Åre Bergbana – 800 meters of history

Åre Bergbana, Åre’s funicular is one of 90 monumental structures in Jämtland County. It was inaugurated in 1910 and runs from Åre Square to Hotel Fjällgården which lies at 556 meters above sea level.

Åre Bergbana is an 800-meter-long lift with a wagon on each end with a connecting iron cable. The track is driven by an electric motor which is located in the upper station house. The two carriages leave at the same time, one from the mountain station and the other from the valley station and the lower carriage is counterweight to the upper one. The two wagons meet at the middle station formerly known as Fjällängen (parallel height to Tott Hotell).

A Funicular with grand vision

Åre was to become Sweden’s Davos – an international winter sports resort that could measure up with the big ones. Thanks to the railway’s entry into the late 1800s and great visionaries in the early 1900s, the foundation was laid for the tourism and the Åre we see today. One of the great visionaries was the engineer Carl Olof Rahm who was also the man who made sure that the track became to be.

The funicular that starts at Åre Square and rises 200 fall height meters up to the Hotell Fjällgården was supposed to be built further up the mountain. But, those plans were never implemented and today they have the same stretch and function as one hundred years ago with the only difference being that it is now open year around.

Lift baskets up to Hummeln

The planned second stage of the track, from Hotell Fjällgården on Östra Platån up to Mörvikshummeln, 865 meters above sea level could not be carried out for financial reasons. In 1953, so-called basket line tracks were built in two stages up to the Mörvikshummeln before the Alpine World Ski Championships in Åre in 1954.

Åre Museum

In the upper station of Bergbanan you will find a small museum showcasing the local culture history. Åre Museum was inaugurated in 2013 in this historical building and tells the story how Åre evolved from a farming village to an internationally known tourism destination. You will find objects and pictures telling stories about the Sámi people, the peasant community, the many health care guests coming for rehabilitating in the clean air, the significance of curling and bobsleigh for the development of Åre and much more.

Part of Skistar’s lift system

Today, the funicular is included in Skistars lift pass system and you can ride the funicular to and from Hotell Fjällgården, winter and summer. See timetable at skistar.com/are