5 Stunning Cable Cars in Russia That Will Take Your Breath Away
Vladimir Vinogradov August 11, 2024, 12:15 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
We have compiled places where you can enjoy the beauty of nature from above.
President of Pro-Vision, author of the Vinogradov.story community
“Cable cars are not only a convenient way to get to the top of a mountain or to the opposite bank of a river, but also an opportunity to enjoy stunning views. There are many cable cars in Russia, each of which has its own history and unique features. I will tell you about the five most interesting ones below.”
A trip for those who like to climb higher:
Russia’s 5 Highest Mountain Cities That Will Cure You From Digital Addiction
Nizhny Novgorod – Bor
The Nizhny Novgorod – Bor cable car, which connects the two banks of the Volga, was opened in 2012 and became the first cable car in Russia to be used for regular passenger service. Its length is 3,661 meters and its lifting height reaches 94 meters. To get from Nizhny to Bor, you will have to spend about 13 minutes at this altitude. It is much faster than on land. And the views from the cable car are breathtaking: if you sit in the cabin at the “golden hour”, it is easy to understand why Nizhny Novgorod is called the “capital of sunsets”.
Cable car “Nizhny Novgorod – Bor”
Photo by: RIA Novosti
Pyatigorsk — Mashuk
From its foot, one of the oldest cable cars in the country rises to the top of Mashuk Mountain: two carriages with a capacity of 20 people each. In three minutes, they take passengers to the most romantic and popular place in Pyatigorsk – the observation deck, from where a breathtaking panorama of the city opens up.
For more than 50 years, since its first trip in 1971, the cable car has occupied an honourable place on the list of Kavminvod attractions, along with Lake Proval, the site of Lermontov’s duel, the Narzan baths and the mineral pump rooms. And in good weather, the most important place in the Caucasus, Elbrus, can be seen from the top of the cable car, and this is another reason not to miss the trip.
Cable car “Pyatigorsk – Mashuk”
Photo by: RIA Novosti
“Milky Way” in Arkhyz
The Milky Way cable car is located in the village of Romantik in the Zelechuksky district of Karachay-Cherkessia. It is part of the Arkhyz ski resort and consists of two lines. The first stage, 1,798 metres long, runs from the lower station to the middle station. The second stage, 552 metres long, connects the middle and upper stations. The Milky Way takes tourists up and down the slopes all year round: in winter it serves the ski slopes, and in summer it takes passengers to observation platforms and health trails.
“Milky Way” in Arkhyz
Photo by: RIA Novosti
Krasnaya Polyana Cable Cars
When we talk about cable cars in Krasnaya Polyana, it is worth clarifying which ones we are talking about. This popular Sochi location connects three mountain resorts – Rosa Khutor, Gazprom Alpika and Krasnaya Polyana – each of which has its own infrastructure. Moreover, all cable cars go up to the same Aibga ridge, at an altitude of 2200-2300 meters above sea level.
Krasnaya Polyana offers three stages of a gondola cable car, as well as several chairlifts. Rosa Khutor has created a similar set. But Gazprom Alpik operates three types of cable cars: chairlift, eight-seat gondola and 3S with huge cabins that can accommodate 30 people at a time.
Which one to choose, everyone decides for themselves. In winter, it is worth focusing on the level of skiing and the corresponding slopes, in summer – on the availability of natural sites: the Mendelikha waterfall park, gorges, alpine meadows and rhododendron thickets. It is a special pleasure to ride an open chairlift in the golden autumn, during the velvet season, and appreciate the stunning diversity and brightness of natural colours from above.
Krasnaya Polyana
Photo: istockphoto.com / Dr_Verner
Miskhor – Ai-Petri
A three-kilometer cable car from the Miskhor coast to the top of Ai-Petri takes passengers to a height of 1,153 meters. The uniqueness of this road is that there is not a single support tower between the middle and upper stations; in terms of the length of the unsupported section, it is included in the Guinness Book of Records. And the angle of ascent is so steep that unsuspecting passengers can cover their ears along the way. However, this drawback is compensated by the inspiring views of the southern coast of Crimea: the pine forest of the Yalta Mountain Forest Reserve and Yalta itself.
Mount Ai-Petri
Photo: istockphoto.com/scaliger
If you love waterfalls, visit these places:
Top 5 Russian Waterfalls You Can Admire Forever
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