Ski tourers in Tyrol are angry: the parking fee at busy starting points in the Innsbruck area has recently been increased from five to eight euros – by 60 percent! There is hardly any other comparable ski touring area in the country that has a comparable level of collection.
Since December 1, alpinists, tobogganers, hikers and cross-country skiers have had to dig deep into their pockets to park in the popular Sigmund im Sellrain district. The municipality has increased the daily rate all year round from five to eight euros: that’s 60 percent! There is no gradual collection.
No parking fees at all in Ginzling
By comparison: in the mountain village of Ginzling in the Zillertal you pay six euros for a whole day, four euros for half a day – and nothing at all in winter. In Leutasch it is five to three euros, in Wattener Lizum a maximum of six euros per day.
The community of St. Sigmund did not want an increase
Mayor Anton Schiffmann of St. Sigmund passes the buck: “We rented the parking lots from the landowners, one of them canceled the contract. He was no longer satisfied with the amount of the parking fee. The increase is not ours.”
Starting point for Lampsenspitze and Zischgeles
This is Lois Melmer, owner of the parking lot in Praxmar at the starting point of Lampsenspitze and Zischgeles and senior manager of Alpengasthof Praxmar. “We do a lot for tourers and spend a lot of money preparing the toboggan run, which skiers also like to use; cross-country skiing is free. “Many people don’t come here, but I think eight euros is justified,” Melmer explains.
“Wild growth” must be avoided
He was already planning to operate the parking lot himself. Naturally, the community tried to avoid ‘wild growth’, where the various owners managed the storage spaces themselves. “Melmer wanted more than eight euros, we proposed six. “In the end we came to a compromise of eight euros,” says Mayor Schiffmann.
The same high costs everywhere
However, they now have to be paid not only at the Melmer car park, but also in Lüsens, Moos/Fischteich and at the entrance to the Gleirschtal. If you only want to toboggan for 30 minutes to the Gleirschalm, you will pay no less than eight euros for that short time. Schiffmann: “We wanted to have the same reimbursements everywhere.”
Record for annual tickets
The offer of an annual pass for all parking spaces is currently almost never accepted. The price also rose – from 50 to 80 euros. Positive from the mayor’s point of view: “The existence of parking spaces has been secured by the agreement for the coming years.” And not only the owners involved in the sale have more money, but also the municipality.
Less traffic than visibility
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.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
