The Silvrettaseilbahn AG and the Bergbahnen Samnaun AG make further investments in improving the amenities in the ski area, and in summer 2019 will build the replacement facilities VELILLECK F1 (6-seat chairlift with hood) and VISNITZ N2 (8-seat chairlift with hood).
By the way:
Ischgl was voted “Best ski resort 2018” by the ski portal “Snow Plaza”. A title that has to be defended!
In 1978, in order to relieve the load on the Höllboden T-bar lift, a chairlift was built from Höllboden up to Idalp. This 2-seat chairlift was replaced in 1989 by a fixed-grip 4-seat chairlift.
The 2-seat chairlift was re-erected in 1993 as the Velilleck chairlift and was put into service on 26 December of that year.
The 2-seat chairlift has carried around 14 million people since 1978.
The new F1 VELILLECK chairlift will be the fastest chairlift in the Silvretta Arena Ischgl/Samnaun as of winter 2019/2020 with 6 m/s.
It will lead up to Pardatschgrat ridge along 16 round-pipe pillars. The new F1 chairlift is thus 1,353 m longer than the old Velilleck chairlift.
The new lower terminus (2,048 m) is in the same location, directly by the No. 7 ski run. The new corridor will veer off slightly to the north-east. The upper terminus of the Velilleck chairlift will also be constructed near the upper terminus of the Gratbahn B8 at 2,620 m.
Design
From the cable sheave all the way to the upholstery of the highly comfortable seats, everything was given a completely new design for the new Gampenbahn lift. The backs of the seats of the new facility were printed with images of plants from the surrounding nature this time. As with the Palinkopf and Gampenbahn lifts, every chair is unique.
Comfort
Highest passenger comfort and low-noise operation make the new Velilleckbahn lift first class. The new high-tech chairlift features a series of tangible improvements for our guests:
The new lift is scheduled to go into operation in time for the new winter season 2019/2020. You can read about the current state of construction work in the construction blog HERE
Key data for the new VELILLECK F1
Type | 6 CLD/B-H |
Transportation capacity | 2,400 passengers per hour |
Travel speed | 6 m/s |
Inclined length | 1,948 m |
Height above sea level lower terminus | 2,048 m |
Height above sea level upper terminus | 2,620 m |
Elevation difference | 572 m |
Number of pillars | 16 |
Travel time | approx. 5.92 min |
Number of chairs | 79 |
Chair features | weather-protection hoods, heated seats, D-Line |
Persons per chair | 6 |
Location of drive engine | Upper terminus |
Maximum cable incline | 75 % |
Manufacturer cable car technology | Doppelmayr Seilbahn GmbH |
Haulage cable | Teufelberger Seil GesmbH |
Drive/control technology | Frey Austria GmbH |
Investment volume | approx. € 13.5 M |
The new lift is scheduled to go into service in time for the new 2019/2020 winter season and will be the first 8-seat "D-Line" chairlift in Switzerland.
In 1978, the Visnitz T-bar lift was constructed on the Alp Trida. This T-bar lift was replaced in 1994 with the detachable Visnitz chairlift. Since 1994, the Visnitz chairlift has carried some 24 million guests.
The new detachable 8-seat Visnitz chairlift leads along 13 round-pipe pillars from the Alp Trida (2,261 m) in direction of Visnitzkopf at 2,633 m, covering an elevation difference of 372 m. The lower terminus was already built in the summer of 2018 east of the mountain restaurant "Skihaus Alp Trida". Furthermore, the already established ski slope 68b also leads directly to the new lower terminus.
Thanks to the new 8-seat chairlift, 900 guests more per hour can now be carried.
As with the new Velilleckbahn chairlift, the chairs feature 520 mm wide individual seats, seat heaters and weather-protection hoods to provide guests with maximum travel comfort. The backs of the new D-Line seats will feature images depicting the history of Samnaun.
The new lift is scheduled to go into service in time for the new 2019/2020 winter season and will be the first 8-seat "D-Line" chairlift in Switzerland.
Key data for the new VISTNITZ N2
Type | 8 CLD/B-H |
Transportation capacity | 3,500 passengers per hour |
Travel speed | 5 m/s |
Inclined length | 1,208 m |
Height above sea level lower terminus | 2,261 m |
Height above sea level upper terminus | 2,633 m |
Elevation difference | 372 m |
Number of pillars | 13 |
Travel time | approx. 4.53 min |
Number of chairs | 767 |
Chair features | weather-protection hoods, heated seats, D-Line |
Persons per chair | 8 |
Location of drive engine | Lower terminus |
Maximum cable incline | 63 % |
Manufacturer cable car technology | Garaventa AG |
Investment volume | approx. € 10,5 M |
The cable cars in the Silvretta Arena employ more than 700 staff in winter, making them one of the largest employers of the region. The Bergbahnen Samnaun AG and the Silvrettaseilbahn AG together operate 45 cable cars and lifts, 239 kilometres of slopes and 12 mountain restaurants in the Silvretta Arena ski area. Since the company was established, the shareholders have foregone any dividend payout in order to allow investment into the ski area.
Awards Silvretta Arena
In winter 2018/2019 Ischgl/Samnaun was repeatedly honoured with numerous prizes:
www.snowplaza.de - Best Ski Area 2017, 2018 and 2019
Ischgl is again the best ski area. This according to a survey by the ski-portal Snowplaza. Almost 31,000 people submitted their votes. This makes the Snowplaza-Award the biggest audience award for ski areas in Europe.