A step too far: Without tourists, Chile's Valparaiso faces an uphill struggle

Urban lifts in the rainbow-coloured port town have stopped functioning, forcing residents to climb thousands of steps a day

A woman carries bags as she walks down a hill in Valparaiso. Elevators in the city are currently out of operation due to the coronavirus pandemic. AFP

View of the Artilleria elevator in the hills of Valparaiso, Chile, on June 8, 2020. AFP

Amid the hills of Valparaiso, residents need to walk up and down steep hills and steps every day now that the city's elevators have been turned off due to a lack of tourists. AFP

A woman tackles a steep hill, passing by some colourful graffiti. AFP

The furnicular elevators are an unusual public transit method made up of cable cars that are pulled up and lowered down a steep incline. AFP

Towering over the city is the Artilleria elevator, typically used by residents and tourists but currently out of operation. AFP

View of typical city stairs, normally visited by tourists. AFP

The Espiritu Santo elevator is out of operation. AFP

A man takes the stairs in Valparaiso, Chile where the elevators have ground to a halt with no tourists in the port city. AFP

Amid the hills of Valparaiso, the new coronavirus advances and intimidates a port city without tourists or lifts to the slopes, which residents need to walk up and down carrying groceries to get home. AFP

A woman and her dog walk up a hill since elevators are currently out of operation. AFP

Life's ups and downs have taken on a new meaning of late as the world battles the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic.

But in Chile's port city of Valparaiso, people are perhaps facing more ups and downs than almost anywhere else as the city's funiculars have been turned off.

With no tourists in town because of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the city's unique public transport system has ground to a halt. A lack of ticket sales to fund their operation has lead officials to close these urban lifts, which typically whisk travellers and residents through the steep, hilly terrain of Valparaiso. This means residents are having to tackle the city's unforgiving terrain on foot.

The unique cable car funiculars are designed to make travel between Valparaiso's upper town in the hills and its port side region by the sea easier.

The first lift was put in place back in 1911 and many more came after, in an effort to connect all of the city's isolated neighbourhoods. In its prime, there were 31 working funiculars. More recently, only 14 of the cable car systems in the Unesco-listed region have been operational.

They are usually the cheapest way to ascend the hills, with fares typically costing around Dh1.

Today, none of Valparaiso’s funiculars are turned on, which means residents have to climb and descend thousands of steps any time they want to go and buy groceries, travel to work or visit family.

Known for its creative street art, Valparaiso offers them a colourful canvas to look at as they navigate the hilly region.

However, closure of this means of transportation has cut off many people, including senior citizens and those with reduced mobility, who depend on it as their only means of getting around.