Tahtalı: How the Cable Car Connects the Sea with the High Mountains

A summit above your holiday day

Below, the sea is part of the day’s rhythm. Above, wind, clouds and rock shape the impression. Tahtalı makes this change unusually immediate to experience. Olympos Teleferik takes you from the wooded slopes to the summit station. For some, the view is the destination; for others, this is where the question begins of how such a connection could have been built at all.

Three years to the first journey

The operating company gives 17 June 2007 as the opening date and three years as the construction period. The installation was manufactured by Doppelmayr/Garaventa. The key specifications explain its scale: an altitude of 726 metres at the lower station, 2,365 metres at the upper station, a height difference of 1,639 metres and a route length of 4,350 metres. Four towers support the line; each cabin is designed for 80 people. The journey takes approximately ten minutes. The construction story is therefore an interplay of stations, towers, cables, drive machinery and an exposed mountain location, rather than simply hanging up two cabins.

What Garaventa contributed

Within the Doppelmayr Group, Garaventa is particularly associated with developing large aerial tramways. The name is therefore more than a quality mark on a sign: it represents a specific engineering tradition. On an aerial tramway, the cabins travel back and forth between the stations. Track ropes and haul ropes have different roles: the former carry the load, while the latter provide the movement. The running gear rolls along the track ropes, while the drive moves the cabins by means of the haul rope.

Building on a mountain also means planning for operation

For Tahtalı, the technical documentation lists four track ropes with a diameter of 51 millimetres, a 38-millimetre haul rope and a main drive of 1,000 kilowatts. It also lists backup drives and a rescue system. The connection matters: a structure in this location needs not only the journey itself, but also a plan for maintenance, operational interruptions and evacuation.

What you can experience at the top

The operator describes views, places to eat and special sunrise or sunset journeys. These special departures must be checked separately and are not automatically included in every ticket. Paragliding is also offered at Tahtalı; it is a separate activity with its own booking and weather decision. If you simply want to enjoy the scenery, you do not need a packed programme: views, a break and time to take in the change between sea and mountains already make a complete excursion experience.

Cable-car outing or mountain walk?

Beycik and Kuzdere are starting points for paths in the mountain area. That does not mean a summit hike is a short stroll from the cable car. Distance, ascent, path conditions and the return journey must suit your experience. For a combination of walking up and taking the cable car down, confirm the last descent in advance. In winter and in snow, the demands change fundamentally. Even in summer, an extra layer of clothing and a check of the mountain weather are part of preparing.

Getting there and planning a sensible day

The lower station lies between Çamyuva and Tekirova. An access road about seven kilometres long climbs up from the coastal road. The operator lists a paid connection from the main entrance for visitors arriving by public transport; please confirm availability and times beforehand. A coastal bus therefore does not automatically take you all the way to the cabin. Our bus guide helps with the first part of the journey. The Erendiz team helps with tickets, suitable travel arrangements and tailor-made outings. Leave some flexibility in your mountain visit: visibility, wind or maintenance can affect operation, and a fixed time cannot guarantee a clear morning.

If you would prefer to get to know the mountain from a village, our article about Beycik offers a different perspective on Tahtalı.