Italy aims to begin testing a delayed cable car project in January as it seeks to ease transport pressure at the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, despite the challenges of construction in mountainous terrain.

Italy is planning to start testing in January a delayed cable car project designed to improve access to competition venues at the 2026 Winter Olympics, officials said on Thursday.

The Apollonio–Socrepes cableway in the Alpine resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo, designed to transport up to 2,400 people per hour, is scheduled to be completed by the end of the month, according to Fabio Saldini, commissioner and chief executive of Italy’s Olympic infrastructure agency Simico.

Saldini said the project, while not essential for hosting the Games, would provide an additional transport option and help reduce reliance on private vehicles by allowing spectators to reach venues more easily.

The cable car is intended to relieve congestion in Cortina, which has no rail connection and relies heavily on road access that can become crowded during peak periods.

Delays to the project last year forced local organisers to limit the number of tickets available for events in Cortina, underlining broader transport challenges facing the Milan–Cortina 2026 Olympics, which will be spread across multiple locations in northern Italy.

Saldini said installation of the electromechanical components is currently underway, with testing expected to begin in the third week of January. He expressed confidence that the project would be ready, while noting that construction in mountainous areas remains dependent on weather conditions.

Asked whether the cable car would be operational for the Olympics, Saldini said work was continuing with that objective, stressing that safety, quality and adherence to timelines and costs remain priorities.

Cortina d’Ampezzo, located in the Dolomites, last hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956.

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