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The Company

The history of the Meran 2000 Bergbahnen AG Company is inextricably linked to the development of the ski and hiking area of Merano 2000 above the spa resort town of Merano.

Cable car Funivie Merano 2000, South Tyrol

Intermediate station of the cable car Merano 2000, Avelengo, South Tyrol

Direction sign of the cable car Merano 2000, South Tyrol

Valley station of the cable car Merano 2000, South Tyrol

Early pioneers and skiers like cable car trailblazer Hans Trojer opened up the areas that would later be known as Merano 2000.

The formerly military zone was converted into an area for summer and winter recreation. In 1964, the first chairlift from Falzeben went into operation. More ski lifts, chair lifts, and cable cars were gradually built. The Ifinger Seilbahnen AG Company began operations on 23 August 1950 and lasted more than 60 years until, in December 2010, the company took a new name: Meran 2000 Bergbahnen AG.

The Cable Car

Lift of the Funivie Merano 2000, Avelengo, South Tyrol

From 1968 to 2010, the Ivigna/Ifinger Cable Car took visitors directly up to Merano 2000 from Naiftal, near Merano. Over the course of 42 years, about 8.5 million people rode the cable car. A bomb attack in 1979 forced the company to suspend operations of the Ivigna Cable Car for five months. In 1981, the Wallpach and Naifjock chair lifts were built; in 1991, two new 3-seater chair lifts went into operation. The single chairlift from Falzeben, which evokes nostalgia today, was replaced by the endless-rope Falzeben lift in 1998—after 35 years of service.

In 2000, the Mittager chairlift and the Alpine Bob toboggan ride were built as year-round attractions for children and families.

The New Cable Car

Ramp of the intermediate station of the cable car Merano 2000, Avelengo

Intercom of the cable car Merano 2000, Avelengo, South Tyrol

Illuminated summit station of the cable car Merano 2000, Avelengo

Summit station Merano 2000, Avelengo South Tyrol

In a record time of ten months, the new Merano 2000 Cable Car was built in 2010. In just seven minutes, it carries 120 people per cabin up to an elevation of 2,000 metres—right into the heart of the skiing and hiking area. The intermediate station, where it’s possible to get on or off, is a sensation.

Its architecture, featuring a red encasement, has garnered international attention. The Merano 2000 Cable Car is thus one of the most spectacular cable cars in the Alps.

The Company Today

The Meran 2000 Bergbahnen AG is a public company. The main shareholder, the city of Merano, holds 65% of the shares; other shareholders include the municipalities Scena/Schenna, Avelengo/Hafling and Tirolo/Dorf Tirol, Hypo Vorarlberg, and a number of small shareholders since 1979.

The cableways employ about 55 people in winter, about 25 people in summer, and a three-person management team. Aside from the main cable car, the Meran 2000 Bergbahnen AG Company manages an additional five lifts, the Falzeben endless-rope cableway, and the Alpine Bob.

Objectives

Cable car Merano 2000 Funivie, Avelengo South Tyrol

Snowmaking System at Merano 2000, Avelengo South Tyrol

The Meran 2000 Bergbahnen AG continuously invests in the cableways and snowmaking systems; every four years, the lifts are renovated. The objective of the investments is to ensure that the facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

The focus of current development is the visitor: more customer-oriented services such as product development, which includes new services. The goal is to maintain and improve Merano 2000’s quality as a resort located near a town, which offers recreational facilities both in winter and summer and is geared towards locals and visitors alike.