It's official: you can now reach Zell am See from Viehhofen! Saturday marked the completion of the last portion of the zellamseeXpress, which links the Glemmtal to the Schmittenhöhe. The new lift joins two of Austria's biggest ski areas: Zell am See-Kaprun and the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn.
The new zellamseeXpress brings skiers and snowboarders from Viehhofen to the Schmittenhöhe ski area. This will vastly increase the popularity of Viehhofen, which formerly had no lifts of its own. The town now has a slope leading to it from the Skicircus on one side, and a ski touring route from the Schmittenhöhe ski area on the other side. To get further into the Skicircus you will still need to take a ski bus, leading some critics to call the connection but a "part" connection. The map below shows the new portion of the lift that opened on Saturday, highlighted in green.
Rest assured, there are plans to complete the connection between Zell am See - Kaprun and the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, with hopes of one day connecting the entire ski area by lifts with no more need for ski buses. Paperwork is already under way to gain a approval for a new lift in the Skicircus and if all goes well, construction on the lift will start this spring. The complete connection is expected to be ready in two years, with a projected budget of 30 million euros.
The new Ski ALPIN CARD gives access to the slopes of Zell am See-Kaprun as well as the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn and is now valid for use in the ski areas.
zellamseexpress map image widget
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
