The Top of Cortina d’Ampezzo – Your Guide to the Cima Tofana Cable Car
Any time spent in the Dolomites is unforgettable. But for a truly memorable experience, don’t miss the opportunity to reach the roof of Cortina d’Ampezzo by taking the Cima Tofana cable car. Whisking you 3,244 meters high, this is one of the highest summits in the region, where you can look out above the clouds with stunning views of the dramatic Dolomites peaks all around you.
If you’re visiting Cortina, riding this cable car to the very top should be on your list of “must-do’s” – it’s part adventure, part panorama, and entirely stunning from start to finish! This guide will outline everything you need to know for the Cima Tofana cable car and some helpful hints and tips.
Cima Tofana Cable Car Route
The journey to Cima Tofana involves three separate cable cars: starting from Cortina d’Ampezzo (1,216m) and up to Col Drusciè, Ra Valles and finally, Cima Tofana. But before we dive into the route, first some useful terminology: Cima Tofana literally means “Tofana summit” and it gets used interchangeably with Tofana di Mezzo, the highest peak of the Tofane mountain group.
Your journey to the top starts from Freccia nel Cielo Cable Car station, which is located towards the top end of Cortina d’Ampezzo. There is a large car park here which (from memory) is a fixed rate fee all day of about €10. From here you head skyward in three seamless stages:
- Cortina to Col Drusciè (1,778m) – a short but scenic gondola ride above Cortina’s pine scented forests
- Col Drusciè to Ra Valles (2,475m) – a transition from alpine meadows to rugged high-altitude terrain
- Ra Valles to Cima Tofana (3,244m) – the final ascent to one of the highest summits in the Dolomites
Your total ascent is about 2,020m and the entire journey, without stops, takes roughly 15 minutes.
Cortina d’Ampezzo to Col Drusciè (1,778m)
This is a short but scenic gondola ride. You can get out and hop straight onto the next cable car if you wish, but we recommend getting out and having a bit of a wander – particularly if it’s quiet.
Here, you’ll find Masi Wine Bar, which is a beautiful spot for a glass of wine on their outdoor terrace (we came back here on our way back down). There’s also Ristorante Col Drusciè plus an observatory with amazing views over the Cortina valley below you and the surrounding mountains. This is your first tease of what’s to come – the views only get more impressive from here!
Col Drusciè to Ra Valles (2,470m)
Now you begin the steep ascent to your second stop – Ra Valles. There are some seriously impressive views from up here, so it’s worth hopping out and having an explore. There’s also a pizzeria here (Capanna Ra Valles) which is said to be the highest pizzeria in Europe, if you fancy a unique experience!
We visited mid-September and during our 2 week trip we received a very early blanket of snow! This meant we couldn’t wander too far from the cable car stop, but the scenery looked even more picturesque! From the cable car station you can walk around to a viewing platform by the pizzeria for even more stunning views!
Ra Valles to Cima Tofana (3,244m)
And now your final stop: Cima Tofana. A dramatic arrival at one of the Dolomites tallest peaks – and perhaps our visit was a bit more dramatic than others…
We’re pretty fearless when it comes to most things. The final cable car was built in 1971 – and it didn’t look like it had changed much since! Compared to the previous gondolas which are a bit more modern. Half way up to Cima Tofana our cable car came to a complete stop! We had about 20 people in the cable car with us and everyone stopped talking immediately. We were left hanging in mid-air, about 3000m up by this point, for what felt like forever! (In reality, I honestly think it was about 2 minutes, but it felt so much longer). However, they did get us up and running again, and we’d never been so pleased to stand on hard ground once we finally reached Cima Tofana!
But don’t let that put you off! The views from the top truly are stellar! Unfortunately, our little delay on the way up coincided with some low cloud rolling in, so our views were masked slightly. However combined with the snow, arriving at Cima Tofana felt other worldly – the conditions were wildly different from our previous two stops.
Just outside the cable car station, there’s a large wooden terrace and viewing area. If you’re a keen hiker, you can take a short scramble to the very summit of Tofana di Mezzo. As you can see from our photos the weather didn’t quite allow for that!
Cima Tofana back to Cortina d’Ampezzo
When you’ve had your fill of dizzying heights it’s time to make your way back down the same way you came up!
This whole trip is nothing but panoramic views from start to finish – not just at each of the stops, but during the cable car rides too. When the cable cars are behaving themselves, there’s (ironically) not enough time to really drink in the miles of views around you.
We stopped off at Col Drusciè on our way back down to enjoy a glass of wine at Masi Wine Bar. The difference in temperature was wild. We quite happily sat outside in the sun in t-shirts, enjoying our wine, compared the various layers we needed to wrap up in at Cima Tofana.
We highly recommend a stop at Masi Wine Bar. The team there are so nice and really know their stuff.
Cima Tofana Cable Car Ticket Prices (summer 2025)
You can buy tickets for each separate stop if you don’t want to go all the way to the top, or you can purchase one complete round-trip ticket, which includes all 3. For updated pricing as the season goes on, be sure to check the Cima Tofana cable car website.
- Cortina d’Ampezzo to Col Drusciè: €22 round-trip
- Cortina d’Ampezzo to Ra Valles: €30 round-trip
- Cortina d’Ampezzo to Cima Tofana: €40 round-trip
Opening Hours
The cable car to Cima Tofana operates roughly from mid-June to late-September. However, the cable ways to both Ra Valles and Col Drusciè run all year, as the area is a popular ski destination during the winter months.
If you’re planning a visit in the summer, operating hours are:
- First departure from Cortina: 9am
- Last descent from Cima Tofana: 4:50pm
- Last descent from Ra Valles: 5pm
- Last descent from Col Drusciè: 5:10pm
But as always, be sure to check the Cima Tofana cable car website before making your journey, in case of any seasonal changes.
✨ Top Tips for Visiting
We’d suggest the best time of year to visit is during the summer (mid-June to late-September). The days are longer and there’s lots of opportunity for clear sunny skies. This is also the time of year that all 3 cable cars are running, if your goal is to reach Cima Tofana.
The best time of day to visit is early morning. We arrived at 9am when the first cable car station opened and this was perfect. The queues for each station won’t be long at this point and you’ll have most of the stops completely to yourself.
But on that note, be sure to check the webcams before you leave! It may be sunny and clear in Cortina or even at the first two stops, but at 3200m, the conditions can be very different at the summit. Bergfex have lots of webcams, so you can check before heading up.
Even during the summer, the summit is still chilly and windy. Make sure you bring extra layers with you. The weather can also change very quickly, and you don’t want to get caught out. It never hurts to be prepared.
If you want to make the scramble up to Tofana di Mezzo then make sure you also wear appropriate footwear. Boots with good grip and ankle support will serve you well!
👋 Get in touch
We hope you found this guide to the Cima Tofana cable car helpful. You are guaranteed a fantastic day out if you make this trip and jaw-dropping views! But if you have any questions please leave a comment below, we’d love to hear from you!
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