A funicular is a mountain railway equipped with cable traction. To ensure that the cars do not roll back, a rack is installed between the rails. Use the funiculars wherever it is necessary to move passengers, but it is impossible to do this with any other mode of transport. Most often, this type of ski lifts is equipped in tourist areas with mountainous terrain. There is a funicular system in Baku.
A bit of history
In Soviet times, capitals and large cities of all union republics were in demand among the country's tourists. To make the city even more attractive to travelers, the authorities came up with all sorts of chips.
In the middle of the last century, the head of Baku was Alish Lemberansky, who was indifferent and loving his city. It was he who gave the idea to build a cable-rail lift. Alish Avakovich Arakelov was appointed chief designer. The fact that the lift works up to the present time testifies to how well the work was done. Cars for the project were ordered at one of the factories in Kharkov.
The Baku funicular has become one of the technical wonders. It began to function in 1960. To ride the lift, travelers came from all over the country.
Years of oblivion
At first, the lift was in incredible demand: it was not only a transport, but also a means of entertainment, until then unknown. But over time, the excitement subsided and by the beginning of the 90s, the Baku funicular stopped working and became desolate. Moreover, even the territory of the lift was closed. For a long 10 years, the mountain train was forgotten.
But at the beginning of the new millennium, the city’s executive authorities, who represented Hajibala Abutalybov, decided to change the situation. Overhaul was carried out at the facility, and the residents of the city by the New Year 2002 received a surprise in the form of a newly operating lift. Again on holidays and weekends it was full of people, but on weekdays it was quiet and almost empty, with the exception of rare couples in love who wandered in search of solitude.
New life
The funicular in Baku has not changed a bit over the past years. It still consisted of a pair of wagons, which, nevertheless, had a completely different appearance - the consequences of the trend of modern design. In addition, the design is equipped with new cabins and rails, hardware filling. The shape of the roof also changed - now it has become curved so that snow mass and ice do not linger on its surface. And at night, the roof is highlighted, which serves as an additional incentive for passengers. The only thing that does not suit them is the too short road. But this shortcoming is easy to change - you can ride the Baku funicular as much as you want: the fare has been canceled.
The city train experienced a second rebirth while preparing for Eurovision 2012. Now the line goes glass Swiss cars. Everyone who drives through them has an amazing view of the Caspian Sea and coastal landscapes.
Today, the ski lift is considered the main city attraction and occupies a worthy place among city attractions. A new project to modernize the urban mountain train is currently being implemented. Its goal is to revitalize upland transport, expanding its infrastructure. If earlier there were only ticket offices and platforms, now it is planned to build food outlets. Cafeterias, bars, a restaurant - that's not all. It is planned to build entertainment areas here primarily for children and adolescents. But this, according to city officials, will not end there. This is just the beginning.
How to get there
You don’t have to search for the place where the mountain train is located - it is located in the city center. The main attractions of Baku are concentrated nearby, so a trip on such a unique transport can be combined with a visit to significant architectural monuments and places of the city. You can use a taxi to get to the mountain train station. The fare is about 640 rubles (25 manat). But it’s better to check the cost in advance - there are no meters in Baku taxis.
More options:
- Metro. The cost of 7 rubles. (0.15 manat).
- Bus. The fare is 11 rubles. (0.25 manat).
- Route taxi. The fare is like a bus.
Features of the operating mode
The Baku funicular operates constantly, including holidays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. At the same time, 26-28 people fit in the booth. Since the trip time is very short - a little over 4 minutes, the mountain train carries about 2,000 passengers in 12 hours of operation. In a second, the product overcomes 2.5 meters. The total length of the road is 455 m. It has only one branch, and so that oncoming funiculars can leave, a place of passage is arranged on the highway.
But most of all, the Baku funicular is in demand on the weekend: both visitors and local residents enjoy using this type of transport in order to be able to admire the beauty of the city and visit the city embankment without making any special effort.