Funicular of NH Hotel Prague, Inclined elevator at NH Hotel in Smíchov, Czech Republic
The funicular at NH Hotel is an inclined elevator system that connects two sections of the hotel building in Smíchov. The red cabin travels along a 156-meter track, spanning a height difference of 51 meters between the two levels.
The system was installed in 1996 as part of the original Mövenpick Hotel, during a period when the country was opening up after the political changes of the late 1980s. It reflects the wave of international investment that swept through Prague in the years following these transformations.
The system connects two sections of the hotel in a straightforward way and shows how modern buildings adapt to Prague's hilly terrain. Visitors notice how the red cabin fits naturally into the hotel complex without being intrusive.
The cabin holds up to 16 passengers and operates automatically throughout the day, making the journey in about 1.5 minutes. The system is well maintained and easily accessible to hotel guests who need to move between the two building levels.
The design was created by Austrian company Doppelmayr, which blended cable-transport technology with modern elevator engineering. This hybrid approach combining funicular and monorail elements represents a clever technical solution to the hotel's elevation challenge.
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