Schwarzwandbahn New: More comfort for winter sports fans in Zauchensee

On the 21st of April the original Schwarzwand cable car in Zauchensee completed its final rounds. After almost 40 years of service, Zauchensee’s “grandpa” has handed over to the new generation: a state-of-the-art and comfortable 10-seater gondola that will begin operation in the 2025/26 ski winter.

The new Schwarzwandbahn not only introduces a modern look but also brings numerous improvements for winter sports enthusiasts in Zauchensee. A more comfortable boarding process, increased legroom, and completely redesigned cabin space provide a premium sense of spaciousness and greater comfort. Large panoramic windows offer a 360-degree view of the surrounding Zauchensee peaks and the Radstadt Tauern mountains.

A special highlight is the increased transport capacity: from 1,700 to 2,300 people per hour. This means that 35 percent more guests can be transported to the Gamskogel per hour compared to the old Schwarzwandbahn.

During the planning of the new Schwarzwandbahn, strict ecological and safety criteria for ski guests were taken into account. The transport capacity of the new 10-seater gondola has been designed to match the available space on the ski slopes. The construction of the new Schwarzwandbahn marks the first major step toward further innovations aimed at enhancing the joy and pleasure of skiing for guests.

New: For the first time, pedestrians can take the new Schwarzwandbahn up to 2,113 meters and walk approximately 50 meters to the start of the World Cup course on the Gamskogel. Those who wish can then continue with the inclined World Cup Express cable car up to 2,176 meters to reach the start of the downhill races.

Tip: In January 2026, the Audi FIS Ski World Cup returns to Zauchensee. On January 10 and 11, 2026, the World Cup races in the speed disciplines downhill and super-G will take place. The racecourse on the Gamskogel is considered one of the fastest and most challenging downhill tracks in the entire women’s World Cup.

All information and tickets for the World Cup races are available at weltcup-zauchensee.at.

* Note: We asked the manufacturer Doppelmayr why the journey time of the new Schwarzwandbahn differs from that of our Grandpa's. According to the manufacturer, there are two reasons for this:
1. Different measurement criteria (today, the time is calculated differently at the valley and mountain stations than it was in the 1980’s).
2. Slower speed and larger circulation in the new valley and mountain stations (the new cabins are larger and can accommodate up to 10 people instead of the previous 4).

The red 4-seater cable car has been part of the skiing experience in Zauchensee for generations since 1987. It has carried countless beautiful memories, inspired the coolest Instagram stories, and in spring 2025, “Grandpa” even witnessed a marriage proposal.

*subject to sufficient snow conditions

All hourly passes, day tickets and multi-day ski passes are available at the best price in the Zauchensee online ticket shop. If you book your ticket early for your preferred date, you can save up to 15 percent on regular daily rates with the online early-bird bonus – and you can head straight to the slopes without waiting at the ticket office! Visit zauchensee.at/onlineshop.

photo credits: Zauchensee Liftgesellschaft