Mountain railways and campers are a natural match: guests arrive in the evening and are first on the mountain in the morning, whether for hiking, biking or skiing. That is why more and more railways are setting up signposted pitch areas and handling overnight fees and tourist taxes digitally. Michael Wehrli of Säntis-Schwebebahn AG, one of our very first hosts, explains how this works in practice.
Why have a system at all?
Many destinations know the starting point well: overuse of popular spots, fuelled by geotagging apps, created a wild camping problem in many places, and overwhelmed municipalities responded with camping bans. Parkn'Sleep turns this logic around: campers drive to the pitch spontaneously, check-in and payment are handled digitally on site via QR code, and the tourist tax goes automatically to the municipality. Around 180 Swiss municipalities are connected to the tourist tax system, and the concept won the «Milestone» tourism award.
The interview
Michael, since when has the Säntisbahn been using the system?
Since May 2022.
What was the deciding factor for working together?
We wanted a system that runs on its own and does not create any extra admin.
What do you see as the benefits for the Säntisbahn?
Besides the extra income, we mainly wanted to create order and separate the motorhomes from the cars. Now we have the motorhomes exactly where we want them.
How many pitches do you offer, and what has come of it?
At the moment eleven signposted pitches. In the first season we already recorded 370 check-ins, which adds up to around 600 overnight stays, because people mostly travel in pairs or stay more than one night.
How did guests take to self check-in?
By and large it was no problem, guests are used to digital processes. The biggest issue is when a camper from abroad has no roaming, but those cases are rare.
Will it stay a summer-only offer?
At first we only planned the summer months, because clearing snow on the large car park is difficult. After such a successful summer, though, we would now like to run two to three pitches right next to the building all year round.
Which mountain railways is this worthwhile for, in your view?
Basically you need car park infrastructure with reasonably level areas. And why you should do it is very simple: we cannot afford not to host this growing customer segment.
Your personal verdict?
We are very happy. For campers it is easy to use, and for us it is an uncomplicated system that makes everyday work easier and adds value. As a share of total revenue it is small, but not to be underestimated: campers are very welcome and have a lasting experience with the whole destination.
About the Säntis
The Säntis is the highest mountain in the Lake Constance region, with panoramic views of six countries. Together with the Schwägalp, the NaturErlebnispark and countless hiking trails, it is one of the most popular day trip destinations in Eastern Switzerland. More at saentisbahn.ch.
🚡 Want to stay there yourself? You can see the live availability of the Säntisbahn pitch right in the app. And if you run a mountain railway, municipality or business and want to offer your own pitches: parknsleep.com/en/host.
Interview from the Parkn'Sleep company blog; figures refer to the Säntisbahn's first season with the system.
