Murren Funicular Closure
 

Recently a post said that the fabled funicular from Lauterbrunnen to Grutschalp, from where a train runs to Murren would be closed for the summer.
Here are some details on the operation:
The current funicular, on rails that go unfathomably steeply straight up the cliff dates from 1891 and because of geological problems has been ordered to cease operating at the end of April 2006 - at the end of the ski season. The replacement conveyance will not be a funicular but an aerial cableway, over the same course as the funicular. This will be a reversible single track aerial cableway with a single cabin carrying up to 100 passengers. The new cableway is planned to be in operation starting Dec 16, 2006.

Thanks for the information, PalQ. Does this mean it will be similar to the lift going up to Gimmelwald and on to Mürren from Stechelberg? I still have trouble figuring out the various German terms for "gondola" and "cable car." Which one is a Luftseilbahn?

Not sure about Luftseilbahn but it sounds like an aerial cableway that carries gondoals. Luft being German for air i believe. Yes it will be like the Stechelberg-Gimmelwald-Murren cableway that features one large cable car - gondola could be used. Seems the Stechelberg route (accessible by a two-mile post bus ride from Lauterbrunnen) should be quite crowded this summer as it's the only way up to Murren apparently. The new cableway from Lauterbrunnen to Grutschalp will be a "glazed panoramic cabin accommodating up to 100 passengers" and thus will have a higher capacity than the former funicular, which had smaller cabins - one that went up as the other came down but took much longer.

For more than you'd ever want to know about the technical data on the new cable: www.jungfraubahn.ch/en

Yes, I've read that; quite fascinating. Unfortunately, we aren't going to Switzerland (or anywhere in Europe) this year, so we won't get to see how crowded the Stechelberg lift is. Next year, though, we will. I'm going to miss that old funicular---what an amazing feat of engineering.

I recall taking a similar funicular at Engelberg for skiing, many years ago when I was in college (I won't say how many!!!!) I wonder if that one is still there. . . I guess I can Google and find out.