Rheinseilbahn (Rhine Cable Car)

The Rheinseilbahn is the cable car that crosses the Rhine in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, linking the Riehl station beside the zoo on the west bank with the Rheinpark in Deutz on the east bank. Built for the 1957 Bundesgartenschau, the garden show that reshaped the Deutz riverside, it has become a fixture of the city's skyline views. The gondolas travel roughly 930 metres and rise well above the river, so the ride takes several minutes in each direction. Passengers see the Zoo and Flora grounds below on the Riehl side, then the long curve of the Rhine, the Hohenzollern Bridge, and the cathedral spires on the south side of the skyline. The best views come on clear days, particularly in late afternoon when the light warms the old town. The station at Riehler Straße 180 is reached by Stadtbahn line 18 to Zoo/Flora, and the Deutz station is a short walk from the Rheinpark. A round trip with a stroll at the far end usually takes 30 to 60 minutes. Operation is seasonal, running roughly from April to October with some winter weekend service, and the cable car may close in strong wind or for maintenance, so the operator's site, koelner-seilbahn.de, should be checked for hours and fares before heading out. Queues are shortest on weekday mornings and longest on sunny weekends and during school holidays. Photographers should sit on the downstream side for the Dom view and have the camera ready as the gondola passes the Hohenzollern Bridge, noting that glass reflections can reduce quality on bright days. The ride combines well with the zoo, the botanical garden and the Rheinpark.