Carinthia's Summer Liftco’s Starting The 2023 Season Dynamically

Carinthia's summer mountain railways start the season between the beginning of May and the end of June. For 180 days they promise comfortable, varied, impressive and sustainable mountain enjoyment and a variety of experiences at lofty heights.

"Mountain railways are the most sustainable way to get up to our Carinthian mountains comfortably, quickly and easily. Our guests appreciate and love that - locals and holidaymakers alike," explained Manuel Kapeller-Hopfgartner, head of the Cable Cars section of the Carinthian Chamber of Commerce. "The guests come because they want to enjoy our other world on the mountain and use it to relax as well as to be active. It is our adventure offers that make the mountains interesting for guests who would not come just for the hiking," emphasized Kapeller -Hopfgartner.

"We know that enjoying the mountain panorama, the feeling of freedom high above the valley and experiencing alpine nature are central reasons for the popularity of our mountains, which can be reached via cable cars," said Stefanie Hopfgartner, deputy state spokeswoman for the best Austrians Summer mountain railways and managing director of Goldeck Bergbahnen in Carinthia. Moreover, the guests are enthusiastic about the fresh, clear mountain air away from the heat in the valley. "Again and again we find that the cable car ride with chairlifts and gondolas is an experience in itself," says the summer mountain railways expert.

Mainstay of Carinthian summer tourism

"With more than a million guests (1.1 million in 2022) during the summer months, Carinthia's cable cars are a reliable and mainstay of summer tourism in Carinthia. As specialists for outstanding experiences up in the mountains, we also offer pre- and winter sports Off-season very attractive highlights that enrich the holiday. That's why our importance for the tourist region of Carinthia increases year by year," emphasized the head of the specialist group, Kapeller-Hopfgartner.

Early start & very long season

The season at Carinthia's summer mountain railways lasts more than 180 days, and the trend is rising. The Weissensee started the season on April 29, 2023. The Petzen followed on May 13th. In autumn, cable car operations in Bad Kleinkirchheim, on the Gerlitzen Alpe and on the Turracherhöhe run until November 1st, 2023. The Katschberg (October 31st), the Petzen, the Ankogel and the Nassfeld (each until October 29th) are not far behind ).

Season times Carinthian summer mountain railways 2023 (order according to start date)

Season times Carinthian summer mountain railways 2023 (order according to start date)

• Weissensee: 29.4. - 26.10.2023
• Petzen: 13.5. - 29.10.2023
• Gerlitzen Alp: 18.5. - 11/01/2023
• Bad Kleinkirchheim: 26.5. - 11/01/2023
• Dreiländereck: 27.5. - 17.9.2023
• Klippitztörl: 27.5. - 24.9.2023
• Nassfeld: 28.5. - 29.10.2023
• Katschberg: 29.5. - 10/31/2023
• Kreuzeck: 6.6. - 24.9.2023
• Ankogel: 8.6. - 29.10.2023
• Goldeck: 8.6. - 10/01/2023
• Heiligenblut: 8.6. - 17.9.2023
• Turracher height: 8.6. - 11/01/2023
• Mölltal Glacier: July 8, 2023 - May 2024

Status subject to changes by the cable car companies as of May 12, 2023

Lots of news since summer 2020

"Despite all the challenges and uncertainties since spring 2020, the Carinthian summer mountain railways have invested a lot in quality, service and adventure attractions on the mountain in recent years," said specialist group chairman Kapeller-Hopfgartner, emphasizing the great commitment of his colleagues. Exemplary news from the last three years are: The establishment of the mountain bike offer Flow Trails Kärnten in spring 2020. The new "Kaiserburg Bob", the roller bob run at the Kaiserburgbahn in Bad Kleinkirchheim, which has been available since summer 2021. Also in 2021, the Almschaukel "Dondolo" on the Tressdorfer Alm am Nassfeld as well as the summer tubing route, a wooden marble run and the kids' bike park in the Kanzelhöhe adventure arena on the Gerlitzen Alpe were put into operation. 2022 came a new one, Extremely difficult mountain bike single trail, the "PROlitzen Trail" from the Kanzelhöhe (1,470 meters above sea level) down to the valley station of the Kanzelbahn (530 meters above sea level). Since last year, the Goldeck has been offering sunrise trips including breakfast in the Seehütte throughout the summer (between July 12th and September 6th, 2023, each Wednesday, date details according to the website).

News 2023

• PETZEN: Architecturally and in terms of culinary delights, the Petzen has one more attraction. "Oben" is the name of the new panorama restaurant at an altitude of 1,708 meters near the mountain station of the cable car.
• GERLITZEN ALPE: A new children's playground is being built at the Kanzelbahn mountain station in the Kanzelhöhe adventure arena. Equipped with a slope slide, a motor skills course and a sand box, this is intended to sweeten the day for our little guests. And the parking deck in Annenheim will be expanded to create additional parking spaces at the valley station of the Kanzelbahn.
• NASSFELD: New from July 2023 is a comprehensive range of hiking and mountain tours starting at the Gartnerkofel chairlift mountain station - the "Hiker's Paradise Gartnerkofel 1,410 - 2,195 m". 15 different routes, from leisurely to the Garnitzenalm and on to the summit of the Krone/Monte Corona (1,832 m), classic to the Gartnerkofel summit (2,195 m) to ambitious around the Gartnerkofel (5 hour walk, around 12.5 km, 800 meters in altitude) the selection of tours is sufficient.

Sustainability, biodiversity & energy efficiency in Carinthia's cable cars

Sustainability, biodiversity and energy efficiency have been the focus of Carinthia's cable cars for years. This commitment was reinforced by the enormous rise in energy costs. "This further increased the willingness to work with new technologies and to break new ground," emphasized Manuel Kapeller-Hopfgartner. "In the last few months we have been actively working on the cable car vision of the future in workshops, excursions and much more and at the end of April 2023 we presented a comprehensive guide that was available to all Carinthian cable cars free of charge," said the specialist group chairman.

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% of our income in the winter," said 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. Concrete:
• Bad Kleinkirchheim
• Gerlitzen Alps
• gold corner
• Katschberg
• Nassfeld (with all three cable car companies) and
• Turracherhöhe
• 9 other summer mountain railways:
• anchor
• triangle
• Heiligenblut
• Klippitztörl
• cross corner
• Mölltal Glacier
• sneaks and
• Weissensee.
• Innerkrems (unclear if/how summer operation will take place in 2023)
• Guests (technical term first-time visitors) in summer 2022: 1,099,030 million guests (plus 1.6% compared to 2021)
• Review 2021: 1,081,394 million guests | 2020: 1,011,631 million guests | 2019: 1,123,388 million guests (previous high)