Getting to the top of Klínovec, the highest peak of the Ore Mountains, doesn't have to mean a long hike - a four-seat chairlift with orange bubble covers whisks you up in under 8 minutes, leaving you free to simply enjoy the view once you arrive.

The ride climbs through forested slopes above Jáchymov, and as you rise, the views open up across the surrounding hills and valleys. In summer it's an effortless way to reach the summit, while in winter the lift runs alongside a ski slope, serving skiers as well as hikers when snow and weather conditions allow. The lower station sits in a wooded valley about 3 km from Jáchymov, and the upper station is just below the Klínovec summit, where a lookout tower and restaurant await.

How to get there

• Lower station, Jáchymov (Černý potok) - reachable by car, lift operates daily except Mondays during summer season
• Hiking trails from Jáchymov and nearby villages offer an alternative way up

Practical information

• Length: 2,168 m, elevation gain 481 m, ride takes about 7.5 minutes
• Summer season (May-October): daily 10:00-17:00 except Mondays, extended to 10:00-18:00 daily in July and August
• Winter season: operates depending on snow cover, April usually weekends only
• Closed for maintenance in November
• Bicycles can be transported

The current four-seat lift, built in 2014, replaced the original single-seat chairlift from 1965, one of the first of its kind in the country - traces of its old route can still be spotted in the landscape today.