With an atmospheric festival and numerous guests from politics, tourism, and the region, the Fellhornbahn celebrated two special occasions on Saturday, September 20, 2025: its over 50th anniversary and the ceremonial inauguration of the completely modernized "Fellhornbahn I" aerial tramway.
Under the motto "over 50 years of flower power and summit joy," the valley station of the Fellhornbahn was transformed into a festively decorated journey through time – with large-format photographs from the early years in the waiting room, musical accompaniment by the Buchenberg Büchlbläser (Büchlbläser musicians), and celebratory remarks from the two board members of the OBERSTDORF · KLEINWALSERTAL BERGBAHNEN, Andreas Gapp and Johannes Krieg.
Following the ceremony, Pastor Wolfgang Schnabel and Pastor Wolfgang Metzger ceremoniously inaugurated the new large cabin. At exactly 8:30 a.m., the newly modernized and festively decorated cabin began regular service – with numerous invited guests on board, including District Administrator Indra Baier-Müller, the mayors of Oberstdorf and Kleinwalsertal, Klaus King, and Joachim Fritz, tourism representatives, alpine masters of the surrounding Alps, long-time employees, locals, and vacationers.
A special highlight was the white sausage breakfast for invited guests in the Fellhorn area, accompanied by a live broadcast of the gondola talks: The decommissioned, old, large cabin was quickly converted into a stage and served as an unusual venue for presenter and journalist Sabine Kronberger for exciting interviews with people who have been with the Fellhornbahn for five decades.
Entertainment was also provided at the Schlappoldsee station: From midday onwards, the band "Der Name hat die Band verlassen" thrilled the audience with energetic cover songs, while magician Thomasius amazed guests of all ages.
With an investment volume of 5.3 million euros, a significant contribution was made to the modernization of the Fellhornbahn I cable car. The new cable car plays a central role in daily operations: In winter, it plays a crucial role in minimizing waiting times on peak days. In summer, it transports guests to the top in comfort and with an impressive panorama – and this is precisely the emotion that OK Bergbahnen aims to convey. Andreas Gapp emphasized in his speech: "The guest's perception is very important, the emotion we evoke. The guest enters a state-of-the-art cable car, and that is what guests demand: They demand that the tourism industry in general – and the cable cars in particular – naturally evolve with the times, and quality measures are very important in this regard. That what they demand is felt."
With this ceremony, the Fellhornbahn not only looks back proudly on an eventful history – but also optimistically into the future: With state-of-the-art technology, regional ties, and a strong team, it is ready for many more years of "peak happiness."
