Skymetro

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Skymetro
Background
Locale Zurich Airport, Switzerland
Transit type People mover
Number of stations 2
Operation
Began operation 2003
Operator(s) Zurich Airport
Technical
System length 1.1 km (0.68 mi)
Skymetro station

Skymetro is an underground airport people mover at Zurich International Airport in Switzerland. The 1.1 km (0.68 mi) long system connects the airport's main airside center with its mid-field dock E, passing underneath Runway 10/28. The line opened in 2003, and was constructed by Poma-Otis Transportation Systems using Otis Hovair technology.[1][2]

Skymetro is unusual in that, rather than on-board motors, it is propelled by a moving cable and is thus a cable car. It is further unique in using an air cushion rather than wheels and is thus a hovertrain.[1]

Several different modes of operation are available, ranging from a single train shuttling in one tunnel to three trains in service, with each tunnel used for a single direction. Each train comprises two or three cars, taking just under three minutes to travel in each direction and giving a peak capacity of 4,200 passengers per hour in the peak direction. The system is only accessible to passengers who have already passed through airport security.[1][2]

Moving visual art is displayed on the walls of the tunnel during transit using a zoetrope. The separate frames are displayed along the length of the tunnel, with 160 static frames per 100 m (330 ft), creating the illusion of motion. In October 2005, a brief movie about Heidi was installed to being shown to arriving passengers. But on November 8, 2013, A new version of Heidi, along with an unnamed boy has been installed in this tunnel. In the other tunnel, departing passengers see a man waving a Swiss flag.[1][3][4]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Zürich Airport – Skymetro to Terminal E". Switzerland Tourism. Retrieved 2009-03-21. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "X017 Airside Center - Dock E (Skymetro), Zurich-Airport, funicular". Swiss Inventory of Ropeways (in German). Swiss Confederation. Retrieved 2013-06-20. 
  3. ↑ The Heidi movie, from the Zürich airport website
  4. ↑ The Matterhorn movie, from the Zürich airport website.

External links

  • Media related to Skymetro at Wikimedia Commons



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