Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the longest lowland cable car in Europe (and therefore in Poland). If you want to take a ride, please visit the Silesian Park on the border of Katowice and Chorzów.
There are plenty of attractions waiting for you in the Silesian Voivodeship. You must see them!
“Elka” cable car – Silesian Park – photos
Before we jump into the gondola, we will tell you a short story about “Elka”. It was created a long, long time ago, in 1967. At that time, it was the only lowland cable car in Europe. It moved “in a triangle” on the following sections: Silesian Stadium – Silesian Amusement Park, Silesian Amusement Park – Planetarium, Planetarium – Silesian Stadium. In 2007, due to the poor technical condition of “Elka”, traffic was suspended. Fortunately, in 2011, a decision was made to recreate this former miracle of the Polish People’s Republic’s technology and tourism. ; )
And it was great, because thanks to this we could soar over the Silesian Park, viewing the area from a bird’s perspective. So far, two out of three episodes of “Elka” have been played. We rode the one that was opened first, i.e. Amusement Park – Silesian Stadium. The length of this route is approximately 2.2 kilometers. Due to the date of our visit, i.e. the end of October, we of course jumped into a closed eight-person gondola. We leave four-person open sofas to those who are braver and more resistant to the cold.
The closed carriages are new and quite spacious. Driving is pure pleasure – nothing shakes and we feel really safe. However, the height under the feet is quite high. The poles on which the wagons are suspended reach 17 – 21 meters. During recreational trips, the wagons move at a speed of about 2 m/s, i.e. about 7 km/h. But-but! “Elka” can fly at a maximum speed of 5 m/s, i.e. about 18 km/h. No matter how you look at it and no matter how you measure it, our ride lasts +/- 15 minutes. There are no fireworks, but we would love to repeat the journey in the air.
We get off at the Stadion Śląski station because we have already booked tickets to visit this iconic sports facility. Otherwise, we would probably also decide to ride “Elka” from the Amusement Park to the Planetarium. During the trip, you can apparently see animals in the Silesian Zoo. Check it out and let me know.
“Elka” cableway – Chorzów – price list / tickets
- Individual ticket prices (normal / reduced):
- 1 ride – PLN 27 / PLN 20.
- 2 rides – PLN 35 / PLN 25.
- 4 rides – PLN 45 / PLN 35.
- Family ticket prices (2 adults + 2 children up to 16 years of age / 2 adults + 3 children up to 16 years of age):
- 2 rides – PLN 100 / PLN 120.
- 4 rides – PLN 130 / PLN 150.
- Children up to 3 years of age they travel on “Elka” for free.
- A ticket for a dog costs PLN 10.
“Elka” cable car in Chorzów – opening hours
- The “Elka” cableway operates all year round.
- The exact opening hours of “Elka” can be found on the attraction’s official website: KLIK
“Elka” cableway – Silesian Park – travel time
- The travel time between the Stadion Śląski and Amusement Park stations is approximately 10-15 minutes (with a watch in our hands it was 14 minutes).
- The travel time between the Amusement Park and Planetarium stations is approximately 15-20 minutes (according to the carrier’s data).
Cable car “Elka” – Chorzów – how to get?
The “Elka” cable car is located in the Silesian Park in Chorzów. Our wagon started from the Wesołe Miasteczko station, from where it arrived at the Silesian Stadium.
- On foot/bike. The Amusement Park station is 3.5 kilometers from the center of Chorzów (50 minutes on foot, just over 15 minutes on a two-wheeler) and 3 kilometers from the center of Katowice (40 minutes on foot, less than 15 minutes on a two-wheeler).
- Bus. The nearest bus stop is Dąb Kosciol.
- Tram. The nearest tram stop is Park Śląski Wesołe Miasteczko
- Train. The “Elka” cable way is located approximately 4 kilometers from the Chorzów Batory and Chorzów Miasto railway stations and approximately 3 kilometers from the main station in Katowice.
- Car. Silesian Park has paid parking spaces near all stations of the “Elki” cable car.
“Elka” cableway in Chorzów – interesting facts and tips
- It is estimated that “Elka” has transported over 15 million passengers so far.
- It is estimated that “Elka” has transported over 15 million passengersYou can take your dog with you for a ride on the Chorzów cableway. Just remember to take: a leash, a muzzle and a rabies vaccination certificate.so far.
- Lockable gondolas have names and stickers reminding about important places, events, people and organizations related to the local region. Example below. In addition to the “Śląsk” Song and Dance Ensemble (“Karolinka”), we passed, among others, carriages of the Silesian Opera in Bytom (“Moniuszko”), the Silesian Library (“Zaczytana”), and the Silesian Center for Freedom and Solidarity (#Wujek81). We took the “Zamkowa” route, which took its name from the Castle Museum in Pszczyna.
“Elka” cable car – Silesian Park – opinions / reviews
- Patrix – 9/10. A very pleasant ride allowing you to see the Silesian Park from above. I especially recommend traveling in a built-up carriage.
- Wiolczix – 8/10. The Silesian Park is quite an unusual phenomenon for me – of course in the positive sense of the word. A huge green garden in the heart of the most industrial region of Poland was a great idea to revitalize the landscape of the Silesian Agglomeration. The “Elka” cable car also makes us feel like we are in the mountains (and the mountains are quite close to Chorzów). It’s nice that you can choose between an “open” and a “covered” wagon – especially when it’s windy and/or pouring. Views of the park and surroundings from a bird’s eye view – great. One small note: in my opinion, a single ride is quite expensive (but 4 rides are very profitable and make communication between attractions much easier).
“Elka” cableway – Chorzów – frequently asked questions
How long does the “Elka” ride in Chorzów take? How long does the cable car take in Silesian Park?
A ride on the “Elka” train from the Silesian Stadium to the Amusement Park takes up to 15 minutes. The route from the Amusement Park to the Planetarium takes about 20 minutes.
How much does the “Elka” cable car cost?
The price for 1 individual journey is PLN 20 / 27 (discount / normal); for 2 journeys – PLN 25/35; for 4 rides PLN 35 / 45. Families 2+2 will pay PLN 100 for 2 trips and PLN 130 for 4 trips. In turn, families 2+3 will pay PLN 120 for 2 trips and PLN 150 for 4 trips. Children up to 3 years of age are entitled to free travel. A ticket for a dog costs PLN 10.
Is “Elka” open? Is “Elka” already running?
The “Elka” cable car is open all year round. In September 2013, the Silesian Stadium – Wesołe Miasteczko section was opened, and in December 2023, the Wesołe Miasteczko – Planetarium route was opened. There are also plans to recreate the Planetarium – Silesian Stadium line.
What’s interesting in the Silesian Park? Silesian Park – attractions. Silesian Park – what to see?
Silesian Park is a place that has been constantly blooming over the last dozen or so years. There are many tourist attractions in its area. These include, among others: the “Elka” Ropeway, Legendia – Silesian Amusement Park, the “Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park in Chorzów” Museum, the Planetarium, the Silesian Zoological Garden and the Silesian Stadium. In the park you can also admire extensive green areas (Cichy Zakątek, Duża Łąka, Pola Marsowe, Square of the 100th Anniversary of the Silesian Insurgents), gardens (Perennial Garden, Japanese Garden, Mosaic Garden, Rosarium), water reservoirs (Big Pond, Regatta Canal, Hutnik Pond, Planetarium Pond) or sculptures (Gallery of Silesian Sculpture, Giraffe).
“Elka” cable car in Chorzów – map
The “Elka” cable car, unique in Poland and Europe, runs between three stations on the following routes: Silesian Stadium – Amusement Park; Amusement Park – Planetarium. Below are the locations of individual stations.
“Elka” cable way – Stadion Śląski station
From this station you can quickly reach the Silesian Stadium and the Silesian Ethnographic Museum on foot.
“Elka” cable way – Amusement Park station
From this station you can quickly reach Legendia and the zoo on foot.
“Elka” cable way – Planetarium station
From this station you can quickly reach the Planetarium on foot.
