Work is underway to connect Kaprun in Salzburgerland Austria's two ski areas – the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier and the Maiskogel ski area – by ski lift for the start of winter 2019-20.
Work has begun on a 3km (nearly two mile) long 3S-type Doppelmayr gondola connection between the two ski areas.
The project was announced following a decision to merge the previously separate lift operating companies of the two ski centres, Gletscherbahnen Kaprun AG and Maiskogel Betriebs AG, last autumn.
Currently skiers travel by car or bus between the two base areas and as a result traffic congestion and peak time queues build up at the bottom stations of the Gletscherjet 1 and Panorama lifts.
The foundations for the towers of the 3S lift have already been largely completed and erection of the towers themselves is due to start in summer 2018.
The lift will be part of a long ropeway chain and from December 2019, it will be possible to travel direct from the centre of Kaprun over the Maiskogel to the top of the Kitzsteinhorn.