Big news is on the horizon for winter sports fans at Snow Space Salzburg: starting with the 2026/27 ski season, a brand-new 10-person gondola will begin operating on the Grafenberg in Wagrain. In one fell swoop, it will take over from three aging lifts — the 40-plus-year-old Grafenbergbahn from 1985 and the two existing Grafenberg Express lifts. The ride up Wagrain's local mountain is about to get noticeably faster, more comfortable, and more scenic.
One Gondola, Three Predecessors
What used to be spread across three separate lifts will soon run on a single, high-capacity cableway. That means shorter waits, no more switching between lifts, and a much smoother ride for anyone heading up the Grafenberg. Instead of choosing between several lifts, there'll be just one way up from winter 2026/27 onward — and it's powerful enough to easily handle the traffic all three of its predecessors used to carry.
The new lift boasts some impressive numbers:
- A ride time of around 10 minutes at a speed of 6 meters per second
- A capacity of 3,400 people per hour
- 120 cabins, carried by 23 towers
Riders are treated to one of the region's finest views right from the start of their ski day: the gondola offers uninterrupted sightlines to the Hohe Tauern, the Tennengebirge, and the Hochkönig — a panorama that sets the mood before the first turn.
Better Connections to the Rest of the Ski Area
The new lift is also great news for anyone looking to explore more of Snow Space Salzburg: the mid-station will offer an easy link to the G-LINK, opening up the way toward Flying Mozart, Grießenkar, and Flachau. For skiers taking on the resort's famous twelve-peak ski circuit, this makes for a far more convenient starting point.
There's good news, too, for fans of the Grafenberg run, one of the busiest slopes in the entire area: with shorter ride times, skiers will be able to fit in more laps per day — perfect for anyone who loves catching that soft morning light on the slope.
Down in the Valley, Things Are Moving Too
It's not just the mountain and mid-stations getting an upgrade: the valley station is also being rebuilt, with a new, clearly laid-out ground-level entrance to the ticket counters, shop, and restaurants.
Extra ski storage and shorter walking distances are designed to make the whole day smoother, from the moment you arrive to the moment you head home.
Wettervorhersage
Construction Work in Full Swing
Work on the Grafenberg is progressing at full speed to make sure everything is ready in time for the ski season. One recent highlight was the installation of the towers: since much of the route is difficult to reach with heavy machinery, the multi-ton towers had to be flown in by helicopter and lowered into place with millimeter precision. That called for intense concentration from both the pilots and the ground crew — a mistake of just a few centimeters would have been enough to miss the foundations.
Milestones like this show just how much logistical effort goes into a project of this scale. Work on the valley and mountain stations, as well as the new mid-station, is already underway in parallel, so that every part of the system comes together on schedule.
The new Grafenbergbahn is set to open at the start of the November 2026 winter season. Until then, winter sports fans will need a bit of patience — but once it's running, a single modern 10-person gondola will take over from three separate lifts on Wagrain's local mountain.
A Second Life for the Grafenberg Express
There's also an interesting twist in what happens to one of the old lifts: rather than being scrapped, the 8-person Grafenberg Express 1 gondola is simply moving a short distance away, to Eben im Pongau.
At the family-friendly Monte Popolo ski area there — also part of the Snow Space family — it will take on a new role as "Popolo I," ferrying skiers up the mountain. It replaces a genuine veteran: a double chairlift that has been running since 1973, originally known as the Reitlehenbahn and last upgraded technically in 2008. After more than 50 years in service, it took its final runs in March 2026, making way for the gondola from Wagrain.
For Eben, switching from an open chairlift to an enclosed 8-person gondola is a real upgrade in comfort — especially noticeable on cold, windy days. Reusing the gondola isn't just a sustainable move; reports suggest it also saves around 50 percent of the cost compared to buying a new lift.
120 Kilometers of Slopes at Snow Space Salzburg
Snow Space Salzburg ranks among the major ski regions in the Salzburg area, linking the three villages of Flachau, Wagrain, and St. Johann-Alpendorf into one connected network of slopes. With around 120 kilometers of pistes and 47 lifts and cable cars, there's terrain to suit every level — from wide, easy-going blue runs to challenging red slopes, steep black descents, and the famous Hermann Maier FIS World Cup course.
Families are well catered for too, with attractions like Wagrainis Winterwelt, the Alpendorf Snowpark, and numerous beginner slopes and ski schools offering plenty of variety beyond the classic piste. This season, skiing at Snow Space Salzburg is expected to run from November 28, 2026, through Sunday, April 4, 2027.
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