Leitner Kapauns 8-Seater Chairlift Goes Into Operation In The Largest Ski Area In The Zillertal

First construction phase of the redesigned connection between Zell and Gerlos implemented in the Zillertal Arena

From the 2022/23 winter season, the new 8-seater Kapauns chairlift will take skiers directly to the redesigned connection between Zell and Gerlos in the Zillertal Arena has thus been completed. In the new chair lift, skiers are protected and transported warm thanks to the hood and seat heating, and the length of the route has almost doubled. The total investment including slope construction amounts to € 14.5 million.

With the new building, the 2-seater chairlift that was built in 1993 and has since been known as the "Sportbahn Kapauns" had to give way. “With the new Kapauns chairlift, we are not just replacing an old system with a new one. We are thus reorganizing the connection between Zell and Gerlos and are helping to ensure that our guests are transported more comfortably and quickly between the ski areas," reports the Managing Director of the Zeller Bergbahnen, DI Franz Kranebitter. The associated pistes have almost doubled to over 2.5 km thanks to the new route and score points on the one hand due to the altitude up to over 2,500 m, but also due to the completely north-facing orientation, which guarantees the best snow conditions until spring. "What used to be considered an insider tip,

Energy-saving drive & international design

The planning not only relied on the latest ropeway technology from LEITNER, but also made an architectural statement in cooperation with the internationally renowned architects Snøhetta: The new stations impress with their equally simple and spectacular design. With the LEITNER DIRECTDRIVE, a drive system that does not require any gears and works almost silently, ensures energy savings of 15% compared to drives with gears.

Tried, tested, approved

With the successfully completed recovery and fire protection exercise and the positive official operating permit negotiations, the permit for the public start of operations was granted after careful examination. During the mountain exercise, together with the mountain rescue service, fire brigade, Red Cross and alpine police, 30 people abseiled down and simulated a fire in the valley station.

Outlook Connection Wilde Krimml 2023/24

Subsequently, from winter 2023/24, the Krimml-X-Press connecting cable car in the form of a 10-seater gondola lift will transport guests quickly and safely and, above all, with stable winds and without intermediate stations. The frosty connection between Zell and Gerlos is finally history!

Facts

• Detachable 8-seater chairlift with weather protection hoods and seat heating from LEITNER
• Capacity: 2,940 people/hour in a total of 72 chairs
• Altitude in valley station: 1,904 m, altitude in mountain station: 2,502 m
• longer, slightly different route at 1,936 m to the transition, the highest point in the Zillertal Arena