The smuggler’s circuit in Ischgl The smuggler’s circuit in Ischgl

In the tracks of the smugglers in Ischgl and Samnaun

The smuggler’s circuit in Ischgl

Current facility status

open
nr.: 3 - GOLD smuggler’s circuit
open
nr.: 2 - SILVER smuggler’s circuit
open
nr.: 1 - BRONZE smuggler’s circuit
Last update:

A highlight during your ski holiday

The Ischgl smuggler’s tour

Since the 2016/17 winter season, the smuggler’s circuit in the top ski resort Ischgl – Samnaun has fascinated countless winter sports athletes.

GOLD, SILVER or BRONZE – which tour are you going to decide on? 



What do nylon stockings, coffee and tobacco all have in common? Not much at first glance, but there is one thing indeed: they were popular goods smuggled between the Austrian town Ischgl and the Swiss town Samnaun. Of course, that was a long time ago.

Nowadays, the route between the Tyrolean town Ischgl and Switzerland is not used for smuggling anymore – instead, people ski on it! During the 2016/17 winter season, the smuggler’s circuit at the Silvretta Arena was opened and has become one of the most popular ski circuits amongst winter athletes.

Depending on skill level – you can choose between the GOLD, SILVER or BRONZE route. 

To each his own smuggler’s tour

The Silvretta Arena impresses with its diversity already. But to top it all off, there is a total of three smuggler’s circuits in what might very well be the most exclusive ski resort of the Alps. Which tour in Ischgl are you going to conquer? Gold, silver or bronze?

The smuggler’s circuits in Ischgl in numbers: 

The gold smuggler’s circuit  
one of the longest ski circuits worldwide:
61.8 kilometres, 13,740 metres of difference in altitude (incl. cable cars and lifts);
duration approx. 4 hours
More information about the gold run

The silver smuggler’s circuit
perfect for seasoned skiers:
41.4 kilometres, 9,530 metres of difference in altitude (incl. cable cars and lifts);
duration approx. 3,5 hours
More information about the silver run

The bronze smuggler’s circuit
perfect for lovers of blue (and, hence, easy) slopes:
40,2 kilometres, 8,282 metres of difference in altitude (incl. cable cars and lifts);
duration approx. 4 hours
More information about the bronze run

Tip:
One of the most beautiful scenic viewpoints of every route is at the Palinkopf in Ischgl – at 2,864 metres above sea level. For an amazing holiday snapshot, have your smartphone or camera ready!

Competition

Smuggle and win

From December you can collect smuggler COINS. You will receive COINS for each round.
Track your Gold, Silver or Bronze smuggler round with our app and win instant vouchers.
# Gold round: 10 coins
# Silver round: 8 coins
# Bronze round: 5 Coins

Level 1: NEWBIE 20 Coins
When reaching 20 Coins, everyone gets an instant voucher of the SILVRETTA Therme Ischgl.

Level 2: MASTER 40 Coins
When you reach 40 coins, you will receive a further instant voucher for the SILVRETTA Therme Ischgl thermal baths.

Level 3: PROFESSIONAL 100 Coins
When you reach 100 coins, you will each receive an additional instant voucher for the SILVRETTA Therme Ischgl thermal baths.


MASTER WIN:
3 nights in a 4*hotel with half board in Ischgl incl. 4-day ski pass with concert entry to the Top of the Mountain Concert for 2 people or 2 nights in Samnaun incl. 2-day ski pass on the weekend of the Spring Snow Festival for 2 people.

Current

Ranking

That’s how it works:

  • download our free “iSki Ischgl” app  and sign up for the raffle
      
  • Track Gold, Silver or Bronze circuit with the iSki Ischgl App
  • important: You can only participate in the competition if you sign in with the app and pass all checkpoints of one circuit in the correct order and within one day. You can see all checkpoints at a glance within the app. A notification, sound and vibration indicate that you have passed a checkpoint. 
  • start and finish line are at the valley station of the Fimbabahn (A3) cable car in Ischgl and at the Twinliner (L1) cable car in Samnaun.
  • upload your checkpoints until 5 pm of the same day and you get a chance at winning great prizes! 

 

Good to know:

  • a folder with a description of the route is available at all ski pass offices in Ischgl and Samnaun as well as at your accommodation 
  • you can be tracked even if your phone is in offline mode (via GPS).
    Important: the current EU roaming regulations do not apply to Switzerland! 
  • as soon as you hit “finish and send ”, you automatically take part in the raffle
  • speed is not a ranking factor for the competition
  • there is free WiFi access at all restaurants in the ski resort Ischgl – Samnaun

Prizes, prizes, prizes ...

That’s what you can win:

 

From December you can collect smuggler COINS. You will receive COINS for each round.
Track your Gold, Silver or Bronze smuggler round with our app and win instant vouchers.
# Gold round: 10 coins
# Silver round: 8 coins
# Bronze round: 5 Coins

Level 1: NEWBIE 20 Coins
When reaching 20 Coins, everyone gets an instant voucher of the SILVRETTA Therme Ischgl.

Level 2: MASTER 40 Coins
When you reach 40 coins, you will receive a further instant voucher for the SILVRETTA Therme Ischgl thermal baths.

Level 3: PROFESSIONAL 100 Coins
When you reach 100 coins, you will each receive an additional instant voucher for the SILVRETTA Therme Ischgl thermal baths.


MASTER WIN:
3 nights in a 4*hotel with half board in Ischgl incl. 4-day ski pass with concert entry to the Top of the Mountain Concert for 2 people or 2 nights in Samnaun incl. 2-day ski pass on the weekend of the Spring Snow Festival for 2 people.

The history of the smuggler’s circuit in Ischgl

Especially during times of need and in the post-war years, valuable contraband was smuggled across almost all borders. It’s no surprise, that the border region of the Paznaun was particularly popular with smugglers. From Ischgl to Samnaun, valuable Austrian goods, like butter, cheese and furs were smuggled into Switzerland. On the way back from Samnaun, everything which was in demand at the time, like American coffee, nylon stockings, tobacco, rice or flour was then brought into Austria.

That was everything but an easy task for the smugglers, which included many living in the Paznaun. A fully packed rucksack could weigh up to 40 kg and the walking time from Ischgl to Samnaun and back was about six to seven hours. To escape the tollkeepers, they also took the journey primarily during times of bad weather. Owing to the tollkeepers’ poor skiing skills and lack of knowledge of the region, hardly any smugglers got caught. And if they did, there were no other consequences aside from the confiscation of their contraband. 

The increased tourism of the 1950s finally put an end to contraband trade between Austria and Switzerland. The rise in employment opportunities in and around Ischgl resulted in making the smuggling tours unprofitable. 

Did you know … that the first ski lift in Ischgl was built in 1952 and was partially financed by the profits that were made from contraband trade? 

Samnaun

Duty-free shopping in Switzerland

Today the Swiss town Samnaun is incredibly popular for bargain hunters and shopping enthusiasts. Isn’t it great that it can be reached from Ischgl – quickly and easily on skis? Nowadays, you can buy as many souvenirs and presents for your loved ones at home as you please – legally, of course! 

More information about duty-free shopping in Ischgl and the current customs regulations

Smuggling like they do in the movies

Many, many years ago Emil Zangerl was one of the numerous smugglers in Ischgl. In the video, he explains interesting facts about smuggling and tells funny anecdotes from the life of the smugglers. 

You should definitely ski the smuggler circuits in Ischgl if …

  • … you’ve always wanted to feel like a smuggler but don't want to pay the penalty. 
  • … you want to combine the history of the Paznaun with stunning views, perfectly groomed slopes and amazing descents. 
  • … you are a winner and want to get your hands on the tickets for the “Top of the Mountain Closing”.
  • … you want to impress your friends back home with amazing stories about your smuggler’s adventures
  • … you want to get to know the ins and outs of the Silvretta Arena in Ischgl and enjoy the breathtaking scenic view from the Palinkopf. 
     

So which one of the three smuggler’s circuits did you decide on? Capture your experiences, track your tour and get a chance to win several great prizes! Look for and book an accommodation in Ischgl right away: the next ski adventure during your winter holiday in Austria already awaits you! 

Download our free „iSki Ischgl“-App now and make the registration for the competition! 

  

Silvrettaseilbahn AG

Silvrettaplatz 2
6561 Ischgl
Austria
ATU Nr.: 31779705