Successful Säntis General Assembly Held

The 91st Annual General Meeting of Säntis-Schwebebahn AG took place at Schwägalp. While construction work for the "Säntis 2026" project is already underway in the background, the existing cable car will remain in continuous operation until May 2026. The focus was on the "Säntis 2026" construction project, the Swisstainable Level III classification, and the elections to the Board of Directors.

As is tradition, the "Alderbuebe" band provided musical entertainment in the packed tent before Chairman of the Board of Directors Michael Auer opened the meeting. He expressed his delight at the large turnout: A total of around 6,000 guests visited Säntis during the two shareholder days, meeting old acquaintances and friends, and enjoying the expansive views as well as the complimentary cable car ride and the traditional snack of ham and potato salad.

In the panel discussion moderated by Philipp Langenegger, the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the members of the Executive Board looked back on the past year and looked ahead to the future.

Stable annual result despite challenges

The past fiscal year was characterized by difficult weather conditions. Nevertheless, a solid result was achieved, as the current annual report shows. With operating income of CHF 21.8 million and EBITDA of CHF 3.0 million, the financial basis remains stable in 2024. This allows for the continued recognition of necessary depreciation of CHF 2.6 million and provisions of CHF 290,000.

The management cites the ongoing shortage of skilled workers and weather-related fluctuations in daily business as key challenges.

Säntis 2026 - New construction during ongoing operations

With the "Säntis 2026" project, the new construction of the Säntis cable car will be the focus of the next two years. The planned start of construction in summer 2026 is approaching, and preparatory work is already underway. Säntis-Schwebebahn AG is currently in the midst of the construction phase for the new intermediate support in the area of ​​current support 2. Initial images of the construction site were presented at the general meeting; the construction work is clearly visible to passengers during the journey.

A particular challenge is the continued parallel rail operation: All transports are carried out using the existing cable car, with a cable hoist mounted under the cabin being used.

In the first phase, a heavy excavator, construction containers, and various building materials were brought to the construction site. A platform was specially constructed for storage. Part of the drilling work for the necessary anchors has already been completed; moreover, the first of several concrete pours was successfully completed – the concrete was transported after the cable car closed in the evening. All further construction work is also scheduled to take place outside of regular operating hours. Cable car operations for guests will therefore remain as usual until the end of April 2026 – a disruption is not planned until May 2026.

Rock excavation work in front of the mountain station is expected to continue until the end of July 2025. Hiking up Säntis will be possible throughout the construction period, but temporary adjustments to the route may be necessary. Information about any changes will be provided directly on site.

New offers on the Schwägalp in planning

In parallel with the new construction project, Säntis-Schwebebahn AG is currently examining various options for activating Schwägalp in 2026. The goal is to specifically expand the local offerings and better target different target groups. Among other things, new options for larger groups of up to 400 people are planned for early summer 2026.

Commitment to a sustainable future

Sustainability is a central concern of Säntis-Schwebebahn AG. This makes our Level III rating – leading within the national sustainability program Swisstainable – all the more gratifying. This highest level is a strong sign of our commitment to responsibility – we are currently one of only 13 hotels in Eastern Switzerland to hold this distinction.

Swisstainable brings together companies along the entire tourism value chain in Switzerland. By participating, Säntis-Schwebebahn AG is committed to ongoing, holistic corporate development. This includes, among other things, concrete measures such as reducing food waste, targeted energy-saving projects, a transparent personnel policy, and steps to improve accessibility. In doing so, it is making an active contribution to a sustainable future for Swiss tourism – for guests, employees, and the environment alike.

Two new members of the Board of Directors

Of a total of 19,269 shareholders with 48,000 voting rights, 10,711 were represented – corresponding to 22.31% of the voting capital. All proposals of the Board of Directors were approved by the Annual General Meeting.

Chairman of the Board of Directors Michael Auer and the current Board members Daniela Merz and Martin Dörig were re-elected for the 2025-2028 term of office.

With the sudden death of Peter Eisenhut, Säntis-Schwebebahn AG lost a long-standing and valued member of its Board of Directors. Gavin Schmid also announced that he would not stand for re-election in June 2026. To ensure a successful succession, the Board of Directors proposed electing Caroline Derungs and Marcel Walker to the Board this year – both were elected with a large majority.

Caroline Derungs, a business economist with further training in tourism, comes from Niederhelfenschwil and has been Head of Profit Center at the Chocolarium - the Maestrani adventure world in Flawil - since 2021.

Marcel Walker, PhD in economics from Stein, is a member of the cantonal council and managing director of Fortyone AG, with which he supports numerous start-ups in the region. He also operates as a restaurant owner, including at the Lokremise and the Lagerhaus restaurant in St. Gallen.

Voices from the shareholder family

At the end of the Annual General Meeting, Michael Auer competently answered various questions from the audience. The Chairman of the Board of Directors expressed his sincere thanks to all shareholders for their loyalty – as well as to the employees for their daily commitment.

A special highlight was the joint musical finale: Together with the "Kleinformation Jodelchörli Urnäsch" (small formation of the Jodel choir), the shareholder family sang the Appenzell Landsgemeinde song - an atmospheric and unforgettable moment at the end of the
91st Annual General Meeting.

Säntis Suspension Railway AG

The Säntis is one of the most popular destinations in the Lake Constance tourist region. Known for its cable car, the restaurants on the mountain and on the Schwägalp, the hotel, and the nature adventure park, it offers all guests a variety of options in a unique mountain landscape. Innovation is evident in the three-star superior hotel and the generous restauran