Concept view of the proposed Bolzano–Jenesien bicable aerial tramway showing valley station, cabins and secure bike parking.
Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy, September 11, 2025
South Tyrol’s provincial government has approved updated technical plans and funding for a new Bolzano–Jenesien cable car, moving the project into implementation. The €39.7 million scheme — €31.5 million for construction and €8.2 million for administrative costs — will be largely financed by national recovery funds, with regional and state funds covering the remainder. The approved bicable aerial tramway will use two cabins of about 45 passengers each, three support towers and a valley intermodal hub with covered secure bike and e‑bike parking and a new 60‑space car park. A separate Virgolo cliff design won an architectural competition as a distinct proposal.
The provincial government has approved updated technical plans and funding to build a new Bolzano–Jenesien cable car, a move that advances a project included in the region’s Provincial Plan for Sustainable Mobility (LPNM 2035). A state-owned transport company has been charged with planning and carrying out the work, and most of the construction budget has been secured through national recovery funds for the 2026 fiscal year.
The government approved the updated technical specifications on 19 August and authorized financing for an estimated total cost of about €39.7 million. Of that sum roughly €31.5 million is set aside for construction, with the remaining €8.2 million for administrative and related uses. The bulk of the money — about €37.5 million — will come from the national recovery fund (PNRR) and be earmarked for the 2026 budget. The small remainder, around €2.2 million, is covered by regional development and state funds.
Planning documents describe the updated system as a bicable aerial tramway running from the current valley station in Bolzano to the top station in San Genesio (Jenesien). The new design calls for two cabins, each able to carry about 45 passengers, and a maximum hourly throughput of roughly 350 passengers per hour. The route will pass through the municipalities of Bolzano and San Genesio and will include three towers along the line.
Several adjustments were made in the revised plan: an originally proposed mid‑station has been removed, the upper route has been shifted slightly to improve access, and the valley station building will be moved approximately four metres toward the road. The project also includes measures to improve first‑ and last‑mile connections, with covered and secure parking for bicycles and e‑bikes at both valley and mountain stations. Those secure bike parking areas will be accessible with a regional mobility pass. Planners intend to create an intermodal hub at the valley station and to link the cable car to nearby footpaths, cycle paths and bus services. A connection to a planned 60‑space car park at the valley station is also in the works.
The state‑owned transport company has been tasked with detailed design and implementation. With the provincial approval and confirmed funding, the project moves into the planning and permitting phase; the documents indicate construction budget lines and funding sources but do not set a final construction start date in the material reviewed here.
Separately, an international architectural proposal by Snøhetta has won a design competition for a cable car link to the steep Virgolo (Virgl) cliff near Bolzano. This proposal is distinct from the Jenesien project and aims to reconnect a cliff railway that was closed in 1976.
The Snøhetta concept describes two ring‑like station structures embedded in the hillside, with a short, rapid transit leg between them. Reported journey time is about 1 minute and 11 seconds from base to top in published descriptions. The design envisions a compact set of cars (one account lists 16 cars of eight passengers each) running tangentially between a lower and an upper ring. The upper ring is planned as a multi‑use mountain plaza with a restaurant, cafés, meeting rooms, an infinity pool and space for public events such as markets and concerts. Material choices and landscape‑linked design elements were highlighted in the concept as ways to integrate the build into the site.
The materials reviewed contain different technical details and timelines for the two projects. The Jenesien scheme has a clear funding package tied to the 2026 budget and a bicable tram description with two large cabins. The Virgolo proposal is a design competition winner with a compact, high‑frequency car model and a very short travel time; earlier reports gave a projected completion date that is now dated. These two initiatives are separate: one is funded infrastructure under provincial oversight, the other is an architectural scheme associated with a development competition for a different cliff route.
If built as planned, the Jenesien cable car will offer a new sustainable link between the city and the mountain, with a stronger focus on cycling and walking connections and a small multimodal hub at the valley station. The Virgolo design, if developed, would create a short but dramatic visitor link to the cliff, adding public amenities at the top. Both projects reflect renewed interest in mountain transit infrastructure in and around Bolzano, though they are at different stages and use different technical approaches.
The provincial government approved updated technical specifications and financing for the project, including a construction budget and a funding plan largely covered by national recovery funds for 2026.
Total costs are estimated at about €39.7 million, with approximately €31.5 million for construction and €8.2 million for administrative costs.
The revised plan describes a bicable aerial tramway with two cabins of about 45 passengers each, a maximum capacity near 350 passengers per hour, three towers, no mid‑station, and relocated valley station elements to improve access.
No. The Virgolo proposal by Snøhetta is a separate architectural scheme for a cliff link near Bolzano. It uses a different system concept with multiple small cars and ring‑shaped stations, and it emerged from a design competition.
Funding has been earmarked for the Jenesien project in the 2026 fiscal plan, but a firm construction start date was not specified in the approvals reviewed. The Virgolo design has concept material from earlier reporting and no confirmed construction timetable in the material presented.
| Feature | Bolzano–Jenesien (Jenesien) | Virgolo (Virgl) – Snøhetta design |
|---|---|---|
| Project type | Provincial cable car project included in mobility plan | Architectural cable link proposal from competition |
| Approved funding | Approx. €39.7 million total; €37.5 million from national recovery fund (2026) | Concept stage; no confirmed public funding in the material provided |
| System | Bicable aerial tramway, two large cabins | Ring stations with multiple small cars (reported 16 cars × 8 pax) |
| Capacity / trip time | About 350 passengers per hour; cabins ~45 people | Reported journey time ~1 minute 11 seconds; individual car capacity reported as 8 passengers |
| Stations & access | Valley station moved ~4 m toward road; intermodal hub; bike/e‑bike parking (secure with pass) | Lower and upper ring stations embedded in topography; landscaped base and mountain plaza |
| Status | Provincial technical approval and funding cleared; planning/implementation assigned to in‑house company | Design competition winner; concept reporting and proposed amenities described |
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