Cassarate–Monte Brè funicular, Mountain funicular in Lugano, Switzerland.
The Cassarate–Monte Brè funicular runs in two independent sections from Cassarate to the summit at 883 m. The first section to Suvigliana is 196 m long; passengers cross the road for the second, 1,403 m section, which passes through two tunnels of 73 m and 226 m and a 75 m viaduct, with stops at Albonago, Aldesago and Brè Villaggio.
A concession request for a two-section funicular from Cassarate to Monte Brè was filed on 9 November 1904 by Otto Birken, J. Wennips and E. Strub, partly to serve a planned hotel at Suvigliana. The lower section opened on 10 June 1908 and the upper section on 17 February 1912. Estimated costs were 150,000 francs for the first section and 410,000 for the second.
The upper section's cars, introduced in 1984, were given a nostalgic design and can carry 68 people, while the lower section's metal-bodied cars date from 1959 and hold 42. The Brè Villaggio stop connects to the village of Brè on the eastern flank by a one-kilometre path.
The cable car runs throughout the day with frequent departures, making it easy for hikers to go up and return on foot if they prefer. The stations are straightforward to access, so visitors of all mobility levels can make the journey.
The upper section passes through two tunnels, 73 and 226 metres long, and crosses a 75-metre viaduct on its way from Suvigliana to the summit. The Brè Villaggio stop does not sit in the village itself: a path of about one kilometre links it to Brè on the eastern flank.
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