Just after the inauguration of the Hungerburg funicular in 1906, it was planned to build a cableway on the Seegrube and the Hafelekar. This project was stopped because of the first world war and could only be continued in the twenties.

On may 21, 1927 the city of Innsbruck commissioned the construction company Bleichert to build the Nordkette cableway. An aerial tramway with two gondolas was built on the Seegrube. The cable car Seegrube was to be operated with a one-coach aerial tramway. The Simmering carriage and machine construction factory took care of the bearing columns and the mechanical installations. The young architect Franz Baumann could show his abilities in the tender for the building construction. His plans represented a perfect harmony between nature and technique.

In July 1927 the construction of the new cableway was started. Carriers coped with the Seegrube route twice a day with loads of approx. 70 kg, which means 140 kg per man/day. Further construction material was transported by temporary ropeways and also by parachute. In April 1928 the bearing columns I to IV of the cable car Hungerburg were built completely and the topping-out ceremony could be inaugurated. Afterwards, the workers drew the ropes of the cableways and installed the station engines. At the end of may, the three new dark olive green cabins with a capacity of 24 + 1 persons became operative. The bringing into service of the Nordkette cableway could not be stopped anymore. On July 21, 1928 the cable car Hungerburg was inaugurated. Shortly after, the cable car Seegrube was opened on July 21, 1928.

The new cableways enjoyed great popularity, also amongst the Nordkette ski tourists. This trend was increased by the construction of an intermediate station at the main column III. Just after the 2nd world war, three new gondolas with a capacity of 40 + 1 persons were installed. Shortly after, the “Seegrube lift” was installed between column III and the Seegrube station, and the “Frau Hitt lift” between the Seegrube station in a western direction.

After almost 30 years operating time, the Nordkette cableways underwent an overall refurbishment. New gondolas with a capacity of 50 + 1 persons were installed. At the same time a reconstruction of the bearing columns and of the three stations took place. The refurbished facilities became operative in the sixties. The intermediate station at column III was destroyed by an avalanche in 1966 and was not rebuilt anymore. In the following years the operating companies of the Nordkette cableways underwent some changes.

In 1979 the “Innsbruck transportation company” took over the cableways and started the new building of the three-seat lift (former Seegruben lift). In 1996 the cableway passed to the “Zell mountain railways” - a new “Frau Hitt lift” was built. In 2001 the city of Innsbruck overtook the Nordkette cableways again. At that time further reconstruction measures were under discussion.
In 2004 it was decided to start with a new construction, which wanted to preserve the unique, heritage-protected building. After a construction time of 7 months on December 22, 2006 the new cableway on the Seegrube became operative, the one on the Hafelekar was inaugurated on January 20, 2007.