Home arrow Albanian tourism arrow New Funicular to Reduce Travel Time, Boost Tourism
New Funicular to Reduce Travel Time, Boost Tourism Print E-mail

02/08/2005
By Erlis Selimaj for Southeast European Times in Tirana

The new funicular connects the suburbs of Tirana with Dajti Mountain. [Erlis Selimaj]

Dajt Express cablecar making its first trip from Tirana to the top of DajtiA new funicular service, launched at the end of July, connects the suburbs of Tirana with Dajti Mountain, east of the capital. The 13-minute ride provides an alternative to driving -- which takes, on average, about an hour. It also offers a stunning, panoramic view of the city and the surrounding mountains.

Tirana Mayor Edi Rama, along with top government officials and members of the diplomatic corps, attended the opening ceremony on 28 July. The service, called "Dajti Express", is expected to boost the number of tourists, especially during the winter.

The horizontal length of the funicular is 4.182m. Its speed of movement is 0.3m to 6m per second, with a capacity of 360 people per hour. Passengers are seated in 21 glass gondolas, for a price of about 4 euros per ticket.

Construction of the funicular, one of the first investments of its kind in Albania, started in April 2003. The project was drawn up by the Institute of Studies and Forestry Projections, in co-operation with Austrian partners and the Italian-Albanian Bank, and was implemented by the Austrian company Doppelmayer. Total investment reached 6.5m euros.

In the past, funiculars were used in Albania only for transporting goods, and never for tourism. Experts say the service will not only increase Dajti Mountain's appeal by reducing travel time, but will also help keep it unpolluted.

Dajti Mountain (1612m high) is a national park that includes Mediterranean bush growth of two types: clear-cut borders separate the oaks and beeches. It offers numerous opportunities all year round for excursions and recreation. There are large areas of unspoiled nature on its slopes, as well as special services, such as hotels, tourist complexes and restaurants

Click here to see Dajti eskpres website designed  by Albanian tourist & Hotels Guide

SETimes
Published on SETimes (http://www.setimes.com)

.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 28 March 2006 )
 
< Prev   Next >
Advertise @ Albanian Hotels Guide

Albania General Info
Albania Geography
Map of Albania
Advertisments - Reklama
About United-Albania
About United Albania
Advertise here
Contact Us
... In the news
Albanian tourism
Polls
What do you want to have on United-Albania.com
 
We are in Top 10
top10adventures.gif

© 2024 Albanian Tourist Guide
Supported by E-orama.com, Web Usability & Search Engine Promotion