Fast BLE Ski Gate Entry Through Your Smartphone in Your Pocket

Say goodbye to ticket queues on the slopes! Together with our partner Axess AG, Kathrein Solutions has developed a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)–based ski gate system that lets skiers access lifts with just their smartphone—without ever taking it out of their pocket.

This technology partnership has delivered a highly modern and reliable access solution now rolling out to ski resorts in Europe and the USA. It’s a major step in the digital transformation of leisure and tourism infrastructure.

Meeting the Demand for Digital Access

Modern ski resorts want to offer their visitors the same seamless experience they expect in other parts of their lives. Previously, access relied on traditional RFID chip cards purchased onsite—leading to long queues at ticket offices. The goal was to give customers a fully digital alternative that was just as reliable:

• Online ticket purchase in the web shop or local ticket store.

• Load the ticket into the Axess SkiWallet app.

• Keep the phone securely in a jacket pocket.

• Walk through the gate—fast, contactless, no waiting.

With this new BLE-enabled system, the lift ticket becomes a smartphone credential, integrated into daily digital habits.

Hybrid Gates for RFID and BLE

A key project goal was evolution, not replacement. Resorts needed to expand existing Axess gates rather than replace them outright—supporting both traditional RFID tickets and new BLE mobile tickets in parallel.

Kathrein Solutions delivered a custom antenna system seamlessly integrated into the gates, enabling precise localization of a skier’s smartphone within the reading zone. The result is a truly hybrid solution that supports all visitors equally, whether they prefer physical cards or mobile tickets.

The Challenge: Accurate, Secure Reads

Because multiple gates often stand side by side, simply adding BLE readers wasn’t enough. The antenna system had to solve a critical challenge:

• Only the ticket of the skier standing directly in front of the gate should be read.

• No cross-reads from people in the queue or adjacent lanes.

Kathrein’s innovative antenna design ensures exact positioning and reading of the smartphone ticket, avoiding false reads and ensuring smooth, secure access.

Low Power, Low Friction

The BLE system was carefully engineered for skier convenience and sustainability:

• Low-energy Bluetooth keeps phone battery consumption minimal.

• Automatic connection when in range of the gate.

• Fast ticket verification and contactless gate opening.

• No need to fumble for tickets or hold phones up to readers in the cold.

Successful Implementation

Following successful live operation test phases, the system is being rolled out at ski resorts in Europe and North America. By upgrading existing gates component by component, operators avoid expensive replacements while delivering a truly digital, future-ready experience.

With waiting times reduced, customer satisfaction improved, and manual handling eliminated, this project marks a significant leap forward for the industry’s digital transformation.

Learn More

Kathrein Solutions is proud to support our partners in enabling the next generation of seamless access systems.

👉 Explore the full case study and learn more about this project on our website:
Case Study | Ski Resorts Rely on New BLE Access Gates

Get in contact to discuss your own access challenges or learn more about our solutions.