Austrians increase chairlift prices by up to 11 percent

Swiss ski resorts have been competing with cheaper alternatives in the Austrian Alps for years. Rising energy costs are now causing prices to rise on the other side of the border.

As a result of the energy crisis, chairlift tickets in Austrian ski areas cost more than 10 percent in some places. Before the start of the season, cable car operators in various regions expect an average increase of around 8 percent for the winter.

67 Euros for a day ticket

This emerges from a survey conducted by the Austrian news agency APA on Tuesday. Industry representative Franz Hörl from the Chamber of Commerce said that this increase is below the current inflation rate. In September, consumer prices in Austria increased by 10.5 percent compared to the previous year.

Austria’s largest contiguous ski area, St. In Anton in Tirol, a day ticket will cost 67 euros instead of 61 euros in the future. Ticket prices at major winter sports centers in Salzburger Land will increase between 6.5 and 11 percent.

Saving electricity without giving up?

“Two years after the pandemic, current energy costs are the next challenge for ski areas,” said Helmut Holzinger, head of the Hinterstoder and Wurzeralm mountain railways in Upper Austria. However, these high costs will not be “passed directly on to customers”. Season tickets will be 8 percent more expensive.

Ropeway operators want to save electricity, for example, by allowing their systems to run a little slower. However, industry representative Hörl says that it is not easy to take precautions without spoiling the guests’ holiday experience. He cites turning off seat heating or night skiing restrictions and necessary floodlight systems as difficult steps to implement. (SDA/shq)