What to do · Black Forest
Schauinsland Cable Car from Freiburg
Information
- From
- €15 adult, return
- Duration
- 3 h
- Season
- All year
- Who it's for
- All ages; dogs with a ticket
- With a dog
- Dog-friendly
What it is
The Schauinslandbahn is Freiburg's cable car: it leaves from Horben, on the southern edge of the city, and climbs in about 20 minutes to the summit of the Schauinsland, at 1,284 m. It is a cable car of small cabins that circulate continuously in a loop, the longest of its kind in Germany according to its operator, the Freiburg transport company (VAG). At the top you have a panoramic terrace, the Schauinslandturm viewing tower, reached by a path, and the café-restaurant Die Bergstation. On a clear day you see the summits of the Black Forest and the Rhine valley.
It is an easy half-day outing from Freiburg, without a car, and a good option when you do not want to walk far to get mountain views.
Opening times and closures
It operates every day of the year, from 9:00 to 17:00. During the Baden-Württemberg summer school holidays it is open until 18:00. Twice a year it closes for technical inspection, and the restaurant at the top closes with it:
- Autumn 2026: from Monday 16 November to Friday 4 December.
- Spring 2026: it was from 9 to 27 March. The 2027 dates have not yet been published.
The operator warns that it may change the dates without notice: check its website before you go.
Prices
| Return | One way | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | €15 | €12 |
| Child aged 6 to 14 | €10 | €8 |
| Dog | €10 | €8 |
| Bicycle | — | €12 |
For families (at least one parent with their children), the adult pays €12.50 and the child €5 return; the third and fourth child do not pay. With the Black Forest guest card or KONUS, over-63s, students or a Deutschland-Ticket bought on the Freiburg network, €13 return. The SchwarzwaldCard includes one trip, and pushchairs and wheelchairs go up free. You buy at the valley-station ticket office (from 9:00 to 17:00) or in the online shop.
There are combined tickets with breakfast or with cheese fondue (from December to March), both with booking, and with coffee and cake.
How to get there
- By public transport: tram 2 from central Freiburg to the terminus, in Günterstal, and from there bus 21 to the valley station. About 20 minutes from Bertoldsbrunnen.
- By car: valley station at Bohrerstraße 11, Horben. Parking is paid: the first 30 minutes free and then €2 a day, up to 10 hours. There are spaces for people with reduced mobility and for charging electric cars.
How long and how to plan it
Allow about 3 hours in total: 40 minutes on the cable car for the ascent and descent, the walk to the tower and a coffee at the top. If you walk, buy a one-way ticket and walk down the mountain paths; to go up with a mountain bike there is the bike ticket, one way only.
With children, dogs and reduced mobility
It is a comfortable plan for all ages. The operator offers a quiz for children and technical tours of the machinery. Dogs travel with their own ticket, except assistance dogs. Pushchairs and wheelchairs do not pay; check the operator's accessibility page for access to the cabins.
What to do if the weather changes
It is considerably colder at the top than in Freiburg. Bring a warm layer even if it is hot below. If the summit is in cloud, you will see nothing: the cable car's website has a live camera so you can check before setting out. To combine it with another visit in the southern Black Forest, the Ravenna Gorge is at Hinterzarten, on the Höllental railway line from Freiburg.
Tips
- Check the camera before you leave With cloud on the summit there are no views. The webcam on the cable car's website tells you.
- Ask for the family rate If you travel with your children, you pay €12.50 per adult and €5 per child, return.
- Walk down With a one-way ticket you descend by the mountain paths and save €3.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Schauinsland cable car cost?
€15 return per adult and €10 per child aged 6 to 14. One way, €12 and €8.
How long does it take to go up?
About 20 minutes from the Horben station to the summit, at 1,284 m.
Does it run in winter?
Yes, all year from 9:00 to 17:00, except during the inspection weeks: in autumn 2026, from 16 November to 4 December.
With young childrenAs a familyWith teenagersWith a dog
Who runs it
- SchauinslandbahnSchauinslandbahn, return Visit their website
