May the 23rd, 2023 - Following months of delays, issues, closures and the like, the Sljeme cable car finally got up and running, promising to be one of the capital's top attractions. The profitability of the cable car has now been called into question.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, last year, i.e. in the first year of it being in actual operation, the Sljeme cable car transported 356,417 passengers in total. When we realise and understand that one of the most expensive cable cars in all Europe was opened on February the 23rd of that year, and that it was closed for 52 days undergoing repairs or because of bad weather conditions, we arrive at a figure of 259 working days last year. This results in a figure of slightly more than 1376 passengers per day.

When these figures are put into context with the maximum hourly capacity of 1,500 passengers in 84 gondolas, it becomes clear why the Sljeme cable car, which carries a price of 537 million kuna without VAT, has long been labeled a megalomaniac project and a monument to the rule of the late mayor Milan Bandic and HDZ in Zagreb, writes tportal.

According to ZET data, the revenue of the Sljeme cable car in those 259 days stood at about one million euros, or 3,861 euros per day, while at the same time, the costs for the employees, without those for maintenance and energy, were all at the same level. Until the year 2034, the City of Zagreb will pay slightly less than six million euros for it from the budget. This amount refers to the capital cost of the Sljema cable car, and 50 percent of its operating costs will be allocated from the city budget itself.

It's worth recalling that in the first two months of the Sljeme cable car's operation, it wasn't possible for people to transport bicycles, but after this possibility was introduced, more than 7,500 one-time tickets for bicycles have been sold to date. Considering the many requests, especially from downhill biking fans who love to cycle down Sljeme, from May the 6th, ZET introduced daily and annual tickets for cyclists.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated news section.

April the 18th, 2022 - The Sljeme cable car, which has been plagued with issues and been open then closed, is now open once again. This time, the new Zagreb attraction has a new service for its users.

As Vecernji List/Dario Topic writes, the Sljeme cable car (Zicara Sljeme) was opened and then closed down, and has now been reopened once again. The now up and running Sljeme cable car, which is back in action following some additional noise reduction has new offers for its users - new working hours and a brand new service.

Given the warmer weather of spring and significantly longer days, which will certainly encourage more and more residents and guests of the City of Zagreb to take the Sljeme cable car up the mountain into nature and enjoy various outdoor activities offeed, the new working hours of the cable car are on weekdays from 10:00 to 19:00, and on weekends, holidays and public holidays from 09:00 to 07:00.

In addition to the above, having listened to the needs and suggestions of both recreational and professional cyclists, who have shown great interest in transporting their bicycles up onto Sljeme using the cable car, those in charge are pleased to announce that this service has now been made available, as reported by ZET.

In addition to purchasing a regular ticket, cyclists will have access to an additional ticket for the transport of their bicycles in the amount of just 20 kuna in one direction. In one single cable car, it is possible to transport two people and two bicycles. Passengers entering the cable car itself by bicycle are obliged to pay attention so as not to damage the equipment or endanger other users when riding the Sljeme cable car, and in order to be transported safely to their destination on Zagreb's famous mountain.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

February 28th, 2022 - Due to great interest in night skiing on Sljeme, ZET has extended the working hours of the cable car on Tuesdays and Thursdays

Night skiing on Sljeme is back! Last week, the ski resort on Medvednica mountain brought back the popular evening slots on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 PM to 10 PM.

On Tuesday, March 1st, Sljeme will also host a costumed ski night to mark the last day of the carnival season.

A competition for the best costumes will be held, with the ski resort staff tasked with selecting the winners in two categories (children and adults).

The best costumes in both categories will win three days of free skiing on Sljeme, those who rank second will get two day passes, and the third place will be rewarded with a one day pass. The winners will be announced at 9:45 PM at the top exit from the Trosjed triple chairlift.

Two ski runs are open for night skiing: Crveni (Red) slope with a triple lift, and the Bijela Livada (White meadow) slope equipped with a T-bar ski lift.

Tickets for night skiing cost 70 kuna for adults, 40 kuna for children aged 15 or less, and 50 kuna for persons over the age of 65. Visitors are kindly reminded to adhere to all epidemiological measures that are in effect. 

Given the great interest in night skiing on Sljeme, ZET has adjusted the operating schedule of the Sljeme cable car. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the cable car will be running from 9 AM to 9:30 PM. Along with the bus line 140 (Mihaljevac - Sljeme), citizens will now also have the cable car at their disposal, which can take them from Gračanski dol to the top of Sljeme in about 20 minutes.

Even though the slopes are open until 10 PM for night skiing, the last cable car gondola must depart from the upper station on Sljeme no later than 9:30 PM, in accordance with the work permit.

Sljeme Ski Lifts and Slopes Facebook

February 22nd, 2022 - The opening ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow, with the regular cable car service starting from Thursday

Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević announced at a press conference that the Sljeme cable car will start working this week, specifically on February 24th. 

‘This is a project we inherited and we did everything in our power to finish it and put it into use. I can now say that the last work permit for the cable car was obtained yesterday. The cable car will have a ceremonial launch tomorrow. It will be open to the public starting from this Thursday’, said Tomašević.

As reported by Poslovni Dnevnik, the mayor announced that the cable car will operate from 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays, and from 8 AM to 6 PM on weekends.

Tomašević also said that the total cost of the cable car project currently amounts to 537 million kuna, and that the information frequently shared in the media mentioning figures over 700 million kuna include VAT which should not be taken into consideration.

‘There will never be any profit from the cable car’, said Tomašević and shared more information in regards to ticket prices. There are three pricing categories, and the tickets will have promotional prices for a while after the cable car starts operating. 

The first category includes those citizens who hold a ZET monthly pass, as the cable car is part of the public transport network. The ZET company is the investor and the manager of the cable car. This category will have the lowest ticket prices: 30 kuna for one-way tickets and 50 kuna for return tickets.

Tomašević pointed out that prices will increase after the promotional period ends.

The second category includes all Zagreb residents, as it’s them who will pay off the investment through the city budget. In this category, one-way tickets for adults will cost 40 kuna and the return tickets 70 kuna. Tickets for older children and the elderly will cost 25 kuna one-way and 40 kuna for the return ticket, whereas young children and people with disabilities will use the cable car free of charge.

The third category includes all passengers who aren’t residents of Zagreb and don’t have a ZET pass, and as such will be paying the full price to ride the cable car. One-way tickets for adults will cost 75 kuna and return tickets 125 kuna. Older children and the elderly will be paying 50 kuna for one way tickets and 75 kuna for return tickets, and tickets for young children and people with disabilities will cost 20 kuna one way and 30 kuna for the return.

February the 13th, 2022 - Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomasevic has discussed the ongoing topic of the Sljeme cable car which has faced numerous obstacles when it comes to noise complaints and obtaining all of the proper permits. This would-be new attraction for the City of Zagreb would allow visitors to experience the nature it has on offer in addition to the bustling city which has attracted more and more foreign visitors over more recent years.

The cable car, which would transport residents and visitors to the Croatian capital alike up the mountain which towers behind it, still isn't quite out of the paperwork woods yet, however.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, after the Sljeme cable car finally received the green light from the Sanitary Inspection, Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomasevic announced that it should be open by the end of February, if all of the necessary permits are finally in proper order by then.

"At the beginning of next week, a permit for use should be issued, followed by a report on the safety of the Sljeme cable car by the end of the week, and then a work permit issued by the Ministry of Transport will follow," Tomasevic said.

However, as an additional 1.7 million kuna will be invested in the Sljeme cable car for noise reduction, following one complaint which saw a permit rejected in the not so distant past, Tomasevic announced that it will be open to the public during its promotional hours, and then it will be closed for a week to carry out any additional work before opening properly for for good.

“Some of the work can only be done while the Sljeme cable car is not working. If the administrative deadlines are met, it will be closed after the promotional period, and then reopened and will work regularly after that,'' explained Tomasevic.

For more, make sure to check out our lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 10 Feb 2022 - Public health inspectors from the State Inspectorate have granted consent for the issue of an operating licence for the Žičara Sljeme cable car system on Mount Sljeme overlooking Zagreb, following the implementation of the necessary noise protection measures, the Inspectorate said on Thursday.

The cable car system was to have been opened in the first half of 2021, but the licence was denied because it was too noisy. The city administration has in the meantime announced investment of an additional HRK 1.7 million to further reduce the noise.

After a technical inspection of the cable car was carried out last Friday, Mayor Tomislav Tomašević said on Tuesday he expected the State Inspectorate to issue a positive opinion on the cable car, after which the operating licence is to be issued by the Transport Ministry.

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January the 22nd, 2022 - Could Sljeme adrenaline parks and bike paths, as well as much more, ever come to be? This idea for year-round fun on the mountain which towers of the City of Zagreb has certainly attracted public attention.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Suzana Varosanec wrires, Sljeme adrenaline parks at two locations at the bottom of Crveni spust in the area of ​​the ski Complex within the Medvednica Nature Park, bike paths and a permanent bobsled track were ideas which were all brought to the public's keen attention by a current debate on the ski complex on Medvednica.

Known for the famous ski competition "Snow Queen", this gorgeous mountainous area above the Croatian capital opens up new opportunities for recreation enthusiasts because it creates spatial and planning prerequisites for the spatial, purposeful and technological expansion of the ski area into a unique ski-wire system with other accompanying facilities.

The Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Property, which is responsible for drafting the entire plan, says that the improvement of the excursion and recreational function as the primary function of the Medvednica Nature Park is the goal of drafting these amendments. They say that it is about enabling the improvement and development of recreational and sports facilities throughout the year.

The timing of this public debate, as well as all of the preparations for new projects and interventions, is difficult to currently assess, because the process of drafting spatial plans doesn't actually determine the financial aspect or the procedure of the further implementation of the intervention, which the department responsible duly noted.

Therefore, in the public speaking phase, proposals and opinions are being collected until February the 8th, 2022, followed by the preparation of a report, part of the timetable envisaged by the Croatian Government's decision from back in 2020.

The study and summary of the spatial plan can be found and read on the competent ministry's website, the Institute for Physical Planning of the City of Zagreb is the expert author of the UPU amendment, and a public presentation was held yesterday at the competent ministry.

The current UPU planned for a route for summer tobogganing on the Red, Green, Blue and White downhill trails on Sljeme which would have be around 1824 metres long, designed as a single-pipe assembly-disassembly structure that could have been installed or dismantled with the changing of the summer and winter seasons.

That idea sadly didn't come to life as it was assessed as technically non-functional and burdensome for the space. The new solution defines a new route and the area of ​​the toboggan run route which would be called "Sljemeski bob", with new technical and performance solutions (building of the upper and lower station in the function of bobsleigh), without additional environmental impact.

Areas for the arranging and building/reconstruction of buildings in the function of ski resorts include the upper stations of Crveni and Zeleni spust: a four-seater cable car is planned at the location of today's Zeleni spust lift, with the extension of the route to the bottom of Plavi spust. Sljeme adrenaline parks and bike paths, as well as an overall improvement in the ski offer above Zagreb would certainly allow for the boosting of year round tourism as more and more international visitors discover the bustling Croatian capital.

For more, check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

January 6, 2022 - The men's slalom Snow Queen Trophy on Sljeme has been canceled for the second consecutive day.

The first run started at 1 pm, but after 19 skiers and several interruptions due to track repairs, the race was ultimately canceled, reports HRT.

Only 19 of the 61 skiers went down the track on Thursday, and the International Ski Federation (FIS) decided to cancel the race. Representatives of the Croatian Ski Federation and the Croatian national ski team agreed that fighting against unfavorable weather conditions was not possible.

Unlike Wednesday, when there was not enough snow due to the south wind, the Wednesday to Thursday evening was attacked by more than enough snow, which created holes in certain parts of the track. All of this led to four interruptions in the space of an hour during the first run.

Norwegian Sebastian Foss-Solevaag, the leading slalom skier in the World Cup, opened today's race and took the lead. In second was Swiss Ramon Zenhäsern 49 hundredths of a second behind Foss-Solevaag, and in third Frenchman Clement Noel who was 58 hundredths of a second behind.

After 14 skiers started, the race was briefly interrupted to fix the track. Swede Kristoffer Jakobsen then went down the track, holding the leading position in the slalom standings with Foss-Solevaag (140 points), but reached the finish line only tenth (+2.22). A new break followed before the best Croatian skier Filip Zubčić started, who reached the finish line after a big mistake and a lag of 4.93 seconds.

Several more interruptions followed, and ultimately the final cancellation of the race.

The Sljeme slalom is the third race in this discipline for skiers. Sebastian Foss-Solevaag and Kristoffer Jakobsen led with 140 points each. Zubčić came fifth with 75 points.

In the first slalom of the season in Val d'Isere, Clement Noel won ahead of Jakobsen and Zubčić, while in Madonna di Campiglio, Foss-Solevaag won, and Zubčić took 16th place.

After Zagreb, the caravan of skiers moves to Adelboden, where the giant slalom and slalom will be held on Saturday and Sunday.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

January 5, 2022 - Poor track conditions, especially in the lower part with strong winds, forced the World Ski Organization (FIS) to cancel the Snow Queen Trophy day 2 on Sljeme.

For now, the possibility of moving the race to Thursday is being considered, though it is questionable considering that the giant slalom in Adelboden is already on Saturday.

The organizers tried to postpone the start of the race, but in the end, they decided that they would not be able to go on. 

No matter how much effort the organizers put in to keep the ground solid, the exceptionally high temperatures over the past few days have taken their toll and jeopardized the race, and eventually, its cancellation.

The latest information about the Sljeme race was revealed to HTV by Vedran Pavlek.

"FIS representatives did not support the organizers' efforts from the early morning; they came very negatively in the morning. We did everything possible; the trail was in excellent condition. The wind stopped exactly around 12 or 1 pm; around 2:15 pm, the northeast wind started. We were looking for patience. When we started number one, the track was already 10 inches harder. The trail was getting firmer, but they did not want to accept what was there. The race is planned for tomorrow, the first run at 1 pm, the second at 4:10 pm. Snow is coming tonight, and it'll be -2; it should be freezing. We need to find time, but we are on the right track," Pavlek believes.

He pointed out that the FIS representatives did not have the patience:

"There was not enough patience. We grew up on this mountain. The forecast for five days showed a rapid drop in temperature. It just took patience and confidence."

What are the odds of racing tomorrow?

"Plan B is quite safe; we have the support of the FIS, they gave us the green light, now it's just a matter of television companies. Representatives of the national teams gave excellent support; some were negative. But that's not the topic; you don't need to ask the coaches about it; slalom is not dangerous, it's not downhill, lives are not in danger. We are working on plan B, and I believe we will succeed. See you tomorrow," concluded Pavlek.

This was supposed to be the 13th edition of the men's slalom for the Snow Queen Trophy. Depending on the weather and the conditions on the track, we will see if the men's slalom race will go on at all this year.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

January 4, 2022 - Day one of the Snow Queen Trophy was held on Tuesday for the women's World Cup slalom, in which Slovak skier Petra Vlhova celebrated!

Slovak skier Petra Vlhova celebrated the Snow Queen Trophy World Cup slalom on Sljeme in Zagreb on Tuesday. Croatia's best skier Leona Popović finished seventh for the best result in her career, reports HRT.

Leona Popović was 14th in the first run and reached the first top 10 in her career in the second run, 3.05 seconds behind first. The 24-year-old from Mrkopalj placed 14th in Levi as the best result of her career until now. 

The leading slalom skier in the world, Vlhova, took advantage of the number one start and was the fastest to cross the first run of the Sljeme Red Slope in harsh conditions on a trail covered with leaves, high temperatures, and strong southern winds. In the second run, the Slovak skier kept the advantage and celebrated for the third consecutive time on Sljeme.

The second place was won by the four-time Sljeme winner, American Mikaela Shifrin, who just returned to the World Cup competition in Zagreb, eight days after testing positive for coronavirus. In third was Austrian Katharina Liensberger (+2.11)

Zrinka Ljutić started as the 40th in the first run, and after a very good first pass, she made a mistake and gave up, while Andrea Komšić's lag of 4.78 seconds was still too big to enter the second run. As a result, she was 32nd, only 31 hundredths of a second behind 30th. 

Vlhova leads with 480 points ahead of Shiffrin (340) in the slalom standings, while Popović came in twelfth place with 95 points. Shiffrin leads the overall standings with 830 points, 115 more than Vlhova, while Leona is 39th.

Due to epidemiological reasons, there are no spectators on Sljeme this year. 

The men's slalom will take place in Zagreb on Wednesday.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.