Developments At Tirol’s Ski Resorts 2018/19

Tirol is THE winter sports destination in the Alps. And to keep it that way, there is regular investment in its infrastructure. The Tirolean lift companies are dedicated to ensuring the balance between nature and tourism. Here’s a quick look at the most important news and events this winter.

The Gampenbahn, built in 1988, will be demolished and replaced by a six-person chairlift. It will start at 1924 m and carry up to 2,800 passengers per hour to 2,848 m above sea level. The 900 m height difference will set a world record for this kind of ski lift. In addition, two new restaurants will open in the area.

In Kitzbühel, two new lifts within the existing ski resort boundaries will start running on 08.12.2018. These lifts will improve capacity in the increasingly popular Kitzbüheler Horn while maintaining its status as a quiet family ski area. The cost of this along with the expanded snowmaking facilities amounts to around €17 million.

The “6SB Brunelle” chairlift features special wind stabilisers, which will keep wind sensitivity to a minimum. The new lift will also be equipped with heated seats made from real leather, covers and mechanical safety bars.

The "Comfortline S 10EUB Raintal" gondola’s bottom station is at an altitude of 1,460m. The extra comfortable cabins fit up to 10 passengers, and travel time will drop from 11.7 minutes to just 3.6 minutes.

The top and bottom stations will blend in seamlessly with the landscape thanks to their shingle, concrete and glass architecture.

A new 10-person one-cable gondola will open in December 2018 on Action Mountain Penken. The lift will connect the village of Mösl with the Horberg gondola. A further €2.7 million is set to be invested in a new piste area, providing an additional 1.2 kilometres of slopes across six hectares.

The new six-seater “Larmach” chairlift will open the Zillertal Arena in December 2018. Equipped with a cover and heated seats, it can carry up to 2,800 people per hour.

The Hochgurgl lift company is currently building the second section of the Kirchenkarbahn, which will start running in Winter 2018/19. The gondola has a capacity of 2,400 people per hour and a speed of about five metres per second.

The fifty-year-old Glungezerbahn in Tulfes will be replaced with a new 10 person gondola that can carry up to 1000 people per hour. Construction will begin in mid-July and the lift should be ready for the start of the season on 15th December.

In Seefeld, the Jochbahn at Rosshütte will be rebuilt to improve both capacity and frequency. The lift is scheduled to reopen on 23rd December.

Starting this winter, there will be a single lift pass for the 76 pistes, 121.5 kilometres of pistes and six ski areas that make up the Pitz Valley: Pitztal Glacier, Rifflsee, Hochzeiger Bergbahnen, Imster Bergbahnen, Fendels and Kaunertal Glacier.