Carinthian Liftco's Extend Season

Eight of the fifteen Carinthian summer mountain railways promise a super-long autumn mountain experience. On the Katschberg, for example, the season even lasts until November 5th. 

"We make it easy, quick and environmentally friendly for locals and holidaymakers to experience our mountain world, which is particularly inviting in autumn, in a comfortable way," explains Manuel Kapeller-Hopfgartner, head of the Carinthia Chamber of Commerce's cable car specialist group. "With our highlights - mountain experiences for the whole family, biking, high-altitude hiking from the mountain station and mountain enjoyment - we are one of Carinthia's tourism driving forces, especially in autumn, which makes our province particularly attractive for holidaymakers during the autumn holidays" , Kapeller-Hopfgartner emphasizes the central role of the mountain railways in successfully extending the season. "Our diverse, quality-certified adventure offers on the mountain are the key to outstanding attractiveness.

Experience all the variety on the mountain

"The power of the forest - yoga at 2,000 m above sea level" is the motto of the Mountain Yoga Trail in Bad Kleinkirchheim this autumn, which is available until November 1st starting at the Biosphere Park cable car in Brunnach. The "Kaiserburg Bob" in Bad Kleinkirchheim also promises action until November 1st. The alpine family adventure world Nocky's AlmZeit including the AlmZeit hut at the mountain station of the Panoramabahn and the summer toboggan run Nocky Flitzer inspire young and old on the Turracherhöhe until November 1st. Hiking at 2,200 meters on the Aineck with a magnificent all-round view is possible on the Katschberg comfortably from the mountain station until November 5th. On the Ankogel (until October 30th) and on the Mölltal Glacier (continuously in autumn), high alpine tours including 3,000m summit victories from the mountain station are easily feasible.

Mountain biking until October 30th

Flow Trails Kärnten is the name of the nationwide bike offer of the summer mountain railways. The Petzen awaits guests with its outstandingly diverse range of bikes until October 30th. The nature trails at Nassfeld, near the Madritschenbahn, are also available until October 30th. The Weissensee bike area is the meeting place for the mountain bike scene until October 26th. In Bad Kleinkirchheim, the "Longest Flow Country Trail" from the Kaiserburg down into the valley is available until October 16th. The Turracherhöhe concludes the bike season this year on October 1st.

Other attractive highlights in September & October

In Schareck, high above Heilgenblut, autumn hikes, including a marmot greeting, are popular, while the Heiligenblut Glacier Cable Car takes you into the world of the Pasterzen Glacier. Both are possible until September 18th. The Dreiländereck offers Nordic walking tours of the same length and you can fully enjoy the panoramic view of the Julian Alps in the south and the Dobratsch in the north in the clear autumn air. Until October 2nd, the mountain station of the Goldeck valley railway is an ideal starting point for hiking and trail running. And the "Himmel | Cielo" bivouac offers a different kind of overnight accommodation up on the mountain. The colorful "Indian Summer" on the Gerlitzen Alpe is ideal for hiking and strolling. Numerous power places on the mountain are waiting and of course culinary moments of pleasure, not only in the Steinwenderhütte, the oldest managed hut on the Gerlitzen Alpe (until October 9th). From the mountain station (1,324 m above sea level) there are leisurely hiking ideas to choose from on Lake Weissensee until October 26th: to the Naggler Alm, but also to nearby peaks such as the Mittagsnock or the Golz. In Bad Kleinkirchheim, in addition to the hiking opportunities on the Kaiserburg and the Brunnach, the Römerbad thermal baths await wellness connoisseurs throughout the autumn.

Season times Carinthian summer mountain railways. (Order according to the length of the autumn opening hours)

• Katschberg: June 4 - November 5, 2022
• Bad Kleinkirchheim: May 25 - November 1, 2022 (Kaiserburgbahn/Biking until October 16, 2022)
• Turracherhöhe: June 11 - November 1, 2022 (Kornockbahn/biking until October 1, 2022)
• Nassfeld: May 26 - October 30, 2022 (Millennium-Express/Bike-Flow Trail until September 25 | Madritschenbahn/Bike-Naturtrails until October 30, 2022)
• Ankogel: June 25 - October 30, 2022
• Petzen: May 13 - October 30, 2022
• Weissensee: May 6 - October 26, 2022
• Mölltal Glacier: June 16 - 19 & June 24 - 26 and from July 1, 2022 to May 7, 2023
• Gerlitzen Alpe: May 26 - October 9, 2022
• Goldeck: June 16 - October 2, 2022
• Klippitztörl: May 26 - September 25, 2022
• Border triangle: May 26 - September 18, 2022
• Kreuzeck: June 7 - September 18, 2022
• Heiligenblut: June 16 - September 18, 2022

As of September 9th, 2022, subject to changes by the cable car companies

The basis for summer operation is successful winter operation

"For us as a cable car industry, summer operation is constantly gaining in importance thanks to attractive, specialized offers. Nevertheless, summer is only conceivable on the basis of successful winter operation. Because winter is and remains our main business, to which we cannot devote enough energy and attention. At least generate we get 80 to 90 percent of our income in the winter," says specialist group chairman Manuel Kapeller-Hopfgartner, emphasizing the importance of winter.

Carinthia's summer mountain railways - the facts

• A total of 15 Carinthian cable car companies with summer operations
• 6 of them are certified as "Best Austrian Summer Mountain Railways" for their outstanding quality of experience. Specifically: Bad Kleinkirchheim, Gerlitzen Alpe, Goldeck, Katschberg, Nassfeld (with all three cable car companies) and Turracherhöhe
• 9 other summer mountain railways: Ankogel, Dreiländereck, Heiligenblut, Klippitztörl, Kreuzeck, Mölltaler Gletscher, Petzen and Weissensee; Innerkrems (unclear if/how summer operation takes place)
• Guests (technical term first admissions) in summer 2021: 1.10 million guests (plus 9% compared to 2020) | Review: 2020 1.01 million guests | 2019: 1.12 million guests (previous high)