Berwang-Bichlbach holiday region
Bergbahnen Berwang – the company
The history of the family-friendly ski, hiking and biking region Berwang-Bichlbach reads like a classic tale from the history books of Tyrolean tourism. The people in this small, remote village moulded by mountain farmers had to work hard to survive in the Alps over centuries. The winters were long and with lots of snow – nowadays a true blessing for the holiday region! The development of alpine winter sport brought the first skiers to Berwang and Bichlbach. The first ski courses were already held in 1941, while the first ski lift, a single chairlift, only became operational in 1949.
What happened next continues to be a success story to this day. More and more tourists visited the Berwanger Tal in winter and in summer. The foundation of the Bergbahnen Berwang sparked the development of the holiday region, which is now a part of the successful Tiroler Zugspitz Arena. The Sonnalmbahn became the first 4-seat chairlift plus artificial snowmaking system in 1993. Milestones in the Skiarena Berwang-Bichlbach are:
- the opening of the Almkopfbahn, a combined chairlift and gondola lift (2007);
- the construction of the Egghof Sun Jet, the first childproof lift in the entire Tiroler Zugspitz Arena (2009);
- the opening of the first section of the "Obere Karbahn", a ten-seater family gondola (2019);
- the opening of the "B-Active Center", a multifunctional building with cash desks, office and rescue area of the Bergbahnen Berwang as well as a sports shop, the ski school office and toilet facilities of our partners (2019).
- construction of the Thanellerbahn with a liftable conveyor belt at the entrance to make it easier for small children to get on and construction of a magic carpet in the area of the Thanellerkarlift valley station (2020)
The Bergbahnen Berwang invest substantial money every year in order to guarantee and even improve the attractiveness of the Skiarena Berwang-Bichlbach.
Chronicle of the Bergbahnen Berwang
2024/2025
Summer 2024
- Renewal of the Sun Jet & Sonnalmbahn snowmaking system
- Renewal of the Sonnalmbahn control system
- Start of the first construction phase of the 2nd section of the Obere Karbahn lift
- Construction of the first part of the avalanche defence in the ‘Scharte’ area
- Excavation work at the new Obere Karbahn mountain station
- Construction of the support foundations
Planned for summer 2025
- Completion of avalanche defence
- Construction of the mountain station
- Piste construction including snowmaking system up to the new mountain station
- Installation of the cable car
2022/2023
- Removal of the "Singerbichl" to the Sonnalmbahn valley station
- Widening of the "Broatla" piste
2019/2020
- Demolition of the Biliglift
- Extension of the snowmaking-installation 'Broatla'
- Adaption of the pistes near the middle station of the Obere Karbahn
- Construction of avalanche dam
- Avalanche installation at the Thaneller (mountain)
- Building completion B-Active Center (early December 2019)
- Building completion Obere Karbahn I (early December 2019)
- Grand opening of the Obere Karbahn I and B-Active Center (December 14, 2019 - start of the winter season)
- Early ending of the winter season on March 15, 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic
- Inclusion of the Panoramabahn Rastkopf in our Bergbahnen Berwang family (spring 2020)
- Planning of the Thanellerbahn, a child-safe 6-seater chairlift with conveyor belt entry (spring 2020)
2018/2019
- Conservation and forest law approval
- Building permit including clearing permit
- Taking soil samples
- Planning B-Active Center
- Concession procedure Obere Karbahn
- Start of construction B-Active Center (April 2019)
- Start of construction Obere Karbahn I (June 2019)
2017/2018
- Master plan for the replacement of the platter lifts Thaneller and Bilig
- Acquisition of a central computer-based system for all 3 snowmaking systems
- Purchase of further 6 state-of-the-art snowmaking machines
- New website www.berwang.tirol
- Slope panorama for a better orientation (numbers and names for slopes)
- Installation of fibre cable
2016/2017
- Construction of the new artificial snowmaking system for the Biliglift and the Mooslift, additions to the Egghof Sun Jet
- New, modern snow groomer for perfect slopes
- Sports shop at the Almkopfbahn valley station (ski rental, ski depot)
- Winter hiking trails Hochalm - Egghof Sun Jet valley station (always cleared of snow)
- Fusion of Thanellerkarlifte Berwang with Berwanger Sonnalmbahnen into Bergbahnen Berwang GmbH & Co KG
2015/2016
- Acquisition of more modern snowmaking systems
2014/2015
- Conversion of the “Garmischer Hang” ski slope
from the mountain station of the Sonnalmbahn to the Bärenbad - New snow groomer with winch
- New, modern snowmaking system
- Another webcam at the Egghof Sun Jet
2013/2014
- New snow groomer with winch
- Purchase of further modern snowmaking systems
- Fitting of a new winding cable - Sonnalmbahn
- Image video
1991 -2012/2013
2012/2013
- Purchase of more snowmaking systems
- New logo
- New website
2011/2012
- Extension of the snowmaking system in the Bärenbad area
- Purchase of snow groomer with winch
- Purchase of snowmaking system
2010/2011
- Construction of Brauni platter lift in the Bärenbad
2009
- Construction of the Egghof Sun Jet
New, detachable, childproof 6-seat chairlift
from the Egghof to the Jägerhaus starting in December 2009
Length 700 m
Altitude difference 122.30 m
Capacity 2,300 persons per hour
Ride time 2 min 21 sec
Childproof strikers
Latest technology by Leitner ropeways - Construction of Thanellerkar snowmaking system plus reservoir
for using pure mountain water to make snow
Reservoir size 75,000 m³
2008/2009
- Construction of Mooslift ski bridge – safety on the L21
Safe street crossing for skiers
2007/2008
- Construction of the Almkopfbahn in Bichlbach
Combined 6-seat chairlift / 8-seat gondola lift
One 8-seat cabin after every three 6-seat chair with hood
Length 1,663 m
Altitude difference 571 m
Capacity 2,047 persons per hour
Ride time 7 min
2005
- Construction snowmaking system Almkopfbahn
2003
- Construction Bärenbadlift
1994
- Construction Egghoflift (now "Brauni")
1993
- Construction Sonnalmbahn
1992
- Construction Biliglift
1991
- Construction snowmaking system Sonnalmbahn
1949-1978
1978
- Construction Sonnbichllift
1977-2007
- Construction Almkopfbahn
1969
- Construction Thanellerkarlift
1967
- Construction Kögelelift
1966
- Construction Muldenlift
- Construction Rinnerlift (1979 extended)
1961
- Construction Hochalmlift (now Sonnalmbahn)
- Construction Rastkopflift (now Panoramabahn)
1959
- Construction Höniglift
1957
- Construction Hochbichllift
1956
- Construction Sonnenlift (now Sonnalmbahn)
1955
- Construction Mooslift
1949
- Construction Hochbichllift
