Official guidelines

These guidelines apply to the following lifts in departure and arrival stations, ski areas and districts and are valid for the whole year, including the skiing season: ski tows, cableways, chairlifts, cable cars. They also include conveyor belts.

▪ Restrict the maximum number of passengers per day by establishing a maximum number of tickets that can be sold according to the individual station/area/district. The criteria must be the same for Autonomous Regions, Provinces and ski areas and must be drawn up in conjunction with representatives of the lift providers and hotels and agreed upon with the local health authorities. The maximum number of daily ski passes available (especially for winter sports) must take into account not only daily tickets but also weekly and season passes. Ski lift management must therefore implement booking systems which guarantee the number of passengers allowed access to the ski lifts on each day, coordinating with the local health authorities and hotels. In ski districts which go beyond regional and/or provincial borders, the neighbouring Autonomous Regions and/or Provinces must take appropriate preventative measures to manage passenger flow and numbers.

▪ Information about prevention and safety must be posted and must also be understandable to foreign visitors, using signs, notices and/or audiovisual systems. Staff may also monitor the situation, reminding passengers of the safety measures and appealing to their sense of responsibility.

▪ Regularly clean areas, paying particular attention to WCs, the most frequently touched surfaces and all areas accessible to the public. These areas must also be disinfected after the lifts are closed for the evening.

▪ Access to ticket offices and ski lifts must be in an orderly manner to prevent queues and gatherings and to ensure that a distance of at least one metre can be maintained between passengers. Social distancing also applies to members of the same family, household and partners, with the exception of those who must be accompanied (e.g. children below 1.25 m in height on chairlifts) or need assistance (e.g. the blind).

▪ Passengers must wear face coverings correctly at all times, both indoors and outdoors, except for the special dispensations when practising sports.

Ticket sales

▪ Measures must be taken to prevent queues and gatherings at ticket offices, for example: advanced purchases/bookings on line or using other digital means (e.g. apps, RFID (radio-frequency identification) tickets), possibility of purchasing or picking up tickets at local hotels. When making advance purchases or bookings online or when buying tickets at ticket offices, passengers must be reminded of the correct behaviour and hygiene rules to prevent any improper conduct.

▪ Ticket offices must install protective screens/physical partitions between staff and customers if not already fitted and must encourage the use of electronic payment

▪ Spaces must be reorganised so access is safe and orderly, with entry and exit routes separate from the ticket offices to prevent queues and gatherings and to ensure that a distance of at least one metre can be maintained between passengers.

▪ Hand sanitisers must be available and must be used when accessing ticket offices or other areas (e.g. WCs).

Transport

▪ The number of people allowed on lifts shall be calculated according to the following criteria, which shall be applied for transportation both up and downhill (if necessary, the maximum capacity shall be rounded down).

▪ When descending by lift, in exceptional or emergency situations (e.g. extreme weather conditions) or to prevent or limit gatherings at the uphill stations, lifts may operate at full capacity for the time it takes to descend, with all passengers wearing face masks (surgical or more advanced).

▪ Windows must be kept open on enclosed lifts (cableways, cable cars) when carrying passengers.

▪ Eating, drinking and smoking are not allowed in enclosed areas, when boarding (even when outdoors) and when the lifts are moving.

▪ Once the lift has reached the arrival station, passengers must vacate the area as quickly as possible.