Switzerland has the edge in Austria. At least in terms of the results of the test, in which a variety of touristic operators from Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France took part. An international jury put a wide range of tourism enterprises to the test. The two Central Switzerland mountain railway enterprises undertook the sweeping Summer Test and scored a sizeable number of points. At the awards ceremony in the Innsbruck Casino, Klaus Hönigsberger, test director of "Summer Test 2006", announced, "PILATUS-BAHNEN and Stanserhorn-Bahn came off best in the overall ratings. We were well and truly convinced by the two companies from Central Switzerland. We can fully substantiate awarding the Gold Casino Trophy to these two companies."

The Alpine-region-based organization which conducted the tests in cooperation with the trade magazine SEILBAHN & TOURISMUS has a huge amount of experience at its command. In recent years, its survey findings have become a fixed benchmark for funicular and aerial cableway businesses in the Alpine region. Since 2004, Alpine mountain destinations have also been tested for their summer appeal. An expert team of 220 test persons examined the mountain railway companies in accordance with set criteria. Under examination were friendliness, infrastructure, activities/events, marketing and information behaviour as well as hotel and restaurant quality.

As well as the Gold prize which was won jointly by PILATUS-BAHNEN and Stanserhorn-Bahn, PILATUS-BAHNEN also won the special "Fun & Action" award for touristic product development. The test persons were particularly impressed by the wide-ranging leisure and experience attractions on Fräkmüntegg and Mount Pilatus. These include: the three mountain rail & cableways with the world's steepest cogwheel railway; Central Switzerland's biggest ropepark; the Dragon Moor and adventure playground on Krienseregg; the Bellevue and Pilatus-Kulm Hotels with offers covering overnight accommodation, business conferences, banquets and a rich variety of cuisine in the restaurants, as well as the many events and attractions on Mount Pilatus. At the beginning of this year PILATUS-BAHNEN took over operation of the "Fräkigaudi", Switzerland's longest roller-sledge run, on Fräkmüntegg. This remarkable range of attractions earned PILATUS-BAHNEN the special "Fun & Action" award. André Zimmermann, director of PILATUS-BAHNEN said: "We are both thrilled and motivated by this award. We have been working on this experience strategy for years. We want to present our individual and group guests with the most varied one-stop adventure attractions as well as near-to-nature experiences".
 

In addition to the main prize, the Stanserhorn-Bahn was also honoured with two special awards. The Austrians are always said to be more friendly than the Swiss. The Stanserhorn-Bahn can now counter this claim with facts. For several years, the aim of Stanserhorn-Bahn director Jürg Balsiger, has been to make his company Switzerland's friendliest mountain railway. These endeavours also attracted the attention of the test persons, who declared the Stanserhorn-Bahn personnel to be the friendliest in the entire Alpine region. Jürg Balsiger has even more reason to be happy, winning an extra award for his "lazybones" concept. The concept, which he initiated and which uses "Stanserhorn - recommended by leading lazybones" as an advertising slogan, has been extremely well received and won the award for innovative marketing concepts.

Many prominent national and international guests were present at the glamorous gala event with awards ceremony on Thursday, 25 January 2007 in the Innsbruck Casino. As well as a group of some 40 railway employees, the Swiss delegation also consisted of Executive Council member Geri Odermatt, Beatrice Richard-Ruf, President of the Municipality of Stans, and various members of the executive boards of both railways. Words of praise also came from Swiss Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard, Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs and thus Switzerland's highest ranking tourism representative. "I most warmly congratulate both Central Switzerland railway companies on this award", she says in the official letter received by both railways, adding "Innovative railways are vital to our national economy."