12.02.2013

Business year 2012 – higher traffic income in centenary year

Last year, the Jungfrau Railway Group achieved a traffic income of 115.1 million francs, an increase of 4.4% compared to 2011.

Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe
Some 833,000 visitors travelled to the Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe in 2012, more than in any other year in the 100-year history of the Jungfrau Railway. This growth was in particular achieved through business with Asian guests. This success was contributed to by the centenary celebrations, which began with the illumination of the Jungfrau in January 2012 followed by another 80 special offers and events. The Jungfrau Railways strategy of intensively cultivating the Asian market and enhancing attractions on the Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe with the new Alpine Sensation round tour has paid off.

Winter sport
We have a difficult year in the winter-sport business behind us, due amongst other things to the warm spell in spring 2012. The strong Swiss franc led to fewer guests travelling from European countries to Switzerland and the Jungfrau Ski Region. In addition, the Swiss increasingly spent their holidays abroad. The first facilities were able to be opened on 1 December 2012 – three weeks earlier than last year. Thanks to this good start to the current season, a drop of only 1% in skier visits was recorded in 2012 for the Jungfrau Ski Region, in which the Jungfrau Railway Group holds a 60% share of turnover.
 
Experience mountains
In the experience mountains business segment, which comprises excursion traffic to the Harder Kulm, First and Winteregg-Mürren, the Jungfrau Railways Group recorded varying visitor numbers. From 1 January to 31 December 2012, the Harder Railway carried 14.5 per cent more passengers than in the previous year, thus achieving a record number of passengers. The First Aerial Cableway recorded a drop in frequency of 2.5 per cent. The Lauterbrunnen-Mürren Rail & Cableway transported 5 per cent fewer passengers than in the preceding year.

Prospects for 2013
The start of 2013 has proved a success. The Jungfraujoch was able to hold visitor numbers at the same level as in the centenary year. The winter-sport business has recorded higher frequencies than the previous year. The new six-seater Wixi chairlift has upgraded the Kleine Scheidegg-Männlichen ski area. Despite a good start to the year, the outlook for the winter business segment and the European market remains challenging, however, the sustained positive trend in the Asian market, which is crucial for the Jungfrau Railway Group, allows us reason for optimism.