Zillertal is one of the major tourist valleys in the Austrian Tyrol, situated to the east of Innsbruck. It is a major skiing destination, although it enjoys somewhat less international renown than other big names in the Alps. It comprises four large areas, linked commercially (though not physically by ski lifts) via the Zillertaler Superskipass, which provides access to some 546 km of slopes and around 180 ski lifts. Among its best-known areas are Hintertux Glacier, Mayrhofen, Hochzillertal-Hochfügen and Zillertal Arena.
This geographical scale and the diversity of its regions also explain the scale of the investment required to maintain the valley’s competitiveness. Looking ahead to the 2026–2027 season, Zillertal is set to invest over 66 million euros, earmarked for new ski lifts, snowmaking, water storage, the digitalisation of piste management, machinery and new experiences aimed at extending the season beyond winter.
“Investment in Zillertal and its associated ski areas will exceed 66 million euros, with projects including new ski lifts such as the new ten-seater Fernerhaus gondola lift, snow-making systems, machinery and new products such as SkyWave.”
The largest investment is being made in Hintertuxer Gletscher, Finkenberg and Rastkogel, totalling 21.8 million euros. The most visible development will be the new ten-seater Fernerhaus gondola lift, but the programme goes far beyond that: it includes the expansion of the snowmaking systems, the refurbishment of the beginners’ area at Finkenberg and the introduction of new machinery for piste maintenance.
Next comes Hochzillertal, with 12.2 million, where the new Kashütte 2 ski lift will be built, preliminary work on the Hochalmlift (scheduled for 2027) will begin, and the Kristallhütte will be rebuilt. Mayrhofner Bergbahnen, for its part, has announced an investment of over 9 million euros, earmarked, amongst other things, for improving snowmaking, slopes and access routes, purchasing vehicles, and developing SkyWave, a new walkway suspended over the rock face on the Penken.
The new Fernerhaus gondola, the flagship investment at Hintertux
At the heart of this investment programme is the new ten-seater Fernerhaus gondola at Hintertux Glacier, one of the most significant new lift projects in the Zillertal for the 2026–2027 season.
The new installation will replace the more than 40-year-old four-seater gondola linking Sommerberg with the Tuxer Fernerhaus, at 2,660 metres above sea level. Due to enter service at the end of October 2026, it represents a major upgrade to one of the key access routes to the glacier, providing greater capacity, more space and improved passenger comfort.
Beyond the technical renewal of an ageing lift, the project is strategically important. The Fernerhaus gondola serves one of the principal access points to the upper glacier and forms part of the €21.8 million investment programme being undertaken across Hintertuxer Gletscher, Finkenberg and Rastkogel with the largest investment package announced in the Zillertal for the coming season.
The new lift therefore encapsulates one of the main trends visible across the valley: substantial capital is continuing to be directed towards modernising the core winter product, particularly the infrastructure that determines access, reliability and the quality of the skier experience.
Snow remains the focus of the Zillertal investment
When we set aside the major investments and analyse smaller budgets, a particularly significant pattern emerges in the skiing industry: ensuring there is snow.
Gerlosplatte/Hochkrimml will invest in new snow-making equipment, machinery, electrical infrastructure and the development of the SNOWsat system, which is used to measure and manage snow on the slopes more accurately. Zeller Bergbahnen will expand its snow-making system; Eggalm will incorporate the Hoarberg reservoir and its pipelines; and Königsleiten will acquire new snowmaking equipment.
In total, at least six of the ten operators or areas detailed in the published information explicitly include snowmaking, water storage or snow-related technology management as part of their investments.
It is not simply a matter of ‘making more snow’. The trend is towards systems that allow snow to be produced where it is needed, making better use of cold spells and managing the available snow depth with greater precision. The Zillertal thus offers a very concrete example of a trend that I Love Ski has been observing in numerous European ski areas: artificial snow is gradually evolving from being a complementary infrastructure to becoming a central tool for managing the ski area.
Hintertux, a particularly symbolic case
For years, Hintertux made skiing 365 days a year one of its main selling points, featuring amongst the select group of the best summer ski resorts. Today, the glacier remains open all year round, but skiing does not: the ski season in Hintertux runs roughly from late September to late July.
This change, which excludes August and much of September, is particularly symbolic given that it is Hintertux, of all places, that is now seeing the greatest investment in the valley to boost its winter offering.
“Hintertux keeps the mountain open all year round, but it has lost its 365-day skiing season.”
It is certainly significant that it is Hintertux, of all places, that is now making the largest investment in the entire valley, whilst at the same time upgrading its ski lifts, snow-making facilities and beginners’ areas.
Get ready for winter, but also prepare for summer
The second phase is taking place away from the snow. Hochfügen is preparing a summer tubing run; Mayrhofen is developing SkyWave; Zeller Bergbahnen is continuing to work on Fichtenwelt; and various operators are also working on trails and mountain experiences.
The picture emerging from the Zillertal is therefore quite clear: to consolidate the winter product where it generates the most value and, at the same time, to expand the reasons for visiting the mountains outside the ski season.
