The current access to Schilthorn from Stechelberg via Gimmelwald and Mürren dates back to the end of the 1960s and represents a major pioneering achievement both in the development of tourism as well as in cable car technology. The current situation is characterised by almost continuous capacity utilisation of close to 100% and the many transfer connections. The operation of the system is complex and has to satisfy the demands of numerous different stakeholder groups: the populations of Gimmelwald and Mürren, day trippers from the valley, guests staying in Mürren, individuals and groups of other cultures, skiers, hikers, paragliders, base jumpers, etc.

By making the mountain accessible, not only do the needs of passenger transport have to be met, but also the transport of goods and cargo to Gimmelwald and Mürren (and back again), as well as to the businesses on Birg and Schilthorn, must be guaranteed.
A new access system should fulfil the needs of the stakeholder groups as comprehensively as possible in order to deal with the conflicts of interest as smoothly as possible.
What is important is increased capacity and improved comfort, both for the locals and for the visitors.

More spacious cabins with more room per visitor, as well as cutting-edge technology, and the current regulations in force make larger gauge widths, wider pivoting areas and bigger stations an absolute necessity. The construction work in Mürren as well as the topographical conditions at the other stations, and along the whole stretch do not leave much scope for a wide range of options.
The need to keep the connection open as far as Birg during the construction work for the new facility is clearly economically important. However, this requirement limits the scope even further. A new direct Stechelberg – Mürren link seems an obvious way to achieve a quicker and more comfortable connection. The village of Gimmelwald will continue to be connected via the existing cable car. This section can be maintained for the future by means of continuous maintenance work as well as targeted investment for refurbishment. An expansion of the capacity or far-reaching mechanical changes would not be appropriate.