed off on the project.

The agreement clears the way for the major infrastructure project—often referred to locally as the Dekaden-Projekt (Project of the Decade)—to proceed directly to public display, bringing the long-sought replacement ropeway a giant leap closer to realization.

Unanimous Landowner Support Unlocks Construction Phase

In Alpine ropeway engineering, acquiring land rights across vast and topographically complex stretches of mountain terrain is frequently the highest barrier to entry. For the operator and local authorities in Adelboden-Lenk, securing 100% agreement from every property owner along the planned line represents a pivotal success.

With the submission package already reviewed by the Swiss Federal Office of Transport (Bundesamt für Verkehr – BAV), the definitive sign-off from local landholders allows the municipal zone planning framework to be formally finalized.

"All property owners affected by the construction of the new cable car have given their consent to the project. The decade-long project can now be put out for public inspection." — Official Statement, Adelboden-Lenk Cableways

An Ambitious December 2027 Timeline

While the milestone brings the Direttissima into its public planning exposure phase, regional planners caution that a complex sequence of legal, administrative, and engineering steps remains before heavy machinery breaks ground.

• Public Inspection Period: Formal publication allows statutory stakeholder reviews and public consultation.

• Federal Building Permit (Konzession): Approval of final technical designs by federal transport safety regulators.

• Phase-In Target: Despite tight deadlines, preliminary works are designed to enable a partial operational launch as early as December 2027, aligning with the peak winter tourism window.

Why the Direttissima Matters to Swiss Alpine Transit

The current Sillerenbahn lift system serves as the primary artery connecting the resort village of Adelboden to the central ski and hiking hub at Sillerenbühl. Upgrading the system is essential to meeting modern standards for passenger capacity, energy efficiency, and weather resilience.

As mountain tourism shifts toward year-round operation, high-capacity, low-emission continuous cable systems remain the gold standard for Alpine mobility. The successful resolution of land rights in Adelboden offers a blueprint for regional infrastructure modernizations across Switzerland.