Graubünden Lift Co's have a successful winter, despite low snowfall

The winter of 2025/26 was both a successful and a challenging one for the Graubünden mountain railway companies. The latter was due to the initially low precipitation. Compared to the previous year – a record year – the number of first-time visitors over the entire season was only 1 percent lower. Transport revenue even increased by 0.4 percent.

The 2025/26 winter season came to a festive close last weekend with the end of ski operations in the Silvretta Arena Ischgl-Samnaun – featuring the Top of the Mountain Closing Concert – and on the Diavolezza, all under mild temperatures. Prior to this, most winter sports resorts celebrated the end of their season around Easter, enjoying a final surge of visitors on the mountain thanks to sunny weather and good slope conditions.

According to the monitor of the Graubünden Mountain Railways Association, the past winter season was generally positive. The Graubünden Mountain Railways Association's monitor covers 23 mountain railway companies, which generate 90% of Graubünden's transport revenue. Compared to the previous year, the number of first-time visitors was only 1 percent lower. Over the long term (5 and 10 years), Graubünden's mountain railway companies even recorded increases of 7.3 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively. These figures are complemented by the equally impressive transport revenue, which was 0.4 percent higher than the previous year. In a multi-year comparison, transport revenue grew by 14.2 percent and 24.7 percent, respectively (without adjusting for inflation). The additional costs incurred by the companies due to artificial snowmaking and the demanding slope preparation cannot yet be quantified. These will be reflected in the individual companies' financial results.

Sunny but dry start to the season

The season started brilliantly with the Christmas and New Year holidays, with 5.6 percent more first-time visitors compared to the previous record season. The sunny weather was a big draw, and the restaurants and bars in the winter sports destinations also benefited.

But even at the start of the season, the wait for the hoped-for precipitation or snow began. Marcus Gschwend, Managing Director of the Graubünden Mountain Railways, pointed out as early as the beginning of January that "this winter has once again demonstrated how essential efficient artificial snowmaking is." The resorts that had prepared for it managed, with great dedication, to offer guests optimal snow sports conditions despite the low snowfall. After January also proved to be low in precipitation, Markus Moser, President of the Graubünden Mountain Railways, also noted that business was primarily good "where efficient snowmaking allows for a generous, cohesive range of offerings." He concluded: "The importance of artificial snowmaking as a driving force for the destinations has thus been underscored once again."

The long-awaited snow is falling.

During February, the canton of Graubünden finally unfurled its winter coat. Now, even the smaller and medium-sized winter sports areas were able to expand their offerings after the heavy snowfall. At the same time, the large amounts of snow also presented challenges for the employees of the Graubünden mountain railway companies. "Due to the avalanche risk, the mountain railways could only open their areas in stages," noted Markus Moser. But the advantages of the fresh snow outweighed the disadvantages.

And so March also went well. Nevertheless, at the end of March, Markus Moser had to conclude: "The first entries lost in the first half of the season cannot be made up for despite the snowfall at the end of February and in March."

Optimistic outlook

After a successful winter season, attention is now turning to the upcoming summer season. "While we missed precipitation for much of the winter, we hope that the summer will offer many sunny days for hiking and biking," says Markus Moser. The current geopolitical situation should play into the hands of the alpine tourism canton of Graubünden. Due to the various crises and the resulting uncertainty surrounding air travel, the holiday destinations in the Graubünden mountains are particularly appealing thanks to their reliability and safety. At the same time, it is important to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the "coolcation" trend and the increasing interest in hiking and biking. "We mountain railway operators are definitely ready to offer our guests the best possible experience in the mountains," says Markus Moser, who is optimistic about the future.