Cable Cars and Funiculars: the World's Best Rides to a View
A cable car does something a road cannot: it lifts you cleanly out of a valley and deposits you in a world that walkers take hours to reach. The best systems in the world are engineering achievements in their own right, running in conditions that would ground an aircraft, delivering passengers to viewpoints that defined what "a view" could mean. Here are the systems worth travelling for.
1. Klein Matterhorn (Matterhorn Glacier Paradise), Zermatt, Switzerland — 3,883 m
The highest cable car station in Europe, reached in stages from Zermatt at 1,608 metres. The final stage climbs to 3,883 metres, emerging into a year-round snowfield with unobstructed views of the Matterhorn's north face, Monte Rosa, and on clear days the peaks of the Bernese Oberland. The summit building includes a glacier cave, a viewing terrace, and an ice palace. Operated by Zermatt Bergbahnen; journey time from Zermatt around 40 minutes with two changes. Running year-round, but weather closures are common above 3,600 metres. Dress for temperatures 15-20°C below the valley regardless of season.
2. Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix, France — 3,842 m
The Aiguille du Midi cable car from Chamonix (1,035 m) gains 2,807 metres of elevation in two stages, making it one of the steepest and highest cable car systems in the world. The upper station at 3,842 metres sits on a narrow ridge with a viewing terrace on three sides; the panorama takes in Mont Blanc at 4,808 metres, the Vallée Blanche glacier, and the Italian and Swiss Alps. Operated by Compagnie du Mont Blanc. The "Step into the Void" glass box installation on the terrace — a transparent cube cantilevered over a 1,000-metre drop — is a separate experience requiring prior booking. Morning departures before 9 a.m. consistently have clearer visibility before valley thermals build.
3. Wendelstein, Bavaria, Germany — 1,838 m
The Wendelstein cable car, operating since 1912, runs from Brannenburg in the Inn valley to the Wendelstein summit at 1,838 metres. The summit hosts Bavaria's highest church, an observatory, and a weather station, alongside views over the Inn valley, the Bavarian foothills, and south to the main Alpine chain including the Zugspitze. A separate rack railway (the Wendelsteinbahn, operating since 1912 from Bayrischzell on the opposite side of the mountain) serves the same summit. Both systems operated by Wendelsteinbahn GmbH. The combination of infrastructure age, the summit buildings, and the accessibility from Munich (90 minutes) makes this an underrated destination.
4. Glaciar Martial, Ushuaia, Argentina
The Aerosilla Glaciar Martial chairlift above Ushuaia rises above the "city at the end of the world" to 1,030 metres, providing views over the Beagle Channel, the Martial Mountains, and across to the Chilean islands. From the chairlift's upper station, a marked trail continues a further 45 minutes on foot to the glacier proper. Ushuaia sits at 54°S, making this one of the southernmost aerial lift systems in the world. The light in the austral summer (December-February) is remarkable — long golden hours lasting until 10 p.m. Operation is seasonal; confirm dates before building a trip around it.
5. Singapore Cable Car, Sentosa — 109 m
Functional rather than alpine in scale, the Singapore Cable Car between HarbourFront Tower and Sentosa Island passes 109 metres above the water, providing views over Keppel Harbour, the southern container port, and the Singapore skyline. Operated by Mount Faber Leisure. The "Sky Pass" includes return trips and Sentosa access. The cable car's primary value is as a panoramic entry to Sentosa rather than a destination summit; the view of the working port framed against the city is the reason to ride it.
6. Peak Tram, Hong Kong — 396 m
The Peak Tram, operating since 1888, is a funicular railway that climbs from Garden Road (28 m) to Victoria Peak (396 m) on a 1.4-kilometre track at gradients up to 27 degrees. Rebuilt and reopened in 2022 with new wider-body cars and level-boarding platforms, the system now carries 3,000 passengers per hour. The tram arrives at Peak Tower, whose Sky Terrace 428 observation deck sits at 428 metres — higher than the tram terminus. The night view of Hong Kong's illuminated skyline over Victoria Harbour is one of the most-photographed urban views in the world. Expect queues of 30-60 minutes without the advance online ticket; buy before arriving.
7. Bica, Glória, and Lavra Funiculars, Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon operates three surviving historic funiculars in its hillside neighborhoods. The Elevador da Bica (1892), running through the Bica district to the Tagus waterfront, is the most photographed. The Elevador da Glória (1885), from Praça dos Restauradores to the Bairro Alto, provides views west across the Baixa. The Elevador do Lavra (1884), the oldest and least touristed, climbs from Largo da Anunciada to the Torel gardens. All three are operated by Carris and accept the Viva Viagem card. Riding all three in sequence takes a half day and covers the essential geography of Lisbon's hills. The Lavra has the best view at the top: a small garden overlook across the city to the Tagus estuary.
8. Mumbai (Mumbadevi) Hills — Malabar Hill
Mumbai does not have a formal cable car system, but the approach to Hanging Gardens and Kamala Nehru Park on Malabar Hill at 55 metres — modest by alpine standards — provides the city's classic panorama over the Back Bay and Marine Drive's arc of lights, known locally as the "Queen's Necklace." The view is best at night, when the drive's streetlights trace a full semicircle. Accessible by taxi or auto-rickshaw. The Walkeshwar temple complex on the same hill adds cultural context to the hill visit.
9. Scenic Railway, Blue Mountains, Australia — 52 degrees
The Scenic Railway at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains descends 415 metres into the Jamison Valley at a maximum gradient of 52 degrees, making it the world's steepest passenger railway by gradient. Originally a colliery incline built in the 1880s, it was converted for tourism and is now operated by Scenic World. The 310-metre ride through sandstone cliffs into eucalyptus rainforest takes under five minutes; passengers choose their preferred seat angle (from upright to nearly horizontal). The Jamison Valley floor gives views up to the Three Sisters rock formation from below. The complete Scenic World circuit adds a cableway, a skyway crossing 270 metres above the valley, and a boardwalk.
10. Stoosbahn, Schwyz, Switzerland — 47.7% gradient
The Stoosbahn, rebuilt and reopened in 2017, runs from Schlattli (797 m) to the car-free mountain village of Stoos (1,298 m) on a 1.7-kilometre track at a maximum gradient of 47.7 degrees, making it the world's steepest funicular. The cylindrical rotating cabin cars keep the floor level as the car tilts on the track. The journey takes seven minutes. From Stoos, a further cable car reaches the Fronalpstock summit at 1,922 metres with a full 360-degree view over Lake Lucerne, the Schwyz plain, and the Mythen peaks. The Stoosbahn's combination of engineering novelty and the views above Stoos makes it one of the most worthwhile funicular rides in Europe.
Planning a Cable Car Trip
Most high-altitude cable car systems require advance ticket purchase during peak season (July-August in the Alps, Chinese New Year in Asia, summer school holidays in Australasia). Early morning departures before 9 a.m. consistently provide clearer visibility and shorter queues. High-altitude stations are cold year-round: 3,800 metres is typically 5-10°C in summer and well below -20°C in winter. Layer up regardless of valley temperatures. Check the operator's real-time weather page before departing — closures due to wind and ice are common and not announced far in advance.
Find your next ride
Every cable car and funicular system on this list is marked on the viewpoint map. Filter by transport type to find aerial systems near your destination and compare elevation, season, and booking requirements before committing to a date.