Funicular Ritom-Piora

It’s a funicular that will make your head spin! With a gradient of 87.8%, it is one of the steepest funiculars in the world open to the public. The Ritom funicular was built in 1917 in conjunction with the construction of the FFS hydroelectric plant of the same name and has been open to the public since 1921. Over a route of 1,369 meters, it overcomes a difference in altitude of 786 meters, quickly reaching the upper station of Piora at 1,793 meters above sea level. Its transport capacity is 150 people per hour in each direction.

From the upper station, you can set off on numerous hikes—the Piora Valley is a natural spectacle like no other. The Ritom Lake educational trail, for example, offers the chance to discover the nature, flora, fauna, landscape, and human presence around the stunning setting of Ticino’s largest mountain lake.

Ritom is a wonderful host: it awaits you with plenty of sporting as well as culinary activities. A good glass of wine, local cheeses, and other mountain products in the typical Ticino huts are never missing after a day filled with sunshine and fresh air. The funicular is open during the summer season, usually from May to October.

Departure: Piotta (1,010 m a.s.l.)
Arrival: Piora (1,796 m a.s.l.)