Kronplatz invests ahead of the 2026/2027 season: I rode this gondola in March, and now it is being completely rebuilt
Kronplatz is one of those resorts I have been returning to regularly for many years. I have been there in winter and in summer, tested gear there many times, shot videos and shown you the most interesting pistes. As recently as mid-March this year I rode the Kronplatz 1+2 gondola up from Riscone. Today that lift is gone: it has been dismantled, and in its place a completely new installation is being built, which will be Kronplatz's biggest investment ahead of the 2026/2027 season.
It is not the only new development, though. The resort is carrying out a wide-ranging upgrade programme covering three cable lifts and several new pistes. The aim is to further improve skiing comfort and the distribution of skier traffic on one of the most popular mountains in the Dolomites.
The new Kronplatz 1+2 gondola
For many skiers the Kronplatz 1+2 gondola is the main way up to the summit from the Brunico / Riscone side. It is one of those lifts I know very well from my own trips. I have used it many times while testing gear, filming and on private ski trips. As recently as mid-March this year I rode it to the top of Kronplatz and started the day with a run down the Sylvester piste. Today the gondola is gone: after the season ended it was completely dismantled, and in its place a completely new installation is being built, which will be the resort's most important investment ahead of the 2026/2027 season.
The new lift, built by Leitner, will (as before) consist of two sections linked by a mid-station. Practically everything else will change, however. The existing eight-seater cabins will be replaced by modern ten-seater gondolas, and the lift itself will be faster, more energy-efficient and much more comfortable for skiers.
The two sections will have a combined length of almost 4 kilometres. The lift will start at the valley station in Riscone at an altitude of about 975 m, continue to a completely rebuilt mid-station at about 1,500 m, and finally take skiers to the summit of Kronplatz at 2,275 m..
The biggest change will be the new location of the mid-station. Until now it stood higher up and served mainly a technical purpose. After the rebuild it will become an important hub with direct access to the new Lumen and Weiden pistes. This will spread skier traffic better across the whole resort, and some skiers will avoid the busiest sections of the pistes leading down to Riscone.
The new gondola will be able to carry about 3,250 people per hour, and its top speed will rise to 6.5 m/s. In practice this means a journey about 10 percent shorter. For skiers, though, the comfort features will be just as important. Skis will travel inside the cabins, so the external racks will disappear and passengers will no longer have to stand in the wind while loading their gear.
The operator also stresses the environmental side of the investment. Thanks to modern drives and technical solutions, the new lift is expected to use as much as about 20 percent less energy than its predecessor. This is an important part of the development strategy of Kronplatz, which for several years has been steadily upgrading its infrastructure with an eye not only on comfort but also on energy efficiency.
The look of the new cabins is also worth a mention. The design was created together with the renowned studio Pininfarina. The interiors are meant to reflect the character of South Tyrol through materials and stylistic elements inspired by the region. The ride to the top itself is meant to become part of the experience rather than just a means of transport.
Looking at the scale of the investment, it is hard to escape the impression that this is the biggest change at Kronplatz in many years. For me it will be a particularly interesting return, because only a few months ago I was using the previous version of this lift. When I visit Kronplatz again in winter 2026/2027, I will ride to the top in a brand new gondola that could well become the new showpiece of the whole resort.
Lumen and Weiden: new pistes on the south side
The rebuild of the Kronplatz 1+2 gondola is directly linked to the expansion of the piste network.
The red Lumen piste will be extended all the way to the new mid-station. A completely new section about 2.7 km long with a vertical drop of 775 metres will be built. The piste will get a modern snowmaking system with 22 snow cannons.
The investment will be completed by the new blue Weiden piste. This section, about 650 metres long, will link the old mid-station with the new Lumen piste. It will give skiers more ways to move between different sectors of the mountain without having to use the busiest pistes.
The new Ruis gondola
The second major investment is the replacement of the Ruis gondola on the San Vigilio di Marebbe side. It is the lift used, among others, by skiers starting their day from the Furkelpass side.
The new eight-seater Doppelmayr gondola will increase travel speed by about 15 percent and will be able to carry as many as 3,600 people per hour. As with the new Kronplatz 1+2, skis will travel inside the cabins. The operator is also introducing modern monitoring and safety control systems.
The new Dolomiti chairlift and an extra blue piste
The changes will also reach the Olang sector. A modern eight-seater Dolomiti chairlift will be built there, with wind hoods, heated seats and a moving walkway that makes boarding easier. The new lift's capacity will be 3,000 people per hour..
Together with the lift, a new blue Dolomiti piste about 1.5 km long will be built. It will be another easy run aimed mainly at beginner and intermediate skiers.
Kronplatz remains a model of a modern resort
In recent years I have watched Kronplatz systematically replace one lift after another, expand its piste network and invest in infrastructure. The result is a resort that today ranks among the most modern in the whole of the Dolomites.
This year's investments show that the owners have no intention of resting on their laurels. The new Kronplatz 1+2 gondola looks especially interesting. Only a few months ago I was using its predecessor on my March trips, and in winter 2026/2027 skiers will already ride a completely new lift that will become the showpiece of the whole resort.
If everything goes to plan, visitors to Kronplatz next season will get not only modern lifts but also several new pistes, which should take pressure off the most popular sectors of the mountain and further improve skiing comfort.
Jacek Ciszak / skionline.pl