Stockhornbahn

What Stockhornbahn does

Stockhornbahn AG is a privately held Swiss stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft) operating a two-section aerial cable car system in the Berner Oberland, connecting the valley station at Erlenbach i.S. to the Chrindi middle station and on to the Stockhorn summit at 2,190 metres above sea level. Section 1 (Erlenbach-Chrindi, 2,786m) was completely rebuilt in 2018 with 52-person cabins, 360 persons/hour capacity, and a 420 kW drive; Section 2 (Chrindi-Stockhorn, 1,221m) has operated since 1969 with 30-person cabins and 330 persons/hour capacity. The cableway anchors a vertically integrated mountain destination business that includes two restaurants (Panoramarestaurant Stockhorn with 180 seats at the summit and Restaurant Chrindi with 120 seats at the middle station), the in-house Stockhorn Igloo village operated since Winter 2022/23, and a broad experiential catalog spanning the unique cable-car bungee jump, Trotti-Bike downhill rides, 120+ climbing routes, paragliding, fishing, ice skating, snowshoeing, an all-terrain wheelchair "No Limits" trail, and seminars/group events.

The company generates revenue through a direct-to-consumer model with five main streams: cable car ticket sales (CHF 62 adult round-trip, CHF 50 group, CHF 200-400 seasonal/annual passes), gastronomy across three outlets including themed evenings (Moonlight Dinner CHF 105, Alpenglanz-Znacht CHF 78), special events (Friday evening rides CHF 31, Stockhorn Half-Marathon, Stockhorn Rave), activity rentals (Trotti-Bike, fishing, ice skates, snowshoes, bungee at CHF 239), and gift vouchers sold through the in-house e-commerce platform (shop.stockhorn.ch). Distribution combines direct station sales, the proprietary online shop, and channel partnerships with BLS (rail/shipping), Niesenbahn, Niederhornbahn, St. Beatus-Höhlen (via the "Top 5 Ausflugsziele am Thunersee" combined ticket), Outdoor Switzerland (bungee exclusive), and Trotti-Bike.ch. The customer base is long-tail consumer across day-trippers, families, hikers, gastronomy guests, sports/adventure enthusiasts, and corporate groups, supported by the Friends of Stockhorn Association and Stiftung Cerebral on accessibility initiatives. Revenue first exceeded CHF 4 million in 2015, with 2022 confirmed as a new record year.

Name

Stockhornbahn

Legal name

Stockhornbahn AG

Website

https://stockhorn.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mountain Cable Car Tourism

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Tourist & Heritage Cable Car/Funicular Attractions (THAIAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Winter Adventure & Mountain Resorts (Ski, Snowboard, Snow Activities) (THAAAAAK), Adventure & Aerial Parks (Ropes Courses, Zipline Parks, Climbing Parks) (THAJAEAI), Zipline Mega-Jumps & Giant Swing Experiences (Canyon Swing, Rope Swing) (THAAAMAD)

Keywords

• Cable car transportation
• Mountain tourism services
• Alpine gastronomy
• Outdoor adventure activities
• Scenic railway operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Erlenbach

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Cable Car Transportation: Revenue from cable car fares for transport between Erlenbach i.S., Chrindi middle station, and Stockhorn summit. Round-trip tickets, single tickets, group rates, hiking tickets, and season passes available.
2. Gastronomy: Revenue from three restaurants: Panorama Restaurant Stockhorn (180 seats at summit), Restaurant Chrindi (120 seats at middle station), and lake-side brunch at Seehüttli. Includes breakfast, brunch, themed dinners, and event catering.
3. Special Events: Evening rides, themed dinners (Moonlight Dinner CHF 105, Alpenglanz-Znacht CHF 78), Friday evening rides (CHF 31), seminars, group packages, and special events like Stockhorn Rave, Valentins-Dinner, and Swiss National Day celebration.
4. Activity Rentals and Experiences: Revenue from Trotti-Bike rentals, fishing permits, paragliding, bungee jumping (via partner), all-terrain wheelchair rentals, snowshoe rentals, ice skate rentals, and guided tours.
5. Vouchers and Souvenirs: Gift vouchers for various experiences (brunch, dinner, cable rides) sold through the online shop, plus souvenir sales at the Panoramarestaurant.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Stockhornbahn AG operates a two-section aerial cable car connecting Erlenbach i.S. valley to the Stockhorn summit at 2,190m in the Bernese Oberland. The cableway system is complemented by two restaurants (Panoramarestaurant Stockhorn and Restaurant Chrindi), over 70km of hiking trails, and year-round alpine activities including bungee jumping, Trotti-Bike, snowshoeing, ice fishing and themed gastronomy events.

Product overview

Stockhornbahn AG operates a two-section aerial cable car system in the Bernese Oberland connecting Erlenbach i.S. to Chrindi middle station and Stockhorn summit at 2190m altitude. The core cableway product is complemented by two restaurants (Panoramarestaurant Stockhorn and Restaurant Chrindi) offering diverse dining experiences including brunch, weekday breakfast, moonlight dinners, theme evenings, and the AlpKultur Kulinarik-Trail. The company provides extensive year-round activity offerings: summer features include Trotti-Bike, bungee jumping, rock climbing (120+ routes), paragliding, trail running, fishing, hiking with 11 marked trails, adventure and quiz trails, alpine flower paths, and an all-terrain wheelchair experience. Winter offerings include the Stockhorn Igloo village, ice fishing, ice skating, snowshoeing (4 trails), guided snowshoe tours with fondue, and winter hiking. Additional services include seminars and group events, gift vouchers, and an online shop. The product portfolio integrates cable transportation with gastronomy, outdoor activities, and hospitality services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Stockhorn Iglu: A cozy igloo village on the shore of Hinterstockensee offering fondue evenings and winter experiences.
• Trotti-Bike

Products and services

• Luftseilbahn (Cableway System)

Quantifiable outcome

• 2022 was a new record year for the company
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Outdoor Switzerland AGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive partnership for bungee jumping operations from the Stockhorn cable car. Outdoor Switzerland organizes and conducts 134m bungee jumps over Hinterstockensee lake, with jumps available after scheduled cable car operating hours. Booking handled exclusively through outdoor.ch.
• Trotti-Bike.chcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established in 2020 for combined cable car and Trotti-Bike rental tickets. Trotti-Bike.ch provides scooter bikes for the 10km descent from Vorderstockenalp to Erlenbach, with combined ticketing and coordinated operations.
• Iglu-Dorf GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinter partnership starting 2013 for igloo village at Hinterstockensee. Since winter 2022/23, operated directly by Stockhornbahn. Includes igloo bar, fondue evenings, and overnight stays in island igloo.
• BLS Schiffahrt (BLS Shipping)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-standing partner in 'Top 5 Ausflugsziele am Thunersee' spring action, offering combined tickets for lake shipping and Stockhorn cable car since 2004. Also partner for hiking ticket Gurnigel-Stockhorn via BLS webshop.
• Niesenbahn AGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner in 'Top 5 Ausflugsziele am Thunersee' spring action package offering combined excursion tickets.
• Niederhornbahn AGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner in 'Top 5 Ausflugsziele am Thunersee' spring action package offering combined excursion tickets.
• St. Beatus-HöhlenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner in 'Top 5 Ausflugsziele am Thunersee' spring action package offering combined excursion tickets including cave entrance.
• Verein Freunde des Stockhorns (Friends of Stockhorn Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation founded in 2015 with purpose of ideologically and financially supporting sustainable development of Stockhorn offerings. Helps finance equipment like all-terrain wheelchairs.
• Stiftung CerebralminorOthersFoundation that co-financed the JST/Multidrive all-terrain wheelchairs enabling mobility-impaired guests to access the No Limits hiking trail around Hinterstockensee lake.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Niesenbahn AG: Operates a funicular railway up the Niesen peak in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland. Direct partner in the 'Top 5 Ausflugsziele am Thunersee' Spring Action package with Stockhornbahn, serving the same regional day-trip tourist segment with comparable mountain-experience offering.
• Harder Kulm Bahn AG: Funicular railway from Interlaken to the Harder Kulm viewpoint with the historic castle-style restaurant. Directly comparable as a short-distance mountain funicular/cable car experience serving the Interlaken and Lake Thun tourist market alongside Stockhornbahn.
• Niederhornbahn AG: Cable car operating from Beatenberg to the Niederhorn summit overlooking Lake Thun. Direct 'Top 5' partner with Stockhornbahn and closest functional peer in terms of target audience (Berner Oberland families and day-trippers), scale, and bundled experience offering.
• Schilthorn Piz Gloria AG: Cable car operating from Stechelberg to the 2970m Schilthorn summit, featuring the revolving Piz Gloria restaurant and James Bond-themed experiences. Comparable as a Swiss mountain destination combining aerial tramway, summit restaurant, and adventure activities, though at significantly larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• Firstbahn Grindelwald: Cable car from Grindelwald to First in the Jungfrau region with First Cliff Walk, adventure activities (First Flyer, mountain carts), and restaurants. Comparable cableway-to-summit-with-experiences model in the Bernese Oberland; larger scale and stronger Jungfrau-region brand pull.
• Pilatus Bahnen AG: Operates the world's steepest cogwheel railway and aerial cableways on Mount Pilatus near Lucerne. Larger established Swiss mountain destination combining transportation, multiple restaurants, hotels, and adventure activities - a broader incumbent offering an overlapping experience category to Stockhornbahn.
• Titlis Bergbahnen: Operates cable cars and the world's first revolving Rotair cable car to Mount Titlis near Engelberg. Major established Swiss mountain destination offering year-round cableway access, glacier experiences, restaurants, and Cliff Walk - overlapping with Stockhornbahn's core mountain-cableway-with-attractions model at much larger scale.
• Rigi Bahnen AG: Operates cogwheel railways and cable cars on Mount Rigi in Central Switzerland. Large established Swiss mountain destination combining rail/cableway transport with summit dining, hiking, and panoramic experiences - directly overlapping Stockhornbahn's business model though with broader scale and infrastructure.
• Säntis Schwebebahn AG: Operates the aerial cable car to the Säntis summit in the Alpstein massif, offering panoramic 360-degree views, summit gastronomy, and hiking. Established Swiss mountain cable car destination with a similar product mix (transport + restaurant + views + hiking) to Stockhornbahn.

Emerging players

• Stanserhorn CabriO: Operates a double-decker open-top CabriO cable car to the Stanserhorn summit near Lucerne with summit restaurant and revolving viewpoint. Smaller-scale peer with a unique differentiating feature (open-top cabin) comparable in spirit to Stockhornbahn's unique cable-car-bungee and glass-floor platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Stockhornbahn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stockhornbahn