Top of Technology
In the Bernese Oberland, in the immediate vicinity of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, the tourism infrastructure has been modernized in a remarkable way with a new V-Cableway. The latest technologies such as ALL-IP, IoT, PoE, WLAN, 5G, and digital signage have been in use on-site since December 2020.
Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe. The Jungfrau Region with the majestic backdrop of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau peaks, glaciers, steep ski slopes, hiking trails, mountain railways, and cableways: This destination in the heart of the Swiss Alps has been attracting travelers, adventurers, sports lovers and artists from all over the world for over 100 years.
The Jungfraujoch alone, with the world’s highest railway station, attracts one million visitors a year. Until now, you had to spend a lot of time reaching Top of Europe and sometimes book a seat on the train well in advance. The trip on the historic mountain railways via Kleine Scheidegg is nice and leisure. But now, there is a faster option.
Forty-seven minutes faster
That all changed in December 2020, when the new Eiger Express operated by Jungfraubahnen went into operation on schedule. It shortens the trip to Top of Europe by 47 minutes. The journey from Grindelwald Terminal to the Eiger Glacier now takes just 15 minutes.
The Eiger Express is the new top tricable gondola in the Alps. It travels at a record speed of eight meters per second from the new terminal in Grindelwald to the Eiger Glacier mountain station. This intermediate plateau is where passengers can connect to the Jungfrau railway if they want to.
En route, you soar along the legendary north face of the Eiger like an eagle. The fully automated cabins feature WLAN, air conditioning, heated seats, heated panoramic windows, and the design of a sports car. The power is supplied by generators in the rollers. The international iF Forum Design presented the cabins of the Eiger Express with the Red Dot Award – for their «timeless elegance» and «unparalleled functionality».
Two GPS-controlled screens show passengers live what can be seen from all angles. Modern information technology adds a virtual component to the cable car ride, making the trip on the Eiger Express a multimedia experience.
Digitalization in tourism
Jungfraubahnen also made the quantum leap towards digitized tourism operations in the valley and mountain stations in a very impressive manner. Technologies that currently leave nothing to be desired are being used in the state-of-the-art terminal in Grindelwald – known as the «Best Terminal in the Alps» – and on the Eiger Glacier. Based on the R&Mfreenet cabling system, Jungfraubahnen uses, for example:
- ALL-IP: The building technology communicates via Ethernet/IP and LAN. This is how smart buildings with the Internet of Things (IoT) come into being. The advantage: Building automation with standardized digital protocols simplifies building management.
- PoE: The data network supplies power to terminal equipment such as cameras, antennas, and locking systems (Power over Ethernet). The advantage: one single type of cabling for everything.
- Digital signage: Display surfaces receive information live via the LAN. The advantage: Visitor flows can be managed centrally, ad hoc and to suit demand.
- WLAN: 250 access points in the terminal ensure seamless network access. The advantage: Guests can access the Internet everywhere for free on their smartphones.
- 5G: The network infrastructure is 5G ready. There’s nothing stopping high-speed radio now.
Top performance in a megaproject
Anyone who takes on the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau has to deliver top performance – something once again confirmed by the multi-generational project for the new V-Cableway, the name of the overall project. Nobody was going to be stopped by storms, snow, frost, or a pandemic. There were times at the Eiger Glacier when concreting was carried out in shifts of 24 hours, six days a week. Logistics required exact timing in 48-hour chunks.
After 908 days of construction, the Eiger Express went into operation a week earlier than planned. Previously, the new Männlichen cableway and part of the terminal had been completed as a mobility center.
Jungfraubahnen invested around 470 million Swiss francs in the V-Cableway project. The megaproject secures the future of tourism in the region. Even in the digital era, the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau can look forward to enthusiastic guests.
The V-Cableway project shows that networks can be installed smoothly even under extreme conditions. The prerequisites for this are the exemplary identification of the teams involved with the project, enthusiasm, and smooth, efficient communication.
Reasons for choosing R&M
- Universally usable cabling system
- Customer-appropriate portfolio
- Customer-specific manual for all parties
- Trust and reliable communication
- Flexible, fast response within the project
- Logistics under extreme conditions
Top technologies
From Grindelwald to the Jungfraujoch, Jungfraubahnen is deploying digital technology for:
- Automated boarding
- Digital signage, signposting
- Infotainment, information on the pistes
- Cabin communication
- Access control
- Ski pass management
- Ticket machines, cash registers
- CCTV
- WLAN, Internet access
- Building automation
- Telephony, company radio
- 4G/5G coverage indoors
Project partners
- Building owner/end user: Jungfraubahnen AG
- Electrical planning/project management: elektroplan Buchs & Grossen AG, Frutigen
- Installation of Grindelwald base terminal: Frey + Cie, Interlaken
- Installation of the Eiger Glacier station: Elektro Hunziker, Thun
- Installation of the Männlichen cableway: Consortium: Aeschimann Elektro AG, Wilderswil; Elektro Seiler, Bönigen; Elektro Wyler AG, Interlaken
Facts about the Eiger Express
- Grindelwald terminal 943 m
- Eiger Glacier station 2,320 m
- Difference in altitude 1,385 m
- Distance 6,483 m
- Journey time 15 min
- 44 cabins, one VIP cabin
- Capacity 2,200 persons/h
- Construction time 908 days
- The first cable car to combine fully automatic passenger and freight operations
R&M manual
During the project, Jungfraubahnen optimized plans as necessary. For example, twice as many WLAN access points and 100 more digital signage displays were required for the terminal in Grindelwald than planned. Network planners, installers, and R&M were able to react flexibly at all times thanks to the close cooperation.
The R&M manual was a decisive factor for success: It specifies and standardizes the material for structured cabling for Jungfraubahnen. A quick look at the manual is all it takes to identify and order the right products. The manual also shows how the Cat. 6A EL modules from R&M are wired and what needs to be taken into account during measurements for formal acceptance. This eliminates time-consuming steps for evaluation, ordering, and work preparation.
Urs Siegenthaler, CIO at Jungfraubahnen, and Bruno Perren from elektroplan Buchs & Grossen AG confirm: «The R&M model with the customer-specific manual has proved its worth.»
Urs Siegenthaler: «The manual ensures that the same material is used everywhere.» Bruno Perren adds: «Our team benefited from standardization. The manual was used virtually every day.» Only the PoE infrastructure required more intense planning to precisely calculate the switch locations and the electrical power.
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