Tourers are angry

Brazen rip-off at ski touring parking lots in Tyrol

Ski tourers on the ascent to Lampsenspitze. If they arrive by car, they have to "feed" the parking machine with eight euros. This has been converted to card payment.

(Bild: Lukas Ruetz, Peter Freiberger)

Ski tourers in Tyrol are furious: the parking fee at highly frequented starting points in the greater Innsbruck area was recently increased from five to eight euros - by 60 percent! There are hardly any other comparable ski touring areas in the country that charge a similar amount.

Since December 1st, alpinists, tobogganists, hikers and cross-country skiers in the popular area of St. Sigmund im Sellrain have had to dig deep into their pockets for parking. The municipality has increased the daily fee from five to eight euros all year round - that's 60 percent! There is no gradual collection.

No parking fee at all in Ginzling
For comparison: in the mountaineering village of Ginzling in the Zillertal, you pay six euros for the whole day, four euros for half a day - and nothing at all in winter. In Leutasch it is five and three euros respectively, in Wattener Lizum a maximum of six euros per day.

The municipality of St. Sigmund did not want an increase
Mayor Anton Schiffmann from St. Sigmund is passing the buck: "We leased the parking spaces from the landowners, one of whom terminated the contract. He was no longer satisfied with the parking fee. The increase did not come from us."

We do a lot for ski tourers and spend a lot of money preparing the toboggan run, which skiers also like to use, and cross-country skiing is free. Many people don't stop here.

Lois Melmer, Grundeigentümer Parkplatz Praxmar, Seniorchef Alpengasthof Praxmar

Starting point for Lampsenspitze and Zischgeles
This is Lois Melmer, owner of the parking lot in Praxmar at the starting point for Lampsenspitze and Zischgeles and senior manager of Alpengasthof Praxmar. "We do a lot for ski tourers and spend a lot of money preparing the toboggan run, which skiers also like to use, and cross-country skiing is free. Many people don't stop off here, I think eight euros is justified," explains Melmer.

"Wild growth" should be avoided
He had already planned to run the parking lot himself. However, the municipality was keen to avoid "uncontrolled growth", where the various owners managed the parking spaces themselves. "Melmer wanted more than eight euros, we suggested six. We finally reached a compromise of eight euros," explains Mayor Schiffmann.

Same high fees everywhere
However, these fees now have to be paid not only at Melmer's parking lot, but also in Lüsens, Moos/Fischteich and at the entrance to Gleirschtal. If you only want to toboggan for 30 minutes to the Gleirschalm, you will have to pay a hefty eight euros for the short time. Schiffmann: "We wanted to have the same charges everywhere."

The parking spaces are secured for the next few years thanks to the agreement.

Anton Schiffman, Bürgermeister St. Sigmund im Sellrain

Record for annual passes
The offer of an annual pass for all parking spaces is currently more popular than ever before. The price has also increased - from 50 to 80 euros. A positive aspect from the mayor's point of view: "The parking spaces are secured for the next few years thanks to the agreement." And it's not just the owners involved in the turnover who will have more money, but also the municipality.

Less traffic as a vision
If eight euros is too much for you, you can use the free ski bus to Praxmar, Melmer advises. Less traffic to Praxmar is his vision anyway.