From the first gondola ride at dawn to the last carving turn in the evening light: Carinthia's cable car companies are starting the winter of 2025/26 with full energy.
When the first snow falls in Carinthia, it means not only joy for winter sports enthusiasts, but also an economic boost. Skiing is far more than just a leisure activity; it's a key driver of economic growth for the region. In the 2024/25 winter season, around 3.3 million skiers enjoyed Carinthia's slopes – from Heiligenblut and Nassfeld to Bad Kleinkirchheim and the Weinebene. Winter tourism not only provides sporting experiences, but also ensures full order books for restaurants, hotels, retail, and transportation. "Every euro generated by ski operations triggers up to seven euros in additional economic activity in the region," emphasizes Josef Bogensperger Jr., Chairman of the Cable Car Division of the Carinthian Chamber of Commerce and Managing Director of the Katschberg cable cars. "This secures thousands of jobs in the valleys and regions.".
The Carinthian cable car companies invested around €53 million in modern infrastructure, photovoltaic systems, energy-efficient snowmaking, and climate-friendly technologies. "This represents a clear commitment to climate protection, quality, and regional value creation. Our goal is to gradually make the ski resorts energy self-sufficient," explains Bogensperger. "We are focusing on sustainable electricity production, intelligent snowmaking systems, and efficient mobility. Carinthia should also be a pioneer in climate protection in winter tourism." Despite the high investments, prices remain stable. Ski pass prices are rising by an average of only three to five percent. Skiing in Carinthia remains affordable – in Mühldorf, for example, from just eight euros per day.
Take the Koralm Railway to the slopes
With the opening of the Koralm Railway, ski and winter sports enthusiasts can now travel directly to the slopes. From December 14th, the journey from Graz to the Gerlitzen mountain takes just 80 minutes. The trip from Graz to Villach main station takes 66 minutes. After a short transfer to the S-Bahn (suburban train), you reach Annenheim station in another 10 minutes, which is just a stone's throw from the gondola. Thanks to the cooperation between Gerlitzen Alpe and Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), winter sports enthusiasts can now travel comfortably, affordably, and sustainably. Ski passes and train tickets can be easily booked and perfectly combined online via the railway's new digital leisure marketplace. Holders of the Climate Ticket travel free of charge and receive a seven-euro discount on the day ticket. Those who purchase a round-trip ticket between Graz and Villach save up to 15 euros on their ski pass. Bogensperger: „With the Koralm cable car, the Gerlitzen mountain is closer for everyone – for Styrians as well as for Carinthians. Simply arrive by train, go directly to the gondola and save yourself the hassle of finding a parking space – starting your skiing adventure has never been so relaxed.”.
New career advancement opportunities
In the 2025/26 winter season, guests can look forward to numerous innovations. At Katschberg, a modern gondola lift with an energy-efficient drive system will replace the old Aineck 3-seater chairlift. The barrier-free cabins offer eight heated seats and comfortably transport winter sports enthusiasts to an altitude of 2,220 meters. A milestone is also approaching at Nassfeld, Carinthia's largest ski area: In December 2025, the new Gartnerkofelbahn will go into operation – a 10-person gondola lift that will replace the existing 4-seater chairlift.
The news for winter 2025/26
The focus of investments by Carinthian ski resorts is clearly on energy efficiency and climate protection. Bad Kleinkirchheim, Gerlitzen, and Katschberg are installing large-scale photovoltaic systems to power their lifts, pumping stations, and electric vehicle charging stations with their own solar energy. At the same time, snowmaking systems are being modernized to optimize water consumption and energy use. Many ski resorts are also investing in their vehicle fleets, particularly in new snow groomers and piste machines. Goldeck is expanding its offerings with new runs such as the "Seeblick" and "Glockner" slopes, as well as the spectacular "S1"—the longest black run in the Alps.
More adventure on the mountain
In addition to technology, Carinthia's cable cars also focus on the quality of the experience.
New culinary highlights such as the "Goldalm – Mountain Dining" on the Goldeck mountain or modernized mountain huts on the Simonhöhe and Weinebene offer top-notch culinary diversity. New adventure areas are being created for families and children, such as "Nocky's Snow Time" on the Turrach and the completely renovated children's snow park on the Falkert. In addition, the regions are focusing on events and leisure activities to make winter holidays even more attractive, including the "Night Ride to the Full Moon" in Bad Kleinkirchheim (December 5, 2025; January 3, February 1 & March 3, 2026), the "Snowboard World Cup" on the Simonhöhe (January 23 & 24, 2026), and Austria's highest-altitude Christmas market on the Petzen mountain (December 6, 7, 13, 14 & 20, 2025).
The Carinthian ski pass is a successful model.
The Carinthian ski pass It remains a successful project. "The digital purchase option for all ski pass variants, introduced last year, has been used by almost all of our customers. Carinthian ski pass buyers greatly appreciate the convenience of being able to buy and top up their season ski pass online. This year's online pre-sale has also gotten off to a very good start. We are currently seeing an increase in online sales compared to last year," says Hansjörg Pflauder, pleased with the interim results. Pflauder, who is the CEO of the Bad Kleinkirchheim mountain lifts, is responsible for the management of the Carinthian ski pass together with Christian Krisper (CEO of the Nassfeld mountain lifts). "The online super presale with the lowest prices offered runs until November 1, 2025. General presale at the ski resort ticket offices and online continues until December 8, 2025," explains Pflauder. The Carinthian ski pass is valid until May 31, 2026. As every year, the family and partner packages are particularly popular. The grandparent packages and offers for blended families, offered for the second time this year, are also proving very popular. "This fulfills the strong customer demand that grandparents who go skiing with their young grandchildren enjoy the same price advantage as parents, and that blended families who don't live together under one roof also benefit from the family advantages," emphasizes ski pass manager Pflauder.
Small ski resorts as the heart of winter sports
Carinthia's smaller ski resorts are indispensable pillars of winter tourism. They score points with their family-friendly atmosphere, short distances, and affordable prices. "They are the heart and soul of Carinthian winter tourism. Without them, winter sports lose their foundation. They are learning centers where children and families can discover skiing – in a safe environment and at affordable prices. Furthermore, the short travel distances, cozy mountain huts, and authentic surroundings ensure stress-free skiing without the crowds," summarizes Alexandra Bresztowanszky, Managing Director of the Hochrindl cable cars, which offer ski resorts with 2 to approximately 20 kilometers of slopes. In addition, winter sports promote physical and mental health. "Hochrindl stands for clarity, coziness, and personal service – with the same high-quality slopes as in larger ski resorts," explains Bresztowanszky. „That’s why we’re especially popular with families, beginners, those returning to skiing, and seniors. We’re also one of Carinthia’s most important training centers – in fact, we’re number one for primary schools.“ Numerous special event days will ensure variety and a winter atmosphere at Hochrindl in the coming season: „During the school holidays, there will be night skiing (December 28, 2025; January 3, February 4, 11, and 18, 2026). On January 25, the Carinthian Family Ski Day will take place, including free skiing, followed by the popular Ladies“ Day on February 21. Finally, the Nostalgia Ski Day on March 7 will provide a true retro feeling and bring back memories of the good old days of skiing.„
Small but perfectly formed and affordable for families
Among the most affordable ski resorts are the ski paradise Hrast, where a day ticket costs €29 for adults and €22 for children, and Bodental, where adults pay €33 and children €26 for a day ski pass, with an additional €8 for the baby lift. Weinebene, Koralm, and Falkert-Heidi-Alm also offer attractive rates and child-friendly activities. At Petzen and Klippitztörl, families can also benefit from attractive discounts, combination tickets, and special events for children. Nassfeld offers a real highlight: on Saturdays, children under ten can enjoy the slopes for just €10 all season long with the "Kids Surprise Day Ticket." The Katschberg and Gerlitzen lifts offer a similar pricing model for children under ten. The Saturday ticket costs €15 at Katschberg and €14 at Gerlitzen. Heiligenblut is the only ski resort in Carinthia to revert to "dynamic pricing". Those who buy their ski tickets online early benefit from attractive prices; the system rewards early bookers.
Almost free: Carinthian schools start the winter season with sports.
A particular focus for the industry is promoting young talent. Together with the state of Carinthia, affordable school ski programs will again be offered in 2025/26. Bresztowanszky emphasizes: „Promoting young skiers is very important to us. For elementary schools, there's a free ski day – formerly known as ‚Adventure Day in the Snow‘ – between January 12th and 16th, 2026, including a free day pass. Registration is open until December 12th, 2025. Additionally, there's a 3-day package available for just €21. Winter sports weeks for older school grades (lower secondary, academic secondary, vocational secondary, etc.) are also a regular part of the program: Students can get a ski pass for a five-day ski course as part of these winter sports weeks (accommodation in Carinthian accommodation) for just €11 per day.“
Attractive career opportunities and secure future prospects
The cable car industry is developing extremely dynamically, not only technically but also in the field of education. More and more young people are discovering their passion for careers related to modern cable car systems. It is particularly encouraging that the proportion of women is steadily increasing, as exemplified by the Bad Kleinkirchheim ski resort. Pflauder says: „We employ three women in the technical field. One of them is the deputy operations manager, another completed an apprenticeship as a cable car technician through continuing education. And the third is currently in her fourth year of apprenticeship – also as a cable car technician. This shows that the cable car industry is no longer a male-dominated field, but rather a modern workplace with a future. We cable car companies invest heavily in the skilled workers of tomorrow.“