The Free Hahnenkamm Express: on track for 30 years
Since 1997, the Hahnenkamm Express has safely transported ski fans to and from the races – this year for the 30th time. The long-standing partnership between ÖBB Personenverkehr AG (Austrian Rail) and the Kitzbühel Ski Club has been extended. Former ÖBB transport planner Günther Walser recalls how it all began.
ÖBB Personenverkehr AG and the Kitzbühel Ski Club continue their successful collaboration: ÖBB has been a reliable mobility partner for the Hahnenkamm Races in Kitzbühel for three decades. The partnership is now secured by a new four-year contract through 2029.
The Hahnenkamm Races are among the most spectacular events on the Alpine Ski World Cup calendar, drawing tens of thousands of fans to Kitzbühel each year. Without the rail service, the safe and environmentally friendly arrival and departure of these crowds would be inconceivable. ÖBB’s proven mobility concept prevents thousands of car journeys, reduces congestion and improves road safety – while also making a valuable contribution to climate protection and the sustainable staging of the event.
This elegant partnership between ÖBB and the Kitzbühel Ski Club began in 1997 with just one special train. At the most recent Hahnenkamm Races, around 47,000 visitors used the free rail service, a figure that has increased to around 1.3 million over the past 30 years. The free Hahnenkamm Express is a key part of the concept, shuttling between Kirchberg and St. Johann. With more than 360 train stops at the Kitzbühel Hahnenkamm station and additional special services, fans are transported comfortably and punctually to all the action on the Streif and Ganslern courses. At peak times, trains run every 7½ minutes – a logistical tour de force that simply wouldn’t be possible without rail. This year, the tracks will be humming again during race weekend.
“Leave the driving to us when travelling to Kitzbühel!”
Günther Walser vividly recalls 1996, when he had just taken up his new role as an ÖBB transport planner for Vorarlberg and Tyrol. He was given a simple-sounding brief: “Go to Kitzbühel to see the Ski Club. They want us to shuttle a train back and forth between Kirchberg and St. Johann.” Simple, it was not – “but that was my job,” Walser smiles. At the time, he drew up a timetable by hand, enabling two train sets to shuttle between Kirchberg and St. Johann. He presented the plan to Secretary General Michael Huber on 27 November 1996. “He loved it and christened the shuttle the ‘Hahnenkamm Express’. For years afterwards, the trains even carried the name on their livery,” Walser recalls from his home in Roppen.
The initiative was also prompted by less happy experiences prior to 1997. “On race days, InterCity trains made an additional stop at Kitzbühel Hahnenkamm, with a 30 per cent fare reduction. The result was chaos and delays, as the platforms there were simply too short,” Walser remembers. To this day, he recommends travelling by train to every Hahnenkamm fan. His reasons are refreshingly practical: “The service is frequent – on Saturdays, trains even run until midnight. No hunting for a parking space, no sitting in traffic.”
By extending this proven partnership until 2029, ÖBB and the Kitzbühel Ski Club are sending a clear signal in favour of sustainable mobility at major events. “Having a railway station right next to the finish area is a stroke of luck for Kitzbühel. Without ÖBB, we simply couldn’t stage the Hahnenkamm Races in this form – with up to 45,000 spectators on Saturdays,” emphasises KSC President Michael Huber. ÖBB echoes this sentiment: “We’re delighted to remain part of this legendary event and to continue working together to ensure a safe, comfortable and climate-friendly journey,” says ÖBB regional manager Werner Dilitz.
Photo © ÖBB/ÖBB/Gasser-Mair, ÖBB/Hörtnagl, Günther Walser
