SkiStar Åre: Three new chairlifts in Åre

With one of the most significant investments in lifts ever made in Åre, next season will see the addition of no less than three modern chairlifts. The new lifts will boast capacity in the ski area with about 5 000 persons and further improve the skiing experience in the zone below the treeline. The building work will commence as soon as the ski area closes in May, and opening of the three new lifts will be in December 2013.

The new lifts are situated in important nodes in the ski area and will make big difference in terms of orientation and efficiency. They are modern quads and six-seater chairlifts that will add to the guests’ overall experience of the ski area.

- This is one of the biggest investments ever made in ski lifts in Åre. With these new lifts, Åre will keep in step with the leading Alpine ski resorts. We will become even more attractive, not least from an international perspective, says Niclas Sjögren Berg, Head of Destination, SkiStar Åre.

The ski lifts will be owned by Tegefjäll Linbane AB and Sadeln Fjällgården Linbane AB respectively. SkiStar AB, one of the shareholders of both companies will lease and operate the lifts.

- This business model has already proven efficient in Vemdalen and elsewhere. Both companies’ joint efforts in partnership with SkiStar have been necessary to enable an investment of this magnitude. The ventures will not only mean great improvements to the ski area; they will also lead to more jobs in all of Åre, within tourism as well as the construction sector, explains Niclas Sjögren Berg.

Facts, the new lifts:

Tegefyran 
A quad – four-seater chairlift – will replace the T-bar today operating in Tegefjäll. Length 1 100 metres, vertical drop 275 metres. The capacity is 2 400 persons per hour which means the double compared to current capacity.

The investment in a chairlift in Tegefjäll will bring great potential for development of the excellent natural conditions in the Duved-Tegefjäll part of the ski area.

Fjällgårdsexpressen 
A six-seater chairlift able to transport skiers swiftly from Fjällgården up on Sadeln at a capacity of 2 400 persons per hour. Length 1 200 metres, vertical drop 270 metres. There is currently no lift in place here. The T-bar, Tottliften will remain in its existing position.

Sadelexpressen 
A six-seater chairlift taking the skiers from the base station of Högåsliften in Björnen to the top of Sadelliften, at a capacity of 2 800 persons per hour. Length 1 600 metres, vertical drop 302 metres. The existing T-bar Sadelliften will be dismantled to make room for more pistes and to allow for widening of the current runs.

Fjällgårdsexpressen and Sadelexpressen are essential parts in the development of the Björnen area and will provide a smooth link between the family favourite area Björnen and the central part of Åre’s ski area. This will strengthen the already so attractive ski destination.

Follow the construction work from the start in May to the completion in December at skistar.com/are

For more information:
Niclas Sjögren Berg, Destination Manager SkiStar Åre
Phone: +46 (0)70 633 90 51
E-mail: niclas.sjogren.berg@skistar.com

Sven-Olof Hedung, Sadeln Fjällgården Linbane AB 
Phone: +46 (0)70 654 06 10 
E-mail: svenolof.hedung@gmail.com

Tomas Sandman, Tegefjäll Linbane AB 
Phone: +46 (0)70 213 80 38 
E-mail: tomas.Sandman@ramboll.se

For more information about SkiStar AB: 
Linda Wasell, PR Manager SkiStar AB 
Telefon: +46 70 6 74 74 74 
E-post: linda.wasell@skistar.com