The Crap Masegn – Fuorcla – Vorab gondola lift is history. The six-seater gondola lift built by Habegger was put into operation in 1978. On Sunday, 30 March 2025, it will have its last day of operation and the iconic white and red gondolas will be retired. In summer 2025, the lift system will be modernised as part of a retrofit. A new eight-passenger gondola lift with an unchanged layout will be built. Most of the stations and supports will remain in place. The new installation will go into operation in winter 2025/26.
Timeline
Reopening of the new gondola lift
The Crap Masegn – Fuorcla – Vorab gondola lift reopens in December 2025. 86 cabins, each carrying 8 passengers, will now transport 1,500 to 2,000 people per hour.
Commissioning & preparation
Commissioning & preparation Acceptance: System tests, adjustment runs, safety/functionality checks – everything prepared so that the system can be presented to and approved by the Federal Office of Transport (FOT).
Commissioning and system integration
The technical commissioning phase will begin in autumn. New components will be installed, interfaces tested and the section integrated into the overall system. Safety checks and system tests will be carried out in the weeks leading up to the 2025/26 winter season to ensure a smooth start.
The technical commissioning phase begins in the autumn. New components are installed, interfaces are checked and the section is integrated into the overall system. Safety checks and system tests are carried out in the weeks leading up to the 2025/26 winter season to ensure a smooth start.
Construction work at all stations
Concrete work in the Vorab and Masegn stations starts in May 2025. At the same time, Garaventa begins the technical preparations for the new gondola lift. On 18 June 2025, the support heads are dismantled by helicopter. The supports themselves remain in place and are reinforced where necessary and adapted to the new alignment. During the summer months, the focus lies on the foundations, station construction and preparing the installation technology.
End of operations and start of dismantling
The gondola lift is put out of operation at the end of March 2025. The dismantling of the old installation begins in April. The Fuorcla station is dismantled in stages, down to the existing platform ceiling. The first interventions also begin in the Masegn and Vorab stations to create space for the new building structures.
Last ride
The Crap Masegn – Fuorcla – Vorab gondola lift is approaching its last season. The first preparatory measures for the upcoming dismantling are taken in parallel with the ongoing lift operations during the winter season. This includes logistical clarifications, material surveys and initial technical preparations for the existing infrastructure, particularly in the Fuorcla station.
Details
Under construction
Winterseason 2025/26
ALPING.CH Gartmann & Joos Bauingenieure AG
Lift: Garaventa AG
Cabins: CWA
Garaventa AG (railway manufacturer)
CWA (cabins)
ALPING.CH Gartmann & Joos Bauingenieure AG (planning)
Reuse of large parts: Stations and supports remain largely intact (resource conservation/reuse).
During the conversion of the line, around 80% of the steel structure was retained, which contributes to the conservation of resources. Primarily, only the support heads were replaced instead of rebuilding complete supports. At the Vorab and Masegn stations, around 80% of the existing concrete was reused. Reinforcing concrete foundations were only rebuilt where necessary for the new facility.
Fuorcla station was built as a wooden truss structure with a dark sheet metal cladding.
Helicopter logistics for dismantling/assembly (support heads).
Building materials: Concrete work in stations
Construction during/around operations (deconstruction/retrofit, phased) and system integration until the 2025/26 season.
Alpine logistics & weather window (helicopter operations & the transition from summer to autumn weather).
- Transport capacity per hour: 1,500 to 2,000 people
- Number of cabins: 86
- Passenger capacity per cabin: 8 people/seats
- Support cable diameter: 43 millimeters
- Travelling speed: 6 meters per second
