Master Plan Torrent

The Torrent master plan is a long-term development strategy for the Torrent adventure mountain and is therefore of central importance for the tourism development of the local communities of Leukerbad, Albinen and Guttet-Feschel as well as for the entire destination/region. The aim is to modernise the cable car infrastructure, improve the leisure facilities for summer and winter and strengthen the region economically. The main measures include the modernisation of the feeder lifts, the expansion of hiking and biking offers and the development of the Torrenthorn as a tourist beacon. The total investment amounts to CHF 110 million over a period of 30 years.

The existing infrastructure needs to be modernised in order to ensure the safe and economical operation of the lifts in the future. In addition, tourism in the region is to be boosted by orientating the offer towards year-round operation. This not only secures jobs and economic benefits for the region, but also prevents the loss of property value. The measures are to be implemented in stages, with the first projects by 2030 and full realisation by 2050.

• Project organiser: Torrent-Bahnen Leukerbad-Albinen AG
• Local communities: Leukerbad, Albinen, Guttet-Feschel
• Tourism organisation: My Leukerbad AG
• Various specialised partners & consulting

The project is managed by Torrent-Bahnen Leukerbad-Albinen AG, with the support of the tourism organisation My Leukerbad AG and experts, spatial planning and infrastructure.

• The master plan was approved by shareholders and the local communities.
• Investments total approximately CHF 110 million over 30 years.
• Initial projects, such as the planning work for the replacement of the Torrentalp-Rinderhütte railway, have been launched.
• Financing is currently being examined; CHF 30 million in equity capital is required in stages.
• The area should be accessible all year round.

• 2025-2030: Replacement of Torrentalp-Rinderhütte, renovation of the Rinderhütte, optimisation of snowmaking, expansion of summer experiences
• 2030-2040: Renewal of the Leukerbad-Rinderhütte cable car lift, development of the Torrenthorn as a flagship project, expansion of summer experiences
• By 2050: Replacement of the Schwalbennest chairlift

• Replacement lift project for the Torrentalp-Rinderhütte line, expand mountain experiences and technical snowmaking (planning from 2025)
• Torrenthorn development project incl. catering, pistes & staging (planning from 2028)
• Project replacement and relocation of the Leukerbad - Rinderhütte valley station (planning from 2030) 

Further projects and offers

• Torrent experience: expansion of hiking and adventure trails, catering facilities, playgrounds and viewpoints
• Renovation of the Rinderhütte: catering offer, guest guidance, gondola hotel
• Implementation of the bike park: expansion of the bike experience, bike skill park, new trail construction and optimisation of existing routes 

The start depends on funding and approvals; the first projects should be realised by 2028.

Securing funding, spatial planning adjustments and climatic conditions.

Around 15 years ago, the Maressen chairlift ceased operation and was dismantled. As a result, money was collected for a new cable car installation. However, this money was used to recapitalise the Torrent cableways during the course of their renovation. This issue was examined as part of the Torrent masterplan, but there are various reasons against a new Maressen cable car:

• Climate change: in view of changing climatic conditions, we are increasingly investing in higher altitudes, which offer more stable climatic conditions, even if the valley near Maressen is shadier.
• Authorisation: The area is located in a source protection zone, which would pose additional challenges in terms of authorisation.
• Technical snowmaking: High-performance snowmaking, which would be necessary for the operation of a new cable car, is not feasible in the Maressen area due to the local conditions.
   

For these reasons, a new cable car facility in the Maressen does not make sense as part of the masterplan. We are therefore focussing on projects that are both ecologically and economically viable and will benefit the region in the long term.

Section 1 is part of the master plan. Section 1 is to be retained in its existing form so that access can be maintained for the next few years. With this plan and the concentration of financial resources on Section 2, transport from Flaschen can be secured and the offering for guests significantly improved. The operating lifetime of Section 1 can be significantly extended with spare parts from Section 2. The Vorgipfel access will enable a new offering, especially for the summer, and thus add value which can be used to co-finance other necessary projects such as the replacement of the cable car.

The master plan is geared towards maintaining first-time visitor numbers in winter and doubling them in summer. Without a unique offering such as the development of the pre-summit with its panoramic view of the Valais Alps, this would be difficult to achieve. This promotes the destination's strategy of year-round tourism.

Such a development would require a very heavy and expensive gondola lift in several sections. The development capacities vary up to and from the Rinderhütte. This gondola lift would therefore be neither technically nor financially efficient. We would not be able to cover either the investment costs or the operating costs for such a facility. The necessary and planned capacity on the pre-summit is too small for a detachable gondola lift. In addition, the stations of detachable lifts require much more space than stations for aerial tramways, which is not available on the pre-summit. The operating costs for a reversible aerial tramway are significantly lower than for a gondola lift. The Rinderhütte – Vorgipfel route is ideal for a reversible aerial tramway because terrain chambers and facilities have to be crossed.

The environmental organisations have already been contacted and the master plan presented. The exchange was appreciated and the necessity of the master plan was recognised in principle, such as the replacement of the existing facilities and the relocation of the Leukerbad valley station, which ensures better accessibility and reduces traffic. You will continue to be actively involved in the discussions.

Sustainable infrastructure planning, energy-efficient cable car systems, environmentally friendly snowmaking technologies and targeted environmental monitoring.

Through regular information events, transparent communication and the opportunity to help shape the project, as well as via the project website.

Job security, economic value creation and a long-term reinforcement of the tourist appeal for the entire region.

The communes of Albinen, Leukerbad and Guttet-Feschel, which are relevant to Torrent, are key partners in the Torrent master plan and play a central role in the entire planning, decision-making and approval process. They were significantly involved in the development as members of the project steering committee, represented by the mayors. In addition, the municipal representatives are informed about project steps at an early stage, are given the opportunity to comment and participate in the design process, and are formally involved and have a say in legal procedures – for example, in changes to land use plans, building permits or the protection of public interests. Furthermore, they and other communes in the destination actively contribute their perspectives to project-related committees or steering groups. The aim is to achieve partnership-based and coordinated cooperation on an equal footing between communes, Torrent-Bahnen Leukerbad-Albinen AG, project sponsors and other stakeholders in order to ensure broad-based development.