The cable cars compared
Sorted by top station altitude. Data from the technical profiles, times and tickets on each lift's official site.
A scenic cable car is one that is worth the ticket even if you do not ski: you ride it for the view at the top, not for the slopes. Italy has about fifteen that fit this definition.
In the table above we have ranked them by top station altitude, with vertical rise and length taken from the technical data sheets. Below, for each one, you will find what you need to know before you go: when to ride, what is at the top and how much it costs.
Prices change every season and we check them on the official websites. Where there is an online ticket with free cancellation we say so; otherwise you buy at the ticket office.
Skyway Monte Bianco (Courmayeur)
From Pontal d’Entrèves (1,300 m) to Punta Helbronner (3,466 m) in two sections, with cabins that rotate 360 degrees on the way up. It is the highest scenic cable car in Italy and runs all year, apart from technical closures in spring and autumn.
At the top: a circular terrace looking over the Mont Blanc massif, and in summer the Panoramic Mont-Blanc gondola across to the Aiguille du Midi. An adult return ticket starts at about €62; in high season it pays to book a time slot. Technical page.
Plateau Rosa cable car (Cervinia)
From Plan Maison (2,500 m) to Plateau Rosa (3,480 m), where the Theodul Glacier and the border with Zermatt begin. In winter it is the gateway to the international ski area; in summer it serves hikers and mountaineers.
In summer 2026 glacier skiing closed on 1 August, while the cable car stayed open (our article on this, in Italian). Lift page.
Marmolada cable car (Malga Ciapela)
Three sections from 1,450 m to Punta Rocca at 3,265 m: the highest point in the Dolomites you can reach by lift. At the Serauta mid-station there is a First World War museum carved into the rock.
The glacier you see from the top has shrunk dramatically in the last ten years. If you go for the view from old postcards, you will be disappointed; if you go for the panorama of the Sella, the Pale di San Martino and the Brenta, you will not. Lift page.
Tofana cable car: Freccia nel Cielo (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
Built in 1939 and renovated several times, the Freccia nel Cielo (the ‘Arrow in the Sky’) climbs from Cortina (1,778 m) to Cima Tofana (3,244 m) in three sections, with 5,300 m of line.
The Ra Valles mid-station (2,470 m) is the viewpoint over the Cortina basin. The top section only runs in summer and in the busiest periods of the winter season. The Tofana slopes hosted the women’s downhill races at the 2026 Olympics. Lift page.
Lagazuoi cable car (Falzarego Pass)
From the pass (2,105 m) to Rifugio Lagazuoi (2,752 m) in a few minutes, on 2,150 m of line built in 1969. At the top: a terrace facing the Tofane, Pelmo and Marmolada, and the First World War tunnels, which you walk down with a helmet and torch.
In winter it is the start of the Armentarola run, 8.5 km down to the Capanna Alpina. Lift page.
Rosetta cable car (Pale di San Martino)
From Col Verde (2,018 m) to the Rosetta (3,269 m), on 4,480 m of line: in twenty minutes you go from forest to the Pale plateau, a rocky desert at 2,600-2,700 m.
It runs in summer and winter. The top station is the starting point for Rifugio Rosetta, a ten-minute walk away. Lift page.
Seceda cable car (Ortisei)
From Ortisei (1,236 m) to Seceda (2,518 m), changing at Furnes. The Seceda ridge with the Odle peaks behind it is the most photographed sight in the Dolomites.
In summer it is worth taking one of the first rides of the morning, before the tour groups arrive. Easy trails lead to Pieralongia and Rifugio Firenze. Lift page.
Sass Pordoi cable car (Pordoi Pass)
From the Pordoi Pass (2,239 m) to the Sass Pordoi terrace (2,950 m) in four minutes. Built in 1947, it is the oldest lift on this list still doing the same job.
From the top you can walk to Piz Boè (3,152 m) in an hour and a half; the easy alternative is Rifugio Maria, right outside the station. Lift page.
Kronplatz gondola (Brunico)
From Riscone (935 m) to the summit of Kronplatz (Plan de Corones, 2,275 m): a 4,300 m Leitner gondola built in 2011, carrying 2,400 people an hour.
At the top: the Messner Mountain Museum Corones designed by Zaha Hadid, the Lumen Museum and the Concordia peace bell. It is the easiest ride of all: you start from the village, with parking and the train station a few minutes away. Lift page.
Presena cable car (Tonale Pass)
From Passo Paradiso (2,138 m) to the Presena Glacier (3,013 m), on 4,278 m of line. In winter it serves the highest slopes in Lombardy; in summer it is one of the few glaciers you can reach by cable car without walking.
On the Presena, as on Plateau Rosa, summer skiing depends on each year’s temperatures. Lift page.
Alagna - Pianalunga cable car (Monterosa Ski)
From Alagna (1,630 m) to Pianalunga (2,600 m), on 4,530 m of line. It is the Piedmont gateway to Monterosa Ski, with views of the east face of Monte Rosa: 2,500 m of rock and ice above Macugnaga.
It is a lift for skiers and freeriders, but in summer it takes you to the trails of the Col d’Olen and Rifugio Pastore. Lift page.
Etna cable car (Rifugio Sapienza)
From 1,920 m to 2,606 m on the southern slopes of the volcano: black lava, secondary craters and, on clear days, the Ionian Sea all the way to Calabria.
It is open all year, and guided excursions to the summit craters leave from the top station in off-road vehicles. It is not an alpine cable car and there are no ski runs in summer, but nothing else in Europe compares with the setting. Lift page.
Renon cable car (Bolzano)
The only one on this list that starts in a city: from Bolzano station to Soprabolzano (1,200 m) in 12 minutes, with a departure every 4 minutes and a public transport ticket.
At the top you will find the little Renon railway and the famous earth pyramids. It is the cheapest scenic ride in Italy and it runs all year. Lift page.
Monte Baldo cable car (Malcesine)
From Lake Garda (86 m) to Monte Baldo (1,780 m), with rotating cabins on the second section and 4,525 m of line. It has the biggest vertical rise on this list relative to its starting altitude.
In summer it is crowded; in spring and autumn you ride up with little waiting. In winter there are short ski runs and views over the lake. Lift page.
Stresa - Alpino - Mottarone cable car
From Lake Maggiore (403 m) to the Mottarone (1,491 m) in two sections, on 3,155 m of line. From the top you can see seven lakes and, on clear days, Monte Rosa.
Before planning a trip, check the official website for the lift’s operating status: it was out of service for a long time after the 2021 accident. At the Alpino mid-station is the Alpinia botanical garden. Lift page.
Cinque Torri cable car (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
From Bai de Dones (2,053 m) to Rifugio Scoiattoli (2,366 m), on 2,817 m of line built in 2018. It gives access to the open-air First World War museum among the Cinque Torri and to the trails towards Nuvolau and Averau. In winter it links the Lagazuoi with the Cortina ski area. Lift page.
When to go
- Summer (June-September): visibility is best early in the morning; after 11:00 heat clouds cover the peaks. Queues are shorter on weekdays.
- Winter: the ski lifts (Seceda, Marmolada, Kronplatz, Presena) run at full capacity, while the purely scenic ones (Skyway, Etna, Renon, Monte Baldo) have few visitors and low light for photos.
- Avoid: the maintenance closures between late April and early June, and between mid-October and late November. Each lift page links to the official website with its calendar.
What to check before you go
- The lift’s status on the official website the day before: wind and maintenance stop cable cars without warning.
- The temperature at the top: there is often a difference of 15-20 degrees between the valley and the top station. Our weather pages give the forecast at three altitudes.
- Your ticket: for Skyway and the Aiguille du Midi, booking online saves queuing; for the others you buy at the ticket office or use your ski pass.
For the full list of lifts in every resort, with lengths and altitudes from OpenStreetMap, see the cable cars by resort section.
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