Press Conference Of The Association Of German Cable Cars & Ski Lifts Themed "Sustainable Year-Round Operation

This year's press conference of the Association of German Cable Cars and Ski Lifts (VDS) was themed "Sustainable year-round operation" and took place in the Munich Press Club.

Before the start of the winter season, the board and management of the VDS provided information on current developments, industry trends and key topics of the cable car industry.

Due to the excellent conditions of fresh snow and the cold snap, the Söllereck family mountain in Oberstdorf  opened its ski season on November 23, 2025. The Zugspitze followed on November 28, 2025. In the Allgäu region, the Fellhorn cable car will start its season on December 5. The Sudelfeld and Wendelstein cable cars will open on December 12, with the Willingen ski area scheduled to open the following day. The other ski resorts will follow depending on weather and snow conditions until mid-December.

In the winter of 2024/2025, net traffic revenue amounted to €152.7 million. Six million first-time visitors were recorded during this period. The interim report for the summer of 2025, up to the end of September, showed an increase of 4.8% in first-time visitors and 6.6% in revenue compared to the previous year.

The focus of cable car investments is on sustainable and resource-efficient year-round operation. 80% of the cable cars operate in both summer and winter. Many companies offer a wide range of services that provide guests with attractive mountain experiences even in spring and summer.

“German mountain railways stand for a more modern, ecologically, economically and socially sustainable year-round tourism. We continue to focus on summer and winter operations with equal emphasis, thus offering people relaxing breaks and leisure activities throughout the year,” said Henrik Volpert, Chairman of the Board of the VDS.

In 2025, the cable car companies invested a total of around 55 million euros in, among other things, the construction of new facilities and restaurants, additional offerings such as tobogganing and fun parks, and the expansion of children's and family activities:

At ErlebnisBocksberg Hahnenklee, the new summer toboggan run “Drachenblitz” has been built with a 560-meter-long track and a 50-meter-long skywalk, which will lead over the toboggan run after construction is completed.

At the Berchtesgaden mountain railway, new interactive outdoor escape adventure trails create attractive offers for children and young people.

After a five-year hiatus, the "Höllwies" ski lift at Söllereck is making a comeback. Instead of building a new lift, the operators are opting for upcycling: The approved original route of the ski lift from the 1970s will be retained, and the supports and foundations will be reused. A new, energy-efficient drive system will significantly reduce electricity consumption.

Construction of the new Kreuzwankl chairlift in the Garmisch-Classic ski area is nearing completion. The new 8-seater chairlift with weather protection hoods is scheduled to open in time for the 2025/2026 winter season. The project represents an investment of approximately 18 million euros.

The Mitterdorf ski resort in the Bavarian Forest is investing around €23 million in, among other things, a detachable, wind-stable 6-seater chairlift and a fixed-grip 4-seater chairlift, which are intended to operate in both winter and summer. The season is scheduled to begin in mid-December 2025.

The new Flyline runs between the mountain and valley stations of the Almbergbahn cable car and, together with the new adventure hiking trail, will expand the summer offerings for the whole family from 2026 onwards.

VERBAND DEUTSCHER SEILBAHNEN (VSD) The Association of German Cable Cars and T-bar Lifts , based in Germering near Munich, has existed for over 50 years and is a national industry association.

As a competence center, the association bundles and represents the common concerns and interests of its 122 members.

The VDS is the first point of contact for all questions relating to the German cable car industry. The “VDS support group”, in which suppliers and service companies in the cable car industry are represented, supports the VDS as a strong partner.

The association ensures the training of specialists for the industry with an extensive range of training and further education for cable car professions.

The VDS also advises and trains its members on topics such as cable car technology and safety, business administration and law, environmental protection and tourism issues, and carries out public relations and committee work with business, the press and politics.
The Association of German Cable Cars and T-bar Lifts e.V. (VDS), based in Germering near Munich, has been in existence for over 50 years and is a national industry association.

As a competence center, the association bundles and represents the common concerns and interests for its 122 members. The VDS is the first point of contact for all questions concerning the German ropeway industry. The “VDS-Förderkreis”, in which suppliers and service companies of the ropeway industry are represented, supports the VDS as a strong partner. The association ensures the training of experts for the industry with an extensive range of training and further education courses for ropeway professions. In addition, the VDS advises and trains its members on topics such as ropeway technology and safety, business management and law, environmental protection and tourism issues, and carries out public relations and committee work with business, the press and politics.