Certaldo funicular, funicular in Certaldo, Italy

Certaldo funicular is an electric cable system that carries passengers up the steep hillside linking the lower town to the medieval settlement at the top. The route climbs through a relatively short journey that connects these two distinct areas of the town.

Construction began in 1985 but was interrupted, then resumed in 1997; the line was inaugurated on 20 July 1999 at a cost of about five billion lire. It was designed by the Roman engineer Achille Bonini using inclined-elevator technology, with a single 30-seat cabin built by Chinetti supplied by Cruciani Impianti. Management is entrusted to Autolinee Toscane.

The funicular's lower station occupies a pre-existing building, fitted into the historic fabric of the town, while the upper station at Porta Alberti has only automatic ticket machines and public toilets. The single 30-seat cabin, built by Chinetti, makes the climb in under a minute, and the operator on each shift also collects the parking fee.

The lower station sits in a building in Certaldo Basso, about 200 metres from the railway station, and has both staffed and automatic ticket counters; the upper station has only an automatic ticket machine and public toilets. Cars leave every 15 minutes, with extra runs when crowded, and the 128.5-metre ride takes under a minute. Service starts at 07:30 and ends between 19:30 and 01:00 depending on season and day.

The lower station occupies a pre-existing building, and a purpose-built earth embankment was placed under the track deck to keep the funicular from breaking the skyline of the walled borgo. The single 30-seat cabin, built by Chinetti, covers the 128.5-metre run in under a minute.