SKI ALPIN CARD: Premium Regions Launch Digitally And Sustainably In The 2025/26 Winter Season
The three ALPIN CARD premium regions are kicking off the 2025/26 winter season with sustainable innovations, special anniversaries, and future-oriented developments: The Kitzsteinhorn starts its season on Saturday, October 11th, and celebrates its 60th anniversary with extensive modernizations; the Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn ski circus is celebrating three significant anniversaries – 80 years of Saalbach cable cars, 75 years of Hinterglemm cable cars, and 10 years of its merger with Fieberbrunn; and the Schmittenhöhe region is celebrating 10 years of EMAS certification and is also opening its own company kindergarten. With 121 cable cars and lifts and up to 408 kilometers of slopes, the ALPIN CARD ticket network is a pioneer in future-oriented mountain tourism. "Our seven mountain railway companies represent the combination of tradition and innovation. Sustainability is a central theme – from renewable energies to state-of-the-art technologies, we are investing specifically in a responsible future for alpine tourism," explains Dr. Erich Egger, CEO of Schmittenhöhebahn AG.
Digital and sustainable: Modern solutions for contemporary mountain sports
The premium regions of the ALPIN CARD ticket network are committed to innovation: With their 100 percent digital smartphone ticket, they are pioneers in the field of digital ski passes. Winter sports enthusiasts can simply purchase their smartphone as a KeyCard alternative in the online shop, load it into the app, and, with Bluetooth enabled, go straight through the turnstile. SKIDATA's modern BLE technology ensures reliable operation with minimal battery consumption, making the mountain experience not only more comfortable but also more sustainable.
Since May 2025, guests have also benefited from the new Guest Mobility Ticket: All overnight guests in the premium ski regions receive free access to all public transport throughout Salzburger Land – from convenient arrival to exploring the entire region. The digital ticket enables a relaxing, car-free winter holiday and thus makes an important contribution to environmental protection.
Kitzsteinhorn: 60 years of glacier pioneering with new highlights
Austria's first glacier ski resort will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2025. Since December 12, 1965, Gletscherbahnen Kaprun AG has been shaping alpine tourism in the Salzburg region. Just in time for the anniversary, the new Gletschermühle restaurant will open at an elevation of 2,450 meters. It blends harmoniously into the high alpine landscape and offers regional specialties as well as spectacular views of the Kitzsteinhorn summit.
The modernized Gipfelbahn cable car reaches the 3,029-meter summit station with new cabins, providing an even more impressive mountain experience. "As Austria's first glacier ski area, we have been pioneering for 60 years and setting standards for glacier tourism. This experience enables us to offer our guests reliable piste conditions of the highest quality from October to June," emphasizes Thomas Maierhofer, CEO of Gletscherbahnen Kaprun AG.
With the development of the glacier in 1965, not only was a new chapter in Austrian cable car history opened, but also a leading tourism business was created that continues to shape the region today. Numerous milestones—from the commissioning of the summit cable car in 1966 to current investments in catering and infrastructure—demonstrate the high commitment to continually offering guests new and contemporary highlights.
Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn: Triple anniversary and sustainable innovations
This year, three milestones are being celebrated: 80 years of Saalbach cable cars, 75 years of Hinterglemm cable cars, and 10 years of the merger with Fieberbrunn. The success story that began in Saalbach in 1945 continued impressively in 1950 with the construction of the first drag lift in Hinterglemm. Since then, the Saalbach and Hinterglemm cable cars have been a key driver of the development of the ski area, which, since its expansion to Fieberbrunn in 2015, is now one of the largest ski areas in Europe with 270 kilometers of slopes and 70 lifts.
The season's highlights include several groundbreaking projects: In Fieberbrunn, a new 6-seater chairlift replacing the Maiskopf drag lift will make waiting times on the way back down to the valley a thing of the past. Particularly innovative: key components of the former Sassgalun cable car in Ischgl will be reused – a flagship project for resource-efficient mountain railway infrastructure.
At the same time, work began this summer on expanding the reservoir on the Schattberg, which will enable even more efficient snowmaking starting next year. In addition, a new funcross course at the Schanteilift in Leogang expands the range of activities for all age groups. "Ten years of the Skicircus in its current form represent consistent development, driven by the values of innovation and quality. With 80 years of Saalbach and 75 years of Hinterglemm cable cars, we look back on a success story characterized by pioneering spirit, entrepreneurial vision, and regional ties. The Maiskopf project embodies this pioneering spirit that has driven us for decades – to further develop existing products and set new standards," says Isabella Dschulnigg-Geissler, Managing Director of Saalbach Cable Cars.
Schmittenhöhe: Sustainability pioneer with a family focus
Schmittenhöhebahn AG takes responsibility for nature and the environment – and is celebrating a special anniversary this year: 10 years of EMAS validation. As the only cable car company in Europe to have been validated according to the European environmental management system (EMAS) for so long, Schmittenhöhe plays a pioneering role in alpine tourism. All cable car systems are powered by 100 percent green electricity. Photovoltaic systems provide additional energy from renewable sources. Ecological piste management and modern snowmaking technologies ensure the highest quality with the lowest possible use of resources.
A social milestone is the new Kunterbunt company kindergarten – the first inter-company childcare facility in Pinzgau. The kindergarten has space for 48 children and supports families in the tourism industry with flexible opening hours.
In addition to these ecological and social achievements, the Schmittenhöhe is also investing in improving the quality of the slopes and skiing enjoyment. The widening of the popular Tannwald run will noticeably increase skiing enjoyment for all skill levels. Particular attention is paid to the careful handling of nature and the landscape, which is ensured, among other things, by ecological monitoring planning.
Starting this winter, a new children's restaurant awaits ski schools and young skiers at the areitXpress mountain station – a place to enjoy, laugh, and warm up. The colorful, child-friendly restaurant offers a buffet at child height with healthy dishes prepared fresh daily, including regional favorites. Several large tables invite everyone to eat together. While the children are well looked after, adults can enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and culinary offerings of the AreitLounge or AreitAlm. Located right next to the areitXpress valley station, the new beginner area, "Schmidolin's Magic Carpet," offers ideal conditions for ski beginners. The 120-meter-long, covered conveyor belt and the newly designed 10,000 m² area enable comfortable and safe learning in the snow. A modern lift building with restrooms and two wide slopes round out the offerings for families. "As Austria's only EMAS-certified cable car company, we consciously take a pioneering role. Our goal is to preserve this unique living and recreational area while simultaneously providing an unforgettable nature experience for future generations," explains Dr. Erich Egger, CEO of Schmittenhöhebahn AG.
Ski ALPIN CARD: Prices and offers 2025/26
Day pass prices for winter 2025/26 are €71.00 in the preseason and €79.00 in the peak season. "We want to continue to offer an attractive offer for families, especially in times of rising costs," say representatives of the three premium regions. "It is important to us that the younger generation can also experience the fascination of winter sports – that's why we are again offering the Junior XPLORE CARD in 2025/26, which allows young people under 19 to ski on Saturdays for just €15." Families also benefit from the family bonus: ski passes are free for the third and all subsequent children. The three ALPIN CARD regions thus offer unlimited winter sports enjoyment in the coming winter season, characterized by quality, sustainability, and unique experiences.
