TL;DR
The last piece of Ischgl's 50 million euro lift overhaul is underway. With the Höllbodenbahn and Sassgalunbahn already running since 2025, attention has turned to the Höllkarbahn C2 - a new 8-person Doppelmayr D-Line chair with heated seats, weather hoods and room for 89 chairs across 14 pylons. Helicopters have been hauling out the old towers since May, with a November 26 opening targeted. Here's where the build stands and what it means for the Silvretta Arena.
Construction has begun on the Höllkarbahn C2, the final piece of one of the largest lift modernisation projects in Silvrettaseilbahn AG's history.
Ischgl is spending its third consecutive summer overhauling lift infrastructure in the Silvretta Arena. The Höllbodenbahn C1 and Sassgalunbahn C3 were commissioned in 2025, and work has now shifted to replacing the Höllkarbahn C2 - completing a modernisation programme worth more than €50 million across all three lifts.
A modern chair for a key hub
The new Höllkarbahn C2 will be an 8-person Doppelmayr D-Line chairlift, running on the same 8 CLD/B-H system as its two newly built neighbours, with a Teufelberger haulage rope. It's the longest and largest of the three new lifts by a clear margin - 1,650 metres of slant length carrying 89 chairs across 14 pylons, compared with 70 chairs and 12 pylons on the Höllbodenbahn and just 23 chairs and 6 pylons on the shorter Sassgalunbahn. Running at 6 metres per second, the new chair will cover the climb from the 2,141-metre lower terminus to the 2,468-metre upper station in around 5.1 minutes, and will match the Höllbodenbahn's maximum capacity of 4,200 people per hour - noticeably higher than the Sassgalunbahn's 3,400. Like the two earlier lifts, it will be fitted with weather protection hoods and heated seats.
Silvrettaseilbahn AG says the surrounding infrastructure is also being adapted to free up space at the valley station and reduce crossing points for skiers in the Höllkar-Höllboden area, aiming for shorter queues and smoother traffic on busy days.
Construction update: End of June 2026
Helicopters on the mountain
Dismantling of the old lift pylons has been underway under alpine conditions since 3 May 2026, with a heavy-lift helicopter used for part of the removal work. Pylon 8 for the new lift has also been positioned by helicopter, while the remaining towers will go in later using a mobile crane.
Targeting a November opening
If the build stays on schedule, the Höllkarbahn C2 will open in time for the start of the 2026-27 winter season on 26 November. Its completion will close out the current phase of Silvrettaseilbahn AG's modernisation of the cross-border Ischgl/Samnaun ski area, bringing greater comfort and capacity across all three rebuilt chairs.
About the author
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
