The cross-border Ischgl-Samnaun ski area in Austria is investing €50 million in a major lift upgrade programme that will see three new high-speed chairlifts installed in time to open for the 2026/27 winter season.
The project will replace three of the Silvretta Arena’s busiest lifts – Höllboden, Höllkar and Sassgalun – with modern eight-seat Doppelmayr D-Line chairlifts.
Not only will they be faster and more efficient, but what skier or snowboarder would not enjoy the lift’s new features such as heated seats and weather protection hoods!
Together, the three existing lifts have carried more than 83 million skiers since they first opened, making them some of the most heavily used in the Austrian-Swiss ski area.
New lifts will improve efficiency and sustainability
All three replacements will feature Doppelmayr’s AURO (Autonomous Ropeway Operation) system, which automatically monitors boarding and unloading to improve both safety and operational efficiency.
The Höllboden lift will also follow a slightly different alignment, with its upper station relocated around 500 metres east of its current position. Resort operators say the change will reduce skier congestion around the busy Idalp hub by improving traffic flow between several popular pistes.
Sustainability has also been factored into the development. More than 1,200 square metres of photovoltaic solar panels will be installed on the roofs of the new lift stations, generating around 275 kWp of renewable electricity.
More lift upgrades to come
The lift upgrades form part of a wider programme of investment across the Silvretta Arena.
In Samnaun, the Twinliner double-deck cable car will undergo a comprehensive refurbishment ahead of the 2026/27 season, including new cabins, upgraded controls and preparations for future autonomous operation.
The Silvretta Arena, linking Ischgl in Austria with Samnaun in Switzerland, offers around 239km of pistes and is consistently ranked among the Alps’ leading ski destinations, with investment in modern lift infrastructure remaining a key part of its long-term strategy.
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