The History of the Silvretta Seilbahn AG
17 October 1961
Historic picture of cable cars
The Company is registered in the Austrian Commercial Register with 73 founding shareholders, with a common stock value of €6,671,000.00
The construction of the Silvrettabahn was from 1962 to 1963. However, there was a crash of the Silvrettabahn in March 1963 (shortly before it went into service, during trials); followed by immediate reconstruction and commissioning of the Silvretta Cable Car in Tyrol as well as the first surface lift (Idjoch lift) in December 1963.
Financial problems occurred at first, but in 1966 with the entry of the joint management team as shareholders plus the increase of capital stock from €0.5 million to €1 million, the company has never looked back, going from strength to strength.
1972
Austria’s first detachable monocable gondola lift, the Pardatschgratbahn, goes into service.
1976
Construction and initial operation of the third feeder lift – Fimbabahn
1977
Construction of the feeder lift I in Samnaun and the restaurants Alp Trida and Alp Trida Sattel 51% investment of the Silvrettaseilbahn AG in the Luftseilbahnen Samnaun AG
1979
Investment in the parking garage association in Ischgl
1980
Further major investments such as the expansion of the restaurants Idalpe, Höllkar and Schwarzwand, which have since been run independently.
The old surface lift to the Idjoch is replaced by Tyrol’s first detachable triple chair lift.
Ski lifts Viderjoch, Muller and Blais Gronda.
1983
Construction of the Silvrettabahn as 6-seater detachable monocable gondola lift
1984
Reconstruction of the panorama restaurant Alp Trid
1986
Building of the Silvretta centre (indoor pool, bowling alleys, event hall)
1988
Building of Austria’s longest detachable chair lift (Gampenbahn) and expansion of the snowmaking facilities.
1990
Construction of the Pardatschgratbahn
1991
The Muller ski lift is replaced by a fixed quad chair lift
1992 -1993
Construction of the tennis centre (4 indoor and 4 outdoor courts) and the outdoor pool
1993
Construction of the Flimjochbahn (high-speed quad) and the Velilleckbahn Building of the new restaurant “La Marmotte“ Opening-up of Alp Trida – Viderjoch
1994
Construction of the Höllspitzbahn (high-speed quad) as replacement for the Höllspitzlift
New construction of the high-speed quad chair lifts Alp Trida - Flimsattel and Alp Trida – Visnitz
1995
Construction of the Velillbahn (detachable 6-seater) which replaces 2 surface lifts. Reconstruction of the Idalpe self-service restaurant. Construction of the 2nd feeder lift 'Twinliner' in Samnaun Building of the restaurant Alp Bella
1996
Reconstruction of the Palinkopfbahn (high-speed quad) which replaces the double chair lift; building of an underground parking garage with 200 lots, escalator at the Pardatschgratbahn, construction of the high-speed quad Alp Bella - Grivalea.
1997
Construction Sassgalunbahn (fixed 6-seater) to replace surface lift. Preliminary works for the new Silvrettabahn (funitel); the Fimbabahn is replaced by the Silvrettabahn. Carcass work for the village tunnel (tunnel linking the centre and the Fimbabahn)
1998
The Silvrettabahn is upgraded to a funitel system Replacement of the Fimbabahn by the former Silvrettabahn Construction of the Höllkarbahn (detachable 6-seater) replacing the two surface lifts New building of the detachable 6-seater chair lift Planer Salaas - Greitspitz with bubble.
Completion of the village tunnel with band conveyor and lift
1999
New construction of the Schwarzwasserlift
2000
The surface lifts Palinkopf and Schwarzwand are replaced by the 6-seater chair lift Zeblas Replacement of the quad chair lift Höllboden by a 8-seater chair lift Building of the Bodenalpbahn (fixed quad chair lift) New building of the “Panorama” restaurant at the Idalpe Alp Trida Sattelbahn 6-seater detachable chair lift with bubble.
2001
The triple chair lift Idjoch is replaced by a 8-seater chair lift with bubble Expansion and reconstruction of the Höllboden restaurant with 'tower chamber” Expansion of the snowmaking facility in the Flimjoch area Expansion of the “Florian” parking garage by 200 parking lots Construction of a staff house with 34 modern single rooms.
2002
6-seater chair lift “Gratbahn“ with weather protection bubbles
'Höll' slope from the Greitspitz to the Höllkar Silvretta underground parking garage at the base station of the Silvrettabahn (220 parking lots) Expansion of the snowmaking facility.
2003
6-seater chair lift 'Paznauner Thaya' with weather protection bubbles
New ski routes:
Ski route no. 26
Höllspitz – Höllkar
Ski route no. 41
in the Zeblas area
Ski route no. 9
below the Flimspitze, Flimjoch – Idalpe
Expansion of the snowmaking facilities:
Lower part of slope no. 14a (Greitspitz - Höllkar) Lower part of slope no. 34 (Höllspitz - Paznauner Thaya) Upper part of slope no. 11 (Idjoch) Ski run no. 3 (Höllboden –mid-station)
2004
6-seater chair lift “Nachtweidebahn“ with weather protection bubbles.
Building of the “Pardorama“ restaurant at the Pardatschgrat
The steel structure of the new restaurant has a tonnage of about 1,300 tons and a glass façade with an area of approx. 1,000 sqm. The self-service restaurant seats 450 people, the serviced restaurant provides space for up to 220 people. The congress area can host events for up to 200 people.
Expansion of the snowmaking facility
Slope no. 7a, upper Velillalpe – lower Velillalpe
Slope no. 3, Schmids Id – Stöck to Fimbaweg
Slope no. 2b, Nachtweide
Boarding conveyor Velilleckbahn
The Höllspitzbahn is equipped with modern weather protection bubbles.
2005
New construction of the administration building at the Silvrettabahn base station
The administration building of the Silvrettaseilbahn AG was built on the west side as an annex to the existing Silvrettabahn station building. The ground floor provides ample space and houses various ski ticket sales points, a cashier desk for groups and the office of the ski and snowboard school Ischgl. A small sports shop with a generous ski and shoe depot will open to guests in the future.
Completion of the PARDORAMA restaurant
The serviced restaurant and the congress area in the Pardorama (Pardatschgrat) restaurant are completed. Ischgl has therefore been providing a congress and event area 2,620 m above sea-level since winter 2005/2006 – which probably makes it unique!
Ski slopes are improved or adjusted in the entire ski area. This work includes the enlargement of the no. 1a descent down to the base station of the Fimba and the Pardatschgratbahn.
Expansion of the snowmaking facility
New construction of the snowmaking facility Alp Bella, expansion of the snowmaking facility Alp Trida (Kanonenrohr, Sattelpiste), descent down Laret and Zeblas. New pump stations in Laret for supplying snowmaking water to the areas Alp Trida and Alp Bella.
Extension of the Zeblas slope (no. 80), enlargement in the waterfall area New ski slopes Grivalea - Alp Bella.
The umbrella bar at the Alp Trida restaurant is replaced by the new “Munggaloch” après-ski bar.
2006
Building of the Alpenhaus restaurant on the Idalp (2,300 m)
The restaurant offers a spacious sun terrace, a sun-bathing terrace on the first floor, a comfortable indoor area and a ski lounge. It seats 500 people indoors and 350 people on the terraces. The building was again given a traditional stone façade on the outside.
New design of the Silvrettabahn base station building
The eastern façade of the Silvrettabahn base station is redesigned to conform with the new administration building.
Expansion of the snowmaking facility
The snowmaking facilities on the following slopes are expanded:
piste 21, piste 2a, piste 4, piste 40, piste 32, piste 34
Ski slopes are again improved or adjusted in the entire ski area. The existing ski route from the Greitspitze (Greitspitz ski trail) to the Schwarze Wand restaurant is adapted and enlarged to form a ski slope (piste no. 14b).
Viderjoch storage lake
Reconstruction of “La Marmotte“ restaurant
Building of piste no. 76a (Grivalea – Alp Bella)