May the 6th, 2021 - If you've been following the news about Zagreb over the last few months, you'll more than likely have read about the proposed Sljeme cable car, the works on which have been continuing as normal. The project has been plagued with issues ever since its very conception, and now it has failed to get the proper permit to function due to noise.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Sanitary Inspection rejected the Sljeme cable car's permission because it didn't comply with the rules on excessive noise. Those responsible for the project have since been ordered to promptly fix the problem before making another application, 24sata unofficially found out from a source within the State Inspectorate.

To briefly recall, on Saturday in the technical inspection of the Sljeme cable car, the sanitary inspection of the State Inspectorate took place, which was set to give an opinion on excessive noise.

Namely, due to the report on noise measurement, the issuance of the ninth operating permit for the operation of the Sljeme cable car has been delayed, on which the Sanitary Inspection of the State Inspectorate and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure did not give an opinion.

Confusion has arisen around the following question: Is the opinion on noise in the field of transport infrastructure? The Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure said that "noise isn't in their domain" and instructed the City of Zagreb to seek the opinion of the Faculty of Transport Sciences, and the Sanitary Inspection of the State Inspectorate referred the City of Zagreb to the Ministry of Health - a rather classic Croatian tale for anyone who has tried to do, well, basically anything administrative here.

The City of Zagreb assessed the Sljeme cable car case as "deliberate procrastination, allegedly due to local elections".

An attempt at contact with the project manager of the Sljeme cable car was made, but the individual in question couldn't be reached. As has since been learned unofficially, the contractor will have to construct a noise barrier, which will further increase the cost of the entire project.

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February 14, 2021 – A resident of suburbs to the north of the Croatian capital today blocked the city's tramlines with a fence in protest over an unresolved City of Zagreb land dispute. He threatened to repeat the action over forthcoming days

Marijan Kos and his neighbours are seemingly sick of waiting. The City of Zagreb land dispute they and their families have been involved in has been dragging on for sixty years. Many have watched their neighbours die awaiting a resolution.

They are residents of the north Zagreb suburb of Gračani, just before Mount Medvednica and almost the northernmost point to where city trams travel. And they claim ownership of land over which the trams now pass. Nobody disputes their claim. But, following the compulsory confiscation of their property for passage of the tramway network, they have still not been reimbursed. So, this morning, Marijan Kos took matters into his own hands.

Carrying a prepared fence, another man and Mr Kos - who is president of the neighbourhood's local committee - stood on either side of the tram line to block an approaching tram. They waited for only 30 seconds before backing down, then allowed the driver and his passengers to continue on their way. The Zagreb land dispute protest was symbolic. This time.

How Croatian portal Index carried the story of today's Zagreb land protest on the tramlines © Index screenshot

"With today's action we want to warn the City of Zagreb of the property-legal problem that has not been resolved since 1959,” Mr. Kos told reporters who had gathered to witness the Zagreb land dispute protest. “Since that year, we've had a final decision by which ZET (the tram network operator) is obliged to compensate the inhabitants of Gračani for the land confiscated for the construction of the tram line from Mihaljevac to Gracanski Dolj. That's about 166 land registry entries (and) there are about the same number of owners - some have already died and had no heirs. We are talking about 68,926 square meters of land on both sides of the tram line.”

The tramline has run through the disputed land in Gracani for well over 50 years © Zagreb Facts

Mr. Kos invited the City to talk and uphold the standing agreement because, he says, it is in everyone's interest to resolve the matter in the best possible way. According to Vecernji List, who had a reporter at the scene, Mr. Kos reminded everyone that this tramline - once the mountain cable car opens - will become one of the main means of transport for all Zagreb residents and tourists to reach the top of Mount Medvednica.

Signalling that the Zagreb land dispute may escalate over forthcoming days, Mr. Kos went on to say; “We have prepared a fence and in the next few days we plan to install it and close the passage of trams if the City of Zagreb does not invite us to a meeting to try to solve this problem that has been dragging on for 50 years.”

January the 2nd, 2021 - The much anticipated Zagreb cable car was due to begin function on beautiful Sljeme which towers over the Croatian capital tomorrow, bringing a little bit of joy after a dire year which ended with tragic earthquakes. Of course, that won't happen.

In Croatia, the snail mail rule continues to apply, and it is unlikely to come as much of a surprise to anyone that the much talked about Zagreb cable car's opening time has bee delayed. The cable car will be located in an extremely beautiful natural ''escape'' area from the city, a paradise for cyclists and hikers, and which is also home to the Snow Queen skiing event. We wrote recently how despite not having even been officially opened for use yet, it already unfortunately required repairs.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, works on the upcoming Zagreb cable car are currently underway on the individual steel-reinforced cable cars, and despite the announcements that the Snow Queen skiing event will be the premiere ''crowning'' of the new Zagreb cable car on January the 3rd, 2021, this will not happen. As Radio Sljeme learned, the contractor, Doppelmeyer, has not yet submitted the documentation required for the issuance of usage permits.

As stated, currently, work is underway on each of the steel-reinforced cable cars, which the City of Zagreb requested as a supplement to the main project on the 25th of November 2020.

Technical inspections of the Brestovac substation and its intermediate station, as well as the upper and lower stations, are currently underway, which is why the opening of the brand new Zagreb cable car is being postponed for at least two weeks from now.

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December the 29th, 2020 - It's common knowledge that things tend to grind along at somewhat of a snail's pace in Croatia, and the much talked about Zagreb cable car which will certainly add more life to beautiful Sljeme which towers above the capital, isn't immune to this endemic slowness.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, apparently, the Zagreb cable car will not start running on January the 3rd, 2021, as was previously and proudly announced by Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic, 24sata reports, adding that the Zagreb cable car, although not really even entirely finished yet, already requires repairs. The problems began to occur during the process of obtaining all the documentation and the necessary permits for the Zagreb cable car, Jutarnji list writes, which shouldn't come as a shock to anyone who knows what trying to do even the most basic of things in Croatia is like.

In order to obtain a permit for use, it is necessary to perform a technical inspection, and after the permit is granted, a certificate is still required and needs to be issued by the relevant Ministry of Transport. Given the fact that the festive period is upon us and things run at an even slower speed, it is difficult to expect that everything will be done, dusted and up and running by January the 3rd, 2021.

In addition, as stated 24sata writes, even when the permits needed are issued, works will have to continue because repairs need to be done, that is, the steel structure of the roof of the upper station on Sljeme itself must be strengthened. Due to these additional works, the Zagreb cable car project, the associated costs of which have been constantly increasing and have now reached the staggering amount of 710 million kuna without VAT, could turn out to be even more expensive.

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ZAGREB, November 23, 2020 - The We Can! and Zagreb is Ours! political platforms on Monday filed a criminal report against Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic for abuse of office and power and for illegal favouritism related to the construction of the Sljeme cable car.

"According to the conspirator who sent a video to all media outlets with clear evidence, DORH (Office of the Chief State Prosecutor) and the USKOK anti-corruption office should already act ex officio. However, I am filing a criminal report against Bandic for abuse of office and power, graft and conspiracy to commit crimes" Councillor and MP Tomislav Tomasevic said.

That is not only Bandic's but also Andrej Plenkovic's cable car

He filed a criminal complaint also so that institutions would report to him on what they had done, he added.

"For this 13 unlucky years, the City of Zagreb has been waiting for the repair of the old Sljeme cable car or for a new one. The HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) even set the construction of a new cable car as a condition for forming a coalition with Milan Bandic. So this most expensive cable car in Europe is also HDZ's cable car, not only Bandic's, but also Andrej Plenkovic's cable car," he said.

Coordinator for cable car construction from Bandic's party

In addition to that, in 2016 Bandic appointed Vladimir Gruborovic, a member of the the Main Committee of Bandic's party, as the coordinator of the team for the construction of the cable car, which includes representatives of the City Administration and all city companies.

That is more than enough evidence, Tomasevic said.

September the 22nd, 2020 - When it comes to attractions on offer in the bustling Croatian capital, there's no shortage of things to do. For those of us who live in the city, being in the midst of it all and yet also being surrounded by nature provides an ideal balance. Sljeme, which towers above the city, offers everything from hiking opportunities to skiing in the winter. The Sljeme cable car will be yet another addition under Zagreb's belt.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 21st of September, 2020, the much anticipated Sljeme cable car is in its final phases of construction, with the new  ‘Sljeme Cable Car’ sign now having being placed at what will more than likely become an extremely popular site for both locals and visitors.

Let us remind you that the Sljeme cable car will be five kilometres long, it will have 84 cabins which will boast ten seats each. 1500 passengers will be able to be transported in one hour, and the ride to the upper station should take 16 minutes, at a speed of 20 km/h. The route of the new Sljeme cable car will be illuminated, covered by video surveillance and an audio system, while the cabins will be equipped with heated seats, lighting, wireless internet (Wi-Fi) and the preparation of installations for video surveillance.

The lower station building will be equipped with underground garages on two floors, with more than 200 parking spaces. The price of the Sljeme cable car in total stands at a massive 535 million kuna, and the price of one ride for citizens will be around 50 kuna. The first rides for citizens are expected from November the 1st, 2020.

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Sljeme is a favourite destination for many of Zagreb's residents. From skiing in the winter months to hiking and enjoying the views in the dense forests just above the Croatian capital in the summer months, what you can do on Zagreb's famous hill varies with the changing of the seasons. The Sljeme cable car, a project that was in the works for a very long time indeed, is yet another addition.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 17th of July, 2020, there will be about eighty gondolas placed at the Sljeme cable car, they will move six metres per second and will be able to carry 1,500 passengers in just one hour. The very first cabins of the Sljeme cable car, mounted on steel cables with which they will slide along, were installed over recent days.

One was photographed at the very top of Medvednica, which is the first time that a gondola has (almost) reached the height of the TV tower itself, given that the new Sljeme cable car route is one hundred metres longer than the old one was. One cabin is ready at the lower station, and the first test rides are along the route, as has been found out unofficially from the construction site, will begin at the end of August.

The opening of the Sljeme cable car itself is planned for All Saints' Day, according to a report from Vecernji list.

The new cabins, on the other hand, are 2.1 metres tall and two metres wide, they will accommodate a maximum of ten passengers at a time who will be able to sit on two folding benches. They will also be adapted for people in wheelchairs, and they will be able to accommodate stretchers for the injured.

Skiers and the like will be able store their equipment in special carriers, but there will be no such facilities for transporting bicycles, which will therefore be able to be transported in the gondola itself. The cabins were delivered by an Austrian company specialising in the construction of the Doppelmayr cable car, where all the equipment comes from. They arrived late, as the borders were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

For more on the Sljeme cable car and other things to do in the Croatian capital, follow Total Zagreb or check out Zagreb in a Page.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 27th of January, 2020, on May the 31st, 2020, after almost thirteen years of waiting, Zagreb's residents and visiting tourists will finally be able to sit in a cable car in Gračani and reach Sljeme, the summit of Medvednica, in just sixteen minutes. Just how much could a ticket for the Sljeme cable car cost?

According to as yet unofficial information, the local Zagreb portal Zagrebancija has published ''speculation that the return ticket for the Sljeme cable car will cost fifty kuna.''

The aforementioned portal also sought comments from various citizens, many of whom consider that price too expensive.

"I think that's too much. Firstly, the cost of constructing the Sljeme cable car is too expensive, and now, in addition to subsidising the construction, residents of Zagreb should also pay for an expensive ticket. I think the price should be the same as it is for a tram because if the goal is to reduce car traffic to Sljeme and increase the number of visitors, then the price of the Sljeme cable car ticket should be popular and not one that will do the opposite of motivate people to come up,'' commented one Zagreb citizen.

“In my opinion, this is too high a price considering how much the citizens of the City of Zagreb allocate for tax and surtax itself, and the very standard in Croatia itself. I think that about ten kuna would be more acceptable for every pocket,'' added another Zagreb resident.

"I think that's a lot, thirt kuna would be just about right," said the third resident, who agrees with others who deem fifty kuna to be too high of a price for the future Sljeme cable car tickets.

''Fifty kuna is a little too much. It should be a maximum of twenty five to thirty kuna.''

"That's too much, thirty kuna would be fine because it would be used then, and fifty kuna is too much for many people."

"We all fund it, so fifty kuna is too much. It should be twenty kuna. ”

The cost of the old Sljeme cable car ride was eleven kuna in one direction, and the most similar cable car to the new one is in Zagreb's Pohorje, where the return ride costs six euros, but that price is reduced for children, students and pensioners. On the other hand, a ride on the Sarajevo cable car to Trebevic costs twenty Bosnian convertible marks, or eighty kuna.

Make sure to follow our lifestyle page for more. If it's just Zagreb you're interested in, follow Total Zagreb or check out our dedicated Zagreb in a Page for all you need to know about the bustling Croatian capital city.

After 13 long years, Zagreb will finally get its aerial tram. Here's what the ride will look like. And, like it or not, we’ll have it for the next 50 years. Zagreb residents will soon be able to take the aerial tram to Sljeme again. And four months before it opens, RTL has a preview of the ride.

The Sljeme aerial tram (cable car) is almost beginning to resemble the plans for the massive project, according to Petra Mlačić/RTL Direkt on January 23, 2020. Over 11 months ago, before the first shovel broke ground, and even before that first shovel, the gondola came with a 375 million HRK (50.4 million EUR) price tag. In December 2019, ZET secured a loan for 537 million HRK (72.2 million EUR) to complete the costly endeavor. So, Zagreb will finally have an aerial tram, and it will be like no other in Europe!

Massive Zagreb Base Station Will House Offices and Parking

The massive building will be the base station, which will have a stylish glass exterior, and will be surrounded by a beautifully landscaped lawn. It will also feature a bear statue and parking for bicycles. The entire project began at the base station and that is why most of it has been completed.

There will be 80 gondolas running each day, and the entire turntable is already set up. In the evening, when the aerial tram ceases operation, everything will go to into the garage.

The gondola garage is located on the ground floor and offices will be housed on the second floor. There are also two underground floors for parking spaces. The 280 parking spaces will be available to the public after March 1.

The steel poles have been installed by the Brestovac intermediate station, the terrain protected, and track installations finished. The poles, which secure the gondolas, are from six to 38 meters high. UPDATE: See an aerial video of the project below, which was released by the City of Zagreb on January 23, 2020.

Brestovac Station Source of Controversy

The Brestovac intermediate station has caused the most public controversy. There has been talk for months about whether this station was necessary or if someone had an interest in the property. A large part of the land around Brestovac belongs to the Srebrnjak Children's Hospital, so it had to handed over to the City of Zagreb to allow that station to be built.

The Brestovac station will be much smaller than initially planned but will still function as an entry/exit station. After Brestovac, the aerial tram continues for another 800 meters to the top. The final station is currently the furthest from completion, but it was also the last to begin construction. Nevertheless, they say it will be ready by the deadline, which is May 31.

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Sljeme has always been a top attraction for those of us who live in Zagreb. The peaceful rolling hills coated in thick forests with bike paths and hiking trails snaking between the trees are the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle (and indeed the pollution) of the Croatian capital city which sits just below. Could the construction of the Sljeme cable car enhance its touristic lure?

From Medvednica nature park to the ski slopes of Sljeme, the entire area acts much like Marjan hill does for Split - Sljeme and its nature are the lungs of the City of Zagreb. However, Sljeme isn't free of controversy despite the peace and quiet it offers, and that's all down to the will-it-won't-it saga of the Sljeme cable car, which once operated on the mountain.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 11th of December, 2019, on Tuesday, Zagreb City Assembly's lawmakers gave the "green light" to ZET for a massive loan totalling 537 million kuna for the construction of the much talked about and long awaited Sljeme cable car.

Initial construction of the brand new Sljeme cable car began earlier this year, and recent footage and pictures show that much of it has indeed already been built.

Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić announced back in June this year that he would try to finish the Sljeme cable car in time for Zagreb's city day, which is May the 31st next year, when the Remetinec roundabout, which has also had its fair share of problems, could also finally be completed.

At that time, he said that its construction was being carried out in four phases - the reconstruction of the Mihaljevac-Dolje railway line, the development of all of the necessary project documentation for the new Sljeme cable car, the procurement of equipment for the Sljeme cable car and then of course, the actual construction of the cable car.

As stated, the powers that be in Zagreb have given the cable car's construction the "green light" by approving ZET a loan for 537 million kuna and a repayment period of fifteen years, the opposition does not dispute that the Sljeme cable car is definitely needed, but considers it questionable whether the money for it is actually there, and another question is whether or not the enormous loan which has now been approved can be repaid at all.

Watch a video of how the works are progressing below:

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more. If it's just Zagreb you're interested in, give Total Zagreb a follow or check out Zagreb in a Page for all you need to know.