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Trapani–Erice Cable Car
Aerial cableway in Sicily, Italy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Trapani–Erice Cable Car (Italian: Funivia Trapani–Erice) is an aerial cableway connecting the coastal city of Trapani with the hilltop town of Erice in Italy. The original cable car on the route was inaugurated in 1956 and was the first aerial cableway built in Sicily. The current system, inaugurated in 2005, operates as an automatic monocable gondola.
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History
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Plans for a cable car linking Trapani with Erice date back to 1927, although construction did not begin until the post-war period. During the construction of the original system, a fatal accident occurred in 1954 when a landslide at the worksite killed four workers: Mario Simonte (34), Giuseppe Bellia (17), Salvatore Ganci (32) and Angelo Amato (26). The incident has been commemorated locally, and proposals have been made to dedicate the former upper station to their memory.[1]
The original Trapani–Erice cable car was inaugurated in 1956, becoming the first aerial cableway built in Sicily. It connected Erice with the lower district of Casa Santa and remained in operation until the 1970s, carrying passengers between the historic town and the expanding urban area below.[2]
After the original cable car ceased operation, the infrastructure was largely abandoned. The former upper station near the historic centre of Erice has survived, together with mechanical and electrical components of the original installation, including parts of the drive system and auxiliary machinery. These remains have been described as significant examples of industrial archaeology, and proposals have been advanced to restore the site and repurpose it as a museum and visitor information centre.[2]
After more than two decades of inactivity, a new cable car system was authorised for public operation in July 2005 by the Sicilian regional transport authorities. The modern Trapani–Erice cable car was inaugurated on 8 July 2005, replacing the earlier installation with a substantially redesigned system intended to function as part of the local public transport network.[3]
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Operations
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The cable car is operated by Funierice Service S.r.l., a company jointly owned by the Municipality of Erice and the Libero Consorzio Comunale di Trapani.[4] The system operates as an automatic monocable gondola, with cabins seating up to eight passengers and a design capacity of approximately 1,000 passengers per hour. The line is just over 3 kilometres in length and links Trapani with Erice in a journey of around ten minutes. Its alignment broadly follows that of the earlier cable car installation dating from the 1950s, which had been dismantled several decades earlier.[5]
Service and maintenance
In May 2021, the cable car resumed service after a temporary suspension, following inspections by Italy’s transport safety authorities in the aftermath of the Stresa–Alpino–Mottarone Cable Car disaster. Enhanced maintenance and safety checks were carried out to comply with updated regulatory requirements and to confirm the continuation of service under the operating concession.[6]
At the beginning of 2024, the City of Erice announced that the cable car would reopen on 20 April following a compulsory twenty-year general overhaul required for safety compliance. The maintenance contract, valued at €3.828 million, was procured and coordinated by the municipality, with work planned over multiple years and subject to phased closures and inspections by the national transport safety authority.[7] In May 2024, the municipality announced the launch of a new official website for the cable car operator Funierice, providing updated information on services, timetables, ticketing and parking facilities.[8]
In 2025, the operator initiated a multi-year refurbishment of the cable car’s fleet of 42 eight-seat cabins, scheduled for completion by 30 September 2026 as part of the system’s compulsory long-term overhaul. The restoration work is being carried out in phases, with cabins refurbished in groups to allow continued public transport service during the project.[9]
Energy and sustainability
In 2015, a technical feasibility study examined the potential use of electricity generated by an on-site photovoltaic system as part of a broader strategy to improve sustainability and reduce operating costs. The study concluded that the integration of solar power could enhance service reliability, reduce dependence on the external electricity grid and lower long-term energy expenses, while supporting the cable car’s role as a low-impact transport system.[5]
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Gallery
The Trapani–Erice Cable Car, with two gondolas visible above the city of Trapani
Gondola of the Trapani–Erice Cable Car at sunset, with the province of Trapani in the background
References
External links
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