Loen Skylift
Loen Skylift is a privately held Norwegian tourism operator that runs one of the world's steepest cable cars from the Nordfjord shoreline to the Hoven mountain station, serving tourists, families, cruise passengers, and local residents with tickets, F&B, retail, and adventure activities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersLoen, Norway
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Loen Skylift does
Loen Skylift is a privately held Norwegian tourism operator that runs one of the world's steepest cable cars, lifting visitors 1,011 vertical meters from the Nordfjord shoreline to the Hoven mountain station near the Jostedalsbreen glacier. The cable car is a Doppelmayr Garaventa paternoster system with two counterbalancing 35-passenger gondolas completing the ascent in roughly 5–7 minutes. From Hoven, guests access approximately 70 km of marked hiking trails, a Via Ferrata climbing route (extended in 2024 with the STIGULL ladder), a zipline, ski touring terrain, and what is marketed as Norway's longest sledding run.
The company operates a diversified monetization stack across cable car tickets (single, multi-day, annual, season, clip-card, and Stryn-resident passes), the on-mountain Hoven Restaurant and Skyshop café, two retail outlets (Fjordshop and Skyshop), and a portfolio of paid activities — kayaking, SUP, cycling, snowshoeing, sledding, and guided tours — delivered largely through the integrated sub-brand Loen Active. Revenue is completed by gift cards valid across the broader Loen hospitality cluster, corporate and private event bookings, and cruise-ship shore-excursion packages transported by shuttle from the Olden port. The company is registered in Norway (organization number NO 913 324 277), holds Miljøfyrtårn environmental certification, and operates year-round with seasonal hour variations.
Loen Skylift firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Loen Skylift
- Legal name
- Loen Skylift
- Website
- https://loenskylift.no
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Loen Skylift is a privately held Norwegian tourism operator that runs one of the world's steepest cable cars from the Nordfjord shoreline to the Hoven mountain station, serving tourists, families, cruise passengers, and local residents with tickets, F&B, retail, and adventure activities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Loen Skylift industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mountain Cable Car Tourism
- NAICS
- Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487), Skiing Facilities (713920)
- SIC
- Transportation Services (4700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mountain Gondola & Chairlift Passenger Transport (Non-ski Commuter/Tourist) (THAIAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Winter Adventure & Mountain Resorts (Ski, Snowboard, Snow Activities) (THAAAAAK)
Keywords
Where Loen Skylift is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Loen
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Loen Skylift business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Cable Car Tickets: Core revenue from single tickets (one-way and round-trip), day passes, multi-day passes, and season passes for the Loen Skylift cable car.
- Hoven Restaurant & Bar: Restaurant and bar at the mountain station serving à la carte menu, pizza, and beverages with panoramic views. Generates food and beverage revenue.
- Retail Shops: Fjordshop (valley station) and Skyshop (mountain station) selling souvenirs, clothing (Skogstad Sport), snacks, and convenience items.
- Activity Rentals: Equipment rental through Loen Active including kayaks, bikes, snowshoes, sleds, and winter clothing.
- Annual/Season Passes: Annual passes valid for 12 months, season passes, family passes, and local resident passes providing recurring relationship revenue.
- Gift Cards: Gift cards usable across Loen Skylift, Hotel Alexandra, Loen Active, Hotel Loenfjord, Hoven Restaurant, and Loen Play.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single Tickets - Summer Season |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Multi-day Passes |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Pass |
| Subscription | Annual | Local Resident Pass |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Season Pass Summer |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Clip Card |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guided Snowshoe Tour |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kayak Tours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Restaurant Valentine's Package |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Snowshoe Rental |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Loen Skylift product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Loen Skylift operates one of the world's steepest cable cars, transporting visitors 1,011 vertical meters from fjord level to the Hoven mountain station in Loen, Nordfjord, Norway. The core offering is anchored by the cable car ride and bundled with Hoven Restaurant, Via Ferrata Loen climbing experiences, an adventure activity portfolio (kayaking, zipline, snowshoeing, skiing, cycling, sledding, SUP) operated via sub-brand Loen Active, Fjordshop/Skyshop retail, gift cards, annual passes, and an event programming calendar.
Product overview
Loen Skylift operates as a unified outdoor recreation destination centered around its core cable car infrastructure (pendelbane) that transports visitors 1011 meters from fjord level to Hoven mountain station. The product portfolio consists of the cable car experience itself plus multiple integrated modules: dining at Hoven Restaurant, adventure activities (Via Ferrata Loen with STIGULL, zipline, kayaking, SUP, cycling, snowshoe tours, sledding), retail (Fjordshop and Skyshop), activity services through sub-brand Loen Active, annual passes and gift cards, meeting/event venues, and an event calendar. Accommodation partnerships with Hotel Alexandra and Hotel Loenfjord extend the visitor experience. Approximately 70 km of marked hiking trails radiate from Hoven, enabling year-round outdoor recreation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Loen Skylift Cable Car Counterbalancing cable car (pendelbane) transporting visitors 1,011 vertical meters from fjord level in Loen to the Hoven mountain station in 5–7 minutes; one of the steepest cable cars in the world with twin 35-passenger gondolas. Targets tourists, families, cruise passengers, hikers and skiers.
- Hoven Restaurant & Bar À la carte restaurant, pizza menu, and bar located at the Hoven mountain station (1011 m elevation) offering panoramic views over fjord and mountain landscape; also hosts themed events including Valentine's dinner and Winemakers Dinner with Taittinger.
- Via Ferrata Loen Guided and self-guided climbing route at Hoven using iron rungs, ladders and fixed ropes, including the STIGULL (40 m ladder, 120 steps at 45°) added in 2024. Targets adventure enthusiasts and active travellers.
- Loen Active (Adventure Activity Operator) Sub-brand offering guided outdoor experiences and equipment rentals including kayaking, SUP, zipline, snowshoe tours, ski touring, hiking tours, bike rentals, sled rentals and winter clothing rentals from the Loen town centre shop.
- Guided Snowshoe Tours Guided snowshoe tours on Hoven at 1,290 NOK per person (minimum 4 persons) including round-trip cable car, guide, snowshoes and poles; suitable for all skill levels with rental of snowshoes and poles also available standalone.
- Guided Kayak Tours Guided sea kayaking tours on Nordfjorden offered as Discovery paddle (2 hours, 920 NOK) and Fjord tour (3 hours, 1,160 NOK), with kayak rental for certified paddlers.
- Zipline Standalone zipline activity located a 5-minute walk from the Hoven mountain station, open daily during the operating season.
- Ski Touring (Topptur) Backcountry ski touring experiences from Hoven with routes ranging from short to very long tours, with guided tours delivered through Breogfjell IFMGA certified mountain guides.
- Cycling & Bike Rental Electric bike and hybrid/mountain bike rentals from Loen Active with routes through Lodalen valley.
- Sledding (Aking) Sled rentals and access to Norway's longest sledding slope (7 km from Hoven to Oppheim), with single and double sled options available.
- Pedal Boat Rental (Trøbåt) Four-person pedal boat rentals from Loen Active's shop in Loen town centre, available for 1 hour, half day (4 hours) or full day (8 hours).
- Annual Pass (Årskort) Subscription pass valid 365 days from purchase date offering unlimited cable car use; available as Adult (4,900 NOK), Family (7,900 NOK), Youth add-on (1,080 NOK), and discounted Local Resident cards (Stryn kommune: 3,400 NOK adult, 5,500 NOK family).
- Gift Cards (Gåvekort) Gift cards valid for one year across Loen Skylift, Hoven Restaurant, Loen Active activities, Fjordshop, Skyshop, Loen Play, Hotel Alexandra and Hotel Loenfjord; interoperable across the Loen hospitality ecosystem.
- Meeting & Conference Venues (Møterom) Meeting rooms and conference facilities at Hoven marketed to take 'the company to new heights'; supports corporate offsites, conferences, weddings (Bryllaup) and private celebrations.
- Fjordshop & Skyshop Retail On-site retail shops at the fjord station (Fjordshop) and Hoven mountain station (Skyshop) selling souvenirs, Skogstad Sport clothing, snacks, kiosk items, waffles, coffee and ice cream; Fjordshop is also the ticket office.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reaches 1011 meters elevation
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Loen Skylift
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Loen Skylift technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Loen Skylift partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.
- Taittinger ChampagneminorPrestigious French champagne house participated in exclusive Winemakers Dinner event at Hoven Restaurant, attracting wine enthusiasts and generating media coverage.
- Doppelmayr GaraventacoreSwiss-Austrian cable car technology supplier. World's largest manufacturer of cable cars and lifts. Provides the core technology platform enabling Loen Skylift's operations.
- Hotel AlexandracoreAdjacent spa hotel offering accommodation, spa, and dining. Cross-promotional relationship where hotel recommends Loen Skylift to guests. Shared gift card program. Special rates for hotel guests on cable car tickets.
- Hotel LoenfjordcoreNearby hotel partner with restaurant. Part of shared gift card ecosystem. Mutual referrals for visitor services.
- Loen Active / Via Ferrata LoencoreActivity operator offering guided kayaking, snowshoeing, skiing tours, Via Ferrata climbing, zipline, and bike rentals from base at Loen Skylift. Integrated adventure activity provider.
- Visit Norway / Fjord NorwaymajorOfficial Norwegian tourism marketing organizations listing Loen Skylift on regional and national tourism portals, driving international tourist awareness.
- Breogfjell (IFMGA Mountain Guides)minorInternational Federation of Mountain Guides Association certified ski touring guides offering guided summit trips from Loen Skylift. Recommended on official activities page.
- Skogstad SportminorNorwegian outdoor clothing brand sold through Fjordshop retail location.
- Olden Adventure / Cruise ShuttleminorShuttle bus operator providing transportation from Olden cruise port to Loen Skylift for cruise ship passengers on shore excursions.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Loen Skylift competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ulriksbanen (Ulriken Cable Car): Bergen's second mountain cable car providing scenic ascent to Mount Ulriken with hiking trails and restaurant at the top. Same Scandinavian tourist-cable-car business model with summer/winter activity monetization around a single aerial tramway.
- Stoosbahn (Stoos Funicular): Standseilbahn in Stoos, Switzerland - until recently the world's steepest funicular, marketed on the "extreme gradient" angle much like Loen Skylift markets its near-vertical ride. Compares as a Swiss alpine tourist railway offering mountain access for hiking and dining.
- Ngong Ping 360: Hong Kong's tourist cable car to Ngong Ping Village and the Tian Tan Buddha. Compares as a ticketed scenic gondola serving a sightseeing destination market with bundled retail and dining at both valley and summit stations.
- Aiguille du Midi Cable Car (Compagnie du Mont-Blanc): French cable car lifting tourists from Chamonix to 3,842m for glacier viewing. Directly comparable high-elevation tourist cable car with summit restaurant, lift infrastructure from a leading manufacturer (here Pomagalski), and bundled mountain activities.
- Skyline Gondola (Queenstown): Queenstown, NZ gondola to Bob's Peak with summit restaurant, luge, and stargazing activities. Closely parallel to Loen Skylift's cable-car-plus-stacked-activities model in a tourism-dependent regional economy.
- Table Mountain Aerial Cableway: Cape Town's rotating-floor cable car to the top of Table Mountain, operated as a standalone tourist attraction with rotating gondola cars similar in novelty positioning to Loen's counterbalancing Paternoster system. Compares on the sightseeing-cable-car-to-a-mountain-summit model.
- Fløibanen (Floyen Cable Car): Bergen, Norway: the most-visited cable car attraction in Scandinavia, taking tourists from city centre up Mount Floyen for hiking and views. Directly comparable to Loen Skylift as a Norwegian tourist mountain cable car with integrated restaurant, retail, and hiking access.
- Titlis Rotair (Engelberg): Swiss cable car from Engelberg to Mount Titlis featuring the world's first revolving gondola. Closely comparable as an alpine sightseeing cable car with restaurant at summit, glacier activities, and year-round ticketed experience.
- Zugspitze Cable Car (Bayerische Zugspitzbahn Bergbahn): Germany's highest cable car carrying tourists to the Zugspitze summit with restaurant, winter ski access, and summer hiking - mirrors Loen Skylift's combined summer/winter mountain destination positioning around a single base-to-summit aerial tramway.
Regional players
- Loen Aktiv / Loen Hotel Cluster: Adjacent hotel and activity cluster including Hotel Alexandra and Hotel Loenfjord. Not a direct cable car competitor but a tightly co-marketed partner ecosystem that competes for tourist share in Western Norway fjord destinations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Loen Skylift social profiles
Digital presenceLoen Skylift compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Loen Skylift financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Loen Skylift leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Loen Skylift funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Loen Skylift M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Loen Skylift
What does Loen Skylift do?
Loen Skylift operates one of the world's steepest cable cars, transporting visitors 1,011 vertical meters from fjord level to the Hoven mountain station in Loen, Nordfjord, Norway. The core offering is anchored by the cable car ride and bundled with Hoven Restaurant, Via Ferrata Loen climbing experiences, an adventure activity portfolio (kayaking, zipline, snowshoeing, skiing, cycling, sledding, SUP) operated via sub-brand Loen Active, Fjordshop/Skyshop retail, gift cards, annual passes, and an event programming calendar.
Is Loen Skylift a public or private company?
Loen Skylift is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Loen Skylift founded?
Loen Skylift was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Loen Skylift based?
Loen Skylift is headquartered in Loen, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does Loen Skylift make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Cable Car Tickets are the primary driver. The others are hoven Restaurant & Bar, retail Shops, activity Rentals, annual/Season Passes and gift Cards.
Who are Loen Skylift's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ulriksbanen (Ulriken Cable Car), Stoosbahn (Stoos Funicular), Ngong Ping 360, Aiguille du Midi Cable Car (Compagnie du Mont-Blanc), Skyline Gondola (Queenstown), Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, Fløibanen (Floyen Cable Car), Titlis Rotair (Engelberg) and Zugspitze Cable Car (Bayerische Zugspitzbahn Bergbahn). Loen Aktiv / Loen Hotel Cluster is listed as a regional player.
Does Loen Skylift have an API?
No public API is recorded for Loen Skylift.
What industry is Loen Skylift in?
Loen Skylift's product category is Mountain Cable Car Tourism. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAIAKAD, Mountain Gondola & Chairlift Passenger Transport (Non-ski Commuter/Tourist), with a secondary code of THAAAAAK, Winter Adventure & Mountain Resorts (Ski, Snowboard, Snow Activities). Its NAICS code is 487 and its SIC code is 4700.