Brest cableway

The Brest cableway is an urban aerial tramway route over the Penfeld river in Brest, France, linking the inner downtown area to the Capucins neighborhood. The line is served by two enclosed cabins that glide on steel cables above the water and stop at fixed terminals on both banks.

The installation opened in November 2016 and became the first urban cableway designed for regular commuter travel in France. Its launch coincided with the redevelopment of former military grounds on the left bank of the Penfeld.

The cableway links two contrasting neighborhoods and reflects the ongoing transformation of the waterfront along the Penfeld. Passengers during the crossing experience a sweeping view over the harbor architecture and the rooftops of old Brest.

The cabins run at short intervals from early morning until late evening and complete the crossing over the river in roughly three minutes. Each cabin holds up to 60 passengers and is accessible to all travelers.

The system uses fourteen supercapacitors that recover energy during downward travel and release it again for subsequent upward journeys. This approach significantly reduces power consumption from the public grid.