Aleksotas Funicular Railway

The Aleksotas funicular railway is located in Kaunas, the second-largest city in Lithuania. It opened in 1935 and travels between Aleksotas Bridge and Aleksotas hill, where there are panoramic views of the city. The journey takes one minute. The funicular is 143-m long and is at a gradient of 29.5 degrees, with a normal capacity of up to 25 people. The red and yellow cars run on a counterbalanced single-track with a passing loop. Electrical cables overhead provide light and heat in the cars. Much of the traction equipment is original, including the pre-war wagons built of timber with wooden benches. More recently, automatic brakes were installed for use in emergencies. There are simple station buildings at top and bottom – the top one in Art Deco style. The funicular is run by ‘Autrolis’, the Kaunas trolleybus company. Žaliakalnis funicular, built in 1931, is also located in the city.