2027 budget opens way for cable car on Esja

The 2027 budget could clear the way for a cable car on the slopes of Esja, mbl.is reports. It authorises the finance minister to approve the use of land at Mógilsá in Reykjavík through concession or operating agreements for plans to develop a service centre and cable car.

The Esja cable car, described by Esjuferðir as a new chapter in Icelandic tourism, has been under consideration for about a decade. Esjuferðir made that assessment in a letter to the city in autumn 2022.

In spring 2024, the state agency Framkvæmdasýslan Ríkiseignir sought market participants for discussions about possible private-sector involvement in building a cable car up the Esja slopes.

At the time, Morgunblaðið reported that any structures would have to be designed for removal, with all traces erased afterwards. They would also have to fit the surroundings as well as possible, while disturbance to vegetation and soil would be limited to what was necessary.