District President Thomas Wilk Hands Over New Operating Permit For Cologne Cable Car
The Cologne District Government today officially handed over the new permit for the operation of the Cologne cable car to the Cologne Transport Company (KVB).
District President Thomas Wilk personally presented the concession to Kölner Seilbahn GmbH, represented by the management, during a ceremonial handover.
The new permit is valid until June 30, 2042. The KVB applied for an early extension on January 10, 2025 – well before the expiration of the currently valid permit from 2013, which is valid until December 31, 2028.
"The Cologne cable car is a unique means of transport, a tourist highlight, and an important part of the city's infrastructure," emphasized District President Thomas Wilk at the handover ceremony. "With today's approval, we are giving the KVB long-term planning security for investments in technology, safety, and sustainability."
The concession was granted on the basis of Section 14, Paragraphs 1 and 2 of the North Rhine-Westphalia Cable Car Act (SeilbG NRW). After a thorough review, it was determined that KVB fully meets all legal requirements—particularly with regard to operational safety, reliability, and insurance coverage.
The technical framework conditions were thoroughly examined in advance by a responsible engineer from the Cologne district government.
The duration of the new permit, valid until mid-2042, is based on the public service contract between the City of Cologne and KVB AG. "A stable legal framework is essential, especially for long-term infrastructure projects like the cable car. With this forward-looking permit, we are sending a clear signal for the future of the cable car in Cologne," said Wilk.
The Cologne cable car looks back on a rich history: On April 17, 1957, it began operations as Europe's first cable car over a river. At the time, the new perspectives of Cologne offered by the ride in the cabins, which were glazed all around with Plexiglas panes, were particularly praised.
Over the course of its history, the cable car has been modernized several times and adapted to new urban development conditions – including the spectacular rerouting during the construction of the Zoo Bridge in the 1960s. Since 1998, the KVB has operated the cable car through its subsidiary, the Kölner Seilbahn-Gesellschaft mbH. Since then, extensive investments have been made in technology, safety, and marketing.
