2025 annual results: record year despite interruption to operations

Despite the closure of the Schilthorn summit until mid-March 2025 due to construction work, Schilthorn Cableway Ltd. can look back on a record year. The gradual commissioning of the new cable car facilities led to a significant increase in transport capacity and a marked rise in passenger numbers. All business areas benefited from the growth. 2026 will now be dominated by the completion of the project.

Schilthorn Cableway Ltd.’s annual results for 2025 are pleasing, with all business areas closing with a positive result. This is even more remarkable given that the upper section between Birg and Schilthorn, the Piz Gloria revolving restaurant and the Top Shop were closed until mid-March 2025 due to construction work. Despite the interruption to operations and ongoing construction work, passenger numbers on the main line between Stechelberg and Schilthorn exceeded the peak figures recorded in 2018 and 2019. Passenger numbers rose by 17.3 per cent compared with the previous year and were even 38.4 per cent above the five-year average.

New aerial cableways, increased capacity

In December 2024, the world's steepest cableway between Stechelberg and Mürren and Switzerland's first Funifor cable car between Birg and Mürren were opened. This was followed in mid-March 2025 by the opening of the Funifor cable car between Birg and Schilthorn. The second track of the Mürren-Birg cable car has also been in operation since the end of November, guaranteeing full transport capacity of eight hundred people per hour to the ski area. This increase in capacity had an extremely positive effect on the overall result.

Allmendhubel also benefits from growth

The Mürren-Allmendhubel funicular railway also benefited from the increase in visitors to Mürren. Visitor numbers were once again 8.1 per cent higher than the peak figure for 2024 – and in the summer months they are up by as much as 22.3 per cent. This increase was also reflected in the Panorama Restaurant Allmendhubel, whose record turnover in 2024 was increased by a further 11 per cent.

A plus for the restaurants, hotels and shops

Although the Piz Gloria revolving restaurant was closed at the beginning of the year because it could not be reached by cable car, turnover increased by over 12 per cent. The Bistro Birg improved by two per cent, and the Alpenruh and Blumental hotels also grew by a good 4.5 per cent each. The Gimmeln and Schiltgrathüsi restaurants benefited from the good snow conditions last winter and increased their turnover by 15 per cent. The start of the current winter season, on the other hand, was more subdued, as the Gimmeln ski lift has not yet been able to operate. The Top Shop has been present with a larger sales area since the summit reopened in March. Thanks to the strong summer season, sales increased by almost 11 per cent. The souvenir business in particular is back to its pre-pandemic best.

Successful start to the 2025/2026 winter season

Since the start of the winter season, there has been an 18 per cent increase in first-time visitors compared to last year. This is due to the early start to the season at the end of September 2025 with the Pända Snowpark Sessions, the early onset of winter in November and generally good snow conditions. Apart from the Gimmeln ski lift, all facilities and slopes were open over the festive period.

What will 2026 bring?

The current year will now be dominated by the completion of the SCHILTHORNBAHN 20XX cable car project: around three years after the demolition of the Käthi transport cable car, which marked the symbolic start of construction, the last new Funifor track between Birg and Schilthorn will be officially opened on Maundy Thursday, 2^nd April 2026. All new cable car facilities and associated stations will then be complete. What follows are supplementary expansion projects: a new sports shop with ski rental and a bistro will be built at the Mürren station. The opening is planned for next summer. The offer will be completed at the start of the 2026/2027 winter season with a ski depot comprising three hundred lockers, each with space for up to two pairs of skis.

The general meeting of Schilthorn Cableway Ltd. will take place on Friday, 19^th June 2026, in Mürren. According to information from the Federal Tax Administration, the tax value of Schilthorn Cableway shares for the 2025 tax year is CHF 1,310 (previous year: CHF 1,250).