The Tofana cable car, known as Freccia nel Cielo, climbs in stages from Cortina d'Ampezzo to the top station high on Cima Tofana. Skiers use it to reach the runs above the town; everyone else rides it for what opens up at the top — rugged peaks, deep valleys and alpine villages far below. The base station stands in Cortina itself, with parking and a bus stop within a few hundred metres, and stairs run the last stretch from the top station to the summit.
Cable car / Cablecar Tofana - Arrow in the sky
From down in Cortina you can read the mountain before you buy a ticket: if the third station is visible from town, the top is clear — more often only the second one shows, and the summit is in cloud.
- Entrance
- Paid ride; cards accepted.
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance, parking and toilet at the base station.
- Parking
- Paid asphalt car park 109 m from the base station; a second car park 256 m away.
- Difficulty
- The base station is in the town and the cable car does the climbing; the only walking is the flight of stairs from the top station to the summit, closed when snow builds up.
- Transport
- Majon bus stop, about 250 m from the base station.
What makes it special
The climb does all the work. You step into the cabin down in Cortina d'Ampezzo and the panorama widens with every stage of the line — rugged peaks, deep valleys, alpine villages laid out far below. From the top station on Cima Tofana the Dolomites open out without a single metre of climbing on your part, and that is the whole point of the thing: a summit outlook for anyone who can stand up in a cable car. The ride runs smoothly, the stations are kept in order, and the staff work the queues without fuss.
Good to know
- Cloud moves fast up there — the top can be clear on arrival and white ten minutes later; one wait for it to clear again ran close to an hour.
- Snow closes the summit stairs — the last flight up from the top station shuts when snow piles up, and the walking is then around the middle station.
- Toilets are at the station, and they are for customers.
- Water — a public water point stands a few hundred metres from the base station.
Getting there
The base station is in Cortina d'Ampezzo itself, so the last leg amounts to a walk across a car park: parking and the Majon bus stop both sit within a few hundred metres of the entrance, and the cabin takes over from there. The climb happens in stages, station by station, so the altitude is gained sitting down. Only at the very top does the ground come back under your feet.
Best time to visit
Better: a clear, sunny day, when the summit is out of cloud.
Avoid: peak ski-season days, when the base station fills up with skiers.
Everything here is bought with the view, and the summit spends a good part of its time shrouded. Pick the weather rather than the date, and keep the ride as a movable slot in the week.
Sun & daylight
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Frequently asked questions
Does the cable car reach the summit of Cima Tofana?
It runs in stages from Cortina up to the top station high on Cima Tofana. The final stretch to the summit itself is on foot, up a flight of stairs from the top station.What is the skiing like off the lift?
The runs low down are unremarkable and get better the higher you go. Ski patrol are a visible presence on the slopes, and a long blue run through the trees brings you back to the cable car.Is the ride covered by a ski pass?
In the ski season a pass covers it. Without one you pay for a return ticket instead.