Strange and interesting facts

The first funicular railways in Switzerland were operated in the Saanenland: to make skiing easier, innovative citizens of the municipality introduced funicular railways (so-called funi) very early in the 20th century. These sledge-like vehicles with a cable pull system enabled tourists to travel up the mountains to go skiing. There are still two of them in front of the Berghotel Hornberg above Saanenmöser and the playground in Saanenmöser. Saanen citizens subsequently also constructed this type of transportation system in Grisons (Davos), for example.

The longest chairlift in Switzerland was constructed in the Bäuert (parish) of Chalberhöni in the direction of the Wildenmannegg / Videmanette ski area. The system (to Pra Cluen/ Rouffisvorsaß) was designed by the company Küpfer from Steffisburg and had a total length of 2,215 metres. The new four-seat chairlift was constructed in 2007 for CHF 9.6 million by the company Garaventa and is even longer than its predecessor. It presumably still holds the record with a length of 2,764 metres and a capacity of 1,500 people an hour.

The first ski hut in Switzerland is also located in the municipality of Saanen in the Bäuert (parish) of Saanenmöser. The ski club of the city of Bern acquired the plot of land in 1899, before constructing a ski hut on it in 1908. It was the first building to be constructed in Switzerland only for this purpose and for these requirements.

– The first fully electrified railway in Switzerland was operated in the Saanenland. The Montreux-Berner Oberland-Bahn (MOB), which is very popular now and runs between Montreux and Zweisimmen, transported the first tourists to the holiday region of Gstaad, thus making a contribution to its upswing at an early stage. On 20 December 1904, construction reached Gstaad and on 6 July 1905 Zweisimmen.

The first cable car in Switzerland that goes around a curve is the Rellerli cable car in Schönried. The company Habegger from Thun constructed the system in 1982. It has a total length of 2,065 metres.

The first three-seat chair lift in Switzerland with hoods was constructed by the company VonRoll Habegger from Thun in 1984 on the Horneggli in Schönried. It started operating on 15 December 1984 and was described as a "space seat". The system transported 950 people an hour.

The first mountain lift tariff association in Switzerland was established in 1944/1945 also in the Saanenland. Various different mountain lift companies joined the association.

The most complicated merger of different mountain lift companies in Switzerland was completed with the foundation of Bergbahnen Destination Gstaad AG backdated to 1 May 2003. Ten independent companies were merged into one. It extends across the territory of two cantons, three administrative districts and 7 municipalities and goes beyond the linguistic border between the German and French-speaking parts of Switzerland..