Austria's huge Arlberg region, home to world famous ski resorts including Lech and St Anton, will get another new gondola next winter.
The 40-year-old Albonabahn I double chairlift in Stuben am Arlberg will be replaced by a new gondola with cabins for 8 people.
"Freezing on the Albonabahn should be a thing of the past," a resort spokesperson joked on social media.
The Alonabahn allow skiers in Stuben am Arlberg to travel via the "Alpe Rauz" to reach the ski regions of St. Anton, St. Christoph, Zürs, Lech and even Warth-Schröcken on skis. A special feature of the Albona are the long north slope descents, which promise maximum skiing pleasure until late spring.
The new lift will climb 440 vertical metre over its 1,115m length reaching 1,845m Travelling at 5m/s and taking five minutes to make the ascent it will carry up to 1,600 P/h in 30 cabins.
The original "Albonabahn I" double chair lift was built in 1983. The new monocable gondola will have a new valley station and the route will remain almost the same, however the new mountain station will move about 200m towards the valley, right next to the existing mountain restaurant "Albona Mitte".
Construction work will last from May to November 2023 and be completed in time for the start of the 2023/24 ski season.