List of mountain railways in Switzerland
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This is a list of mountain railways in operation in Switzerland. It includes railways that overcome steep gradients (over 5%) or whose culminating point is over 800 m (2,600 ft) above sea level. Most of them are located in the Alps, which include the highest European railways, both dead-end railways, such as the Jungfrau and Gornergrat, and railway crossings, such as the Bernina and Furka. Many of these railways converge on mountain railway hubs, notably Lucerne, Interlaken, Montreux, Aigle, Brig and Chur.
Lines that are both adhesion and standard gauge railways and part of the main Swiss (and European) rail network are boldfaced in the list. Cantons where the line continues but does not fit the aforementioned criteria are indicated in small letters.
This list only includes non-cable railways. For a list of funiculars, see List of funiculars in Switzerland, for a list of aerial tramways, see List of aerial tramways in Switzerland. For a list of individual railway stations, see List of highest railway stations in Switzerland.
List
[edit]Railway | Canton(s) | Range | Highest point | Highest elevation | Maximum incline | Gauge | Rack railway | Type | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jungfrau | Bern/Valais | Alps | Jungfraujoch | 3,454 m (11,332 ft) | 25% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | Underground above 2,350 m, highest railway in Europe, one of the highest railways in the world at the opening |
Gornergrat | Valais | Alps | Gornergrat | 3,090 m (10,138 ft) | 20% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | Highest open-air railway in Europe |
Bernina | Graubünden | Alps | Ospizio Bernina | 2,253 m (7,392 ft) | 7% | 1,000 mm | No | Rail crossing | Highest railway crossing in Europe[1] |
Brienz–Rothorn | Bern | Alps | Brienzer Rothorn | 2,244 m (7,362 ft) | 25% | 800 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | Highest unelectrified line in Europe |
Riffelalp | Valais | Alps | Riffelalp Resort | 2,222 m (7,290 ft) | 5% | 800 mm | No | Dead-end rail | Not electrified, highest tram line in Europe[2] |
Furka Steam Railway | Valais/Uri | Alps | Furka railway station | 2,163 m (7,096 ft) | 11.8% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Rail crossing | Longest unelectrified line in Switzerland (18 km), seasonal operations |
Pilatus | Obwalden | Alps | Pilatus | 2,073 m (6,801 ft) | 48% | 800 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | Steepest railway in the world[3] |
Lauterbrunnen–Kleine Scheidegg–Grindelwald | Bern | Alps | Kleine Scheidegg | 2,061 m (6,762 ft) | 25% | 800 mm | Yes | Rail crossing | Rail crossing usually involves change of train at Kleine Scheidegg |
Andermatt–Chur | Uri/Graubünden | Alps | Oberalp Pass | 2,033 m (6,670 ft) | 11% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Rail crossing | |
Montreux–Glion–Rochers-de-Naye | Vaud | Alps | Rochers de Naye | 1,968 m (6,457 ft) | 22% | 800 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | |
Schynige Platte | Bern | Alps | Schynige Platte | 1,967 m (6,453 ft) | 25% | 800 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | |
Les Montuires–Emosson | Valais | Alps | Les Montuires | 1,822 m (5,978 ft) | 1.46% | 600 mm | No | Dead-end rail | Part of the Parc d'attractions du Châtelard[4] |
Albula | Graubünden | Alps | Albula Tunnel | 1,820 m (5,971 ft) | 3.5% | 1,000 mm | No | Rail crossing | |
Bex–Villars–Bretaye | Vaud | Alps | Bretaye | 1,806 m (5,925 ft) | 20% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | |
Pontresina–Scuol-Tarasp | Graubünden | Alps | Pontresina | 1,774 m (5,820 ft) | 2.5% | 1,000 mm | No | Dead-end rail | Lowest point at the terminus station (Scuol-Tarasp) |
Rigi | Lucerne/Schwyz | Alps | Rigi Kulm | 1,752 m (5,748 ft) | 25% | 1,435 mm | Yes | Rail crossing at Rigi Staffel, dead-end rail to the summit | Oldest mountain rack railway in Europe (1873), highest standard gauge in Europe, rail crossing involves change of train at Rigi Staffel |
Chur–Arosa | Graubünden | Alps | Arosa | 1,739 m (5,705 ft) | 6% | 1,000 mm | No | Dead-end rail | |
Grütschalp–Mürren | Bern | Alps | Mürren | 1,639 m (5,377 ft) | 5% | 1,000 mm | No | Dead-end rail | Accessible only by cable car |
Landquart–Klosters–Davos | Graubünden | Alps | Davos Wolfgang | 1,625 m (5,331 ft) | 4.5% | 1,000 mm | No | Rail crossing | |
Visp–Zermatt | Valais | Alps | Zermatt | 1,605 m (5,266 ft) | 12.5% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | |
Monte Generoso | Ticino | Alps | Generoso Vetta | 1,601 m (5,253 ft) | 22% | 800 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | |
Brig–Andermatt | Valais/Uri | Alps | Realp | 1,538 m (5,046 ft) | 1,000 mm | Yes | Rail crossing | ||
Aigle–Leysin | Vaud | Alps | Leysin Grand Hôtel | 1,450 m (4,757 ft) | 23% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | |
Göschenen–Andermatt | Uri | Alps | Andermatt | 1,436 m (4,711 ft) | 17.9% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Rail crossing | |
Vevey–Les Pléiades | Vaud | Alps | Les Pléiades | 1,360 m (4,462 ft) | 20% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | |
Montbovon–Zweisimmen | Vaud/Fribourg/Bern | Alps | Saanenmöser Pass | 1,279 m (4,196 ft) | 7% | 1,000 mm | No | Rail crossing | |
Lötschberg | Bern/Valais | Alps | Lötschberg Tunnel | 1,240 m (4,068 ft) | 2.7% | 1,435 mm | No | Rail crossing | Highest adhesion and standard gauge railway in Switzerland |
Nyon–St-Cergue–La Cure | Vaud | Jura Mountains | Col de la Givrine | 1,228 m (4,029 ft) | 6% | 1,000 mm | No | Dead-end rail | Highest railway in the Jura Mountains |
Martigny–Châtelard | Valais | Alps | Finhaut | 1,224 m (4,016 ft) | 20% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Rail crossing | International line |
Aigle–Sépey–Diablerets | Vaud | Alps | Les Diablerets | 1,155 m (3,789 ft) | 6% | 1,000 mm | No | Dead-end rail | |
Gotthard | Uri/Ticino/Schwyz | Alps | Gotthard Tunnel | 1,151 m (3,776 ft) | 2.7% | 1,435 mm | No | Rail crossing | |
La Chaux-de-Fonds–Ponts-de-Martel | Neuchâtel | Jura Mountains | Above L'Abbaye | 1,120 m (3,675 ft) | 1,000 mm | No | Dead-end rail | ||
Montreux–Montbovon | Vaud/Fribourg | Alps | Les Cases | 1,111 m (3,645 ft) | 7% | 1,000 mm | No | Rail crossing | |
La Chaux-de-Fonds–Le Noirmont–Glovelier | Neuchâtel/Bern/Jura | Jura Mountains | Hotel de Bellevue | 1,071 m (3,514 ft) | 1,000 mm | No | Rail crossing | ||
Zweisimmen–Lenk | Bern | Alps | Lenk | 1,068 m (3,504 ft) | 1,000 mm | No | Dead-end rail | ||
Yverdon–Ste-Croix | Vaud | Jura Mountains | Sainte-Croix | 1,066 m (3,497 ft) | 4.4% | 1,000 mm | No | Dead-end rail | |
Vallorbe–Le Brassus | Vaud | Jura Mountains | Le Lieu | 1,050 m (3,445 ft) | 2.3% | 1,435 mm | No | Dead-end rail | |
Neuchâtel–La Chaux-de-Fonds–Col-des-Roches[5] | Neuchâtel | Jura Mountains | Les Convers | 1,048 m (3,438 ft) | 3.1% | 1,435 mm | No | Rail crossing | |
Monthey–Champéry | Valais | Alps | Champéry (north station) | 1,044 m (3,425 ft) | 13.5% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | |
Interlaken–Grindelwald | Bern | Alps | Grindelwald | 1,034 m (3,392 ft) | 12% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Rail crossing | |
Brünig | Bern/Obwalden | Alps | Brünig | 1,002 m (3,287 ft) | 12% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Rail crossing | |
Lucerne–Engelberg | Obwalden/Nidwalden | Alps | Engelberg | 999 m (3,278 ft) | 10.5% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | |
St. Gallen–Gais–Altstätten | Appenzell A./St. Gallen | Alps | Hebrig | 972 m (3,189 ft) | 1,000 mm | Yes | Rail crossing | ||
St. Gallen–Trogen | Appenzell A./St. Gallen | Alps | Schützengarten | 956 m (3,136 ft) | 7.6% | 1,000 mm | No | Dead-end rail | |
Spiez–Zweisimmen | Bern | Alps | Zweisimmen | 941 m (3,087 ft) | 2.5% | 1,435 mm | No | Rail crossing | |
Goldau–Pfäffikon | Schwyz | Alps | Sattel Pass | 932 m (3,058 ft) | 1,435 mm | No | Rail crossing | ||
Gossau–Appenzell–Wasserauen | Appenzell A./Appenzell I./St. Gallen | Alps | Gonten | 904 m (2,966 ft) | 3.7% | 1,000 mm | No | Dead-end rail | |
Martigny–Orsières | Valais | Alps | Orsières | 901 m (2,956 ft) | 4% | 1,435 mm | No | Dead-end rail | |
Zurich–Uetliberg | Zurich | Albis | Uetliberg | 813 m (2,667 ft) | 7.9% | 1,435 mm | No | Dead-end rail | |
Rorschach-Heiden | Appenzell A./St. Gallen | Alps | Heiden | 791 m (2,595 ft) | 9% | 1,435 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | |
Rheineck–Walzenhausen | Appenzell A./St. Gallen | Alps | Walzenhausen | 672 m (2,205 ft) | 25% | 1,200 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | |
Dolderbahn | Zurich | Adlisberg | Dolder Grand | 606 m (1,988 ft) | 19.6% | 1,000 mm | Yes | Dead-end rail | Opened as a funicular railway and converted to rack operation later |
Centovalli | Ticino | Alps | Càmedo | 549 m (1,801 ft) | 6% | 1,000 mm | No | Rail crossing | International line |
See also
[edit]- Rail transport in Switzerland
- List of heritage railways and funiculars in Switzerland
- List of highest paved roads in Switzerland
- List of mountains of Switzerland accessible by public transport
- Lists of tourist attractions in Switzerland
References
[edit]- Swisstopo topographic maps
- ^ Nicola Williams, Damien Simonis, Kerry Walker. Switzerland (ebook Edition). Lonely Planet
- ^ "Riffelalp Tram". Riffelalp Resort. Archived from the original on 2014-03-03. Retrieved 2014-06-05.
- ^ Engineering Magazine, Volume 14, p. 81
- ^ See fr:Parc d'attractions du Châtelard
- ^ See fr:Ligne Neuchâtel – La Chaux-de-Fonds – Le Locle-Col-des-Roches