Railways in
Switzerland
A train of the Glacier Express crossing the famous
Landwasser Viaduct
The first railway in Switzerland opened in 1847 between Zurich and
Baden, a distance of 16km. It was built to standard (1435mm) gauge. This
gauge was used for much of the subsequent main line development in the
country and for international links with neighbouring countries, although
narrow (predominantly metre) gauge was used extensively in the mountainous
areas and several important and lengthy cross country links are metre
gauge.
Given its mountainous nature, Switzerland was also a pioneer of rack
railways, long sub-alpine tunnels and, given the ready availability of
hydroelectric power, railway electrification. Almost all of the country’s
railways are electrified.
In addition to the main line and regional railways, there are many
minor railways. These are almost all narrow gauge, and almost all have
considerable tourist potential. For that reason, tourist operations are
not listed separately on this page, except for a couple of museum lines.
Some of the lines may incorporate on-street or roadside running, blurring
the distinction between minor railways and trams. Similar minor railways
in other countries may have long disappeared, but they survive in
Switzerland because of the difficulty of providing a reliable road
alternative in the mountainous regions.
A number of new railways are being constructed, many involving
extensive tunnelling, partly for speed improvements but also to reduce
vulnerability to winter weather conditions. Shuttle trains carry road
vehicles under several mountain passes, and also carry heavy goods
vehicles transiting Switzerland which are discouraged from using the
country’s roads.
Standard Gauge Main Line Railways
- SBB the national
operator, also timetabling and ticketing for all operators
- BLS major independent
operator
- Südostbahn
independant operator, despite its name in the northeast of the country
(Site in German)
- Voralpen
Express operates over the tracks of SBB and Südostbahn (Site in
German)
- SBB Cargo
freight operating arm of SBB (Site in German, French and
Italian)
- BLS Cargo
freight operating arm of BLS
- Crossrail
freight operator
- DB Cargo
Schweiz freight operator
- Hupac freight
operator
- RAlpin operator
of rail shuttle service for heavy goods vehicles transiting Switzerland
between Germany and Italy
- WRS freight
operator (Site in French and German)
Standard Gauge Regional Railways
- Léman
Express cross-border regional and commuter services in the Geneva
area and neighbouring parts of France (Site in French)
- St Bernard
Express Martigny to Le Châble and Orsières
- SZU
suburban railway in the Zurich area (Site in German)
- Thurbo regional
passenger operator in southern Germany and northern Switzerland
(Site in German)
- TILO regional
passenger operator in southern Switzerland and northern Italy
(Site in Italian and German)
Narrow Gauge Regional Railways
- The Route of the Glacier Express:
- Aare Seeland Mobil
Langenthal to St Urban; Langenthal via Oensingen to Solothurn;
Biel / Bienne to Ins (Site in French and German)
- Appenzeller
Bahnen a network of metre gauge lines in the St Gallen area; also
the standard gauge electrified rack railway from Rorschach to Heiden
and the 1200mm gauge electrified rack railway from Rheineck to
Walzenhausen (Site in German)
- Gornergrat
Bahn Zermatt to Gornergrat, 9km. Metre gauge rack railway with
spectacular views of the Matterhorn
- Grimselbahn
proposed new narrow gauge line connecting the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn
at Uberwald with the Meiringen - Innertkirchen - Bahn at Innertkirchen
(Site in German)
- Jungfraubahnen
a group of narrow gauge railways between Interlaken and the Jungfrau
- Berner Oberland Bahn (BOB) Interlaken to Grindelwald and
Lauterbrunnen
- Bergbahn Lauterbrunnen - Mürren 4km of narrow gauge railway
from Grütschalp to Mürren, reached by a suspended cablecar from
Lauterbrunnen (BOB)
- Jungfraubahn 9km of rack railway from Kleine Scheidegg to
Jungfraujoch, 7.5km of which are in tunnel with “panoramic windows”
opening onto spectacular views
- Schynige Platte Bahn rack railway from Wilderswil (BOB) to
Schynige Platte, over 7km
- Wengernalpbahn Grindelwald (BOB) to Lauterbrunnen (BOB) via
Kleine Scheidegg (JB), 19km; the longest continuous rack railway in
Switzerland
- Harderbahnbahn funicular from Interlaken Ost to Harder Kulm
- MOB Group
- Montreux Oberland Bernois Zweisimmen to Montreux and Lenk
- Montreux - Glion - Naye from the front of a hotel
adjacent to Montreux SBB station to the underground summit station at
Rochers de Naye, from which it is possible to walk through a tunnel
to a restaurant built into the side of the mountain, with breathtaking
views over Lake Geneva
- Train des Étoiles Vevey to Les Pléiades
- Funiculars
- Les Avants - Sonloup
- Territet (Montreux) – Glion
- Vevey - Mt Pèlerin
- Mont
Blanc Express Martigny to St-Gervais-les-Bains (France)
- TPF includes a
standard gauge local line from Fribourg to Ins and a network of standard
and narrow gauge lines around Bulle, to the southwest of Fribourg.
Occasional special excursions are offered, with steam or historic
electric traction (Site in French and German)
- Zentralbahn
Luzern to Engelberg, Interlaken and Innertkirchen
(Site in German)
Golden Pass
- Golden
Pass Line marketing initiative for three railways together forming a
route between Montreux and Luzern: narrow gauge MOB from Montreux to
Zweisimmen; standard gauge BLS from Zweisimmen to Interlaken; and narrow
gauge Zentralbahn from Interlaken to Luzern. Automatic gauge changing
carriages allow MOB trains to continue from Zweisimmen to Interlaken
over BLS tracks without the need to change trains.
Minor Railways
- Aargau Verkehr
two metre gauge local railways:
- Aarau to Menziken and Schöftland, 32km
- Wohlen to Dietikon, 19km
(Site in German)
- Chablais Public Transport
several metre gauge lines:
- Aigle - Leysin, 6km
- Aigle - Ollon - Monthey - Champéry, 23km
- Aigle - Sépey - Diablerets, 22km
- Bex - Villars - Bretaye, 17km
(Site in French)
- CJ
several local lines:
- La Chaux-de-Fonds - Le Noirmont - Glovelier, 51km, metre gauge
- Le Noirmont - Tavannes, 23km, metre gauge
- Porrentruy - Bonfol, 11km, standard gauge
(Site in French and German)
- FART
metre gauge electric railway between Locarno and Domodossola (Italy)
- Ferrovia
Monte Generoso narrow gauge rack railway between Capolago, on an arm
of Lake Lugano, and Monte Generoso the Italian border. Occasional steam
hauled excursions are offered, or may be privately chartered.
- FLP
metre gauge electric railway between Lugano and Ponte Tresa near the
Italian border. Proposed street running extension to Lugano city
centre, thus creating a tram-train route
- FW-Bahn metre gauge
electric railway between Frauenfeld and Wil in the Western Thurgau
(Site in German)
- Grimselwelt
- Gelmerbahn funicular from Handeck to Gelmersee, with a
gradient of 106% the steepest in Europe
- Reichenbachfallbahn funicular at the Reichenbach Falls
- Lausanne - Echallens -
Bercher (LEB) commuter and tourist line. Steam trains operate on
summer Sundays (Site in French)
- MBC
Morges via Apples to Bière and L’Isle; about 30km, metre gauge
(Site in French)
- NStCM
Nyon to St Cergue and La Cure on the French border (Site in French)
- RBS
predominantly suburban operation in the area between Bern and Solothurn
(Site in German)
- Oensingen-Balsthal-Bahn short standard gauge passenger
and freight line, a branch off the SBB main line between Solothurn and
Olten. There is a regular electric passenger service, and steam and
historic electric trains are available for private charter (Site
in German)
- Pilatusbahn
mountain rack railway, claimed to be the steepest in the world
- Rigi Railways two
spectacular mountain railways. Some trains are steam hauled
- TransN
several local lines:
- Travers to Buttes, with through services from Neuchâtel over
SBB lines; 34km, standard gauge
- La Chaux-de-Fonds to Les Ponts-de-Martel, 16km, metre gauge
- Le Locle to Les Brenets, 4km, metre gauge
(Site in French)
- Travys
several local lines:
- Vallorbe - Le Brassus, 25km, standard gauge
- Chavornay - Orbe, 4km, standard gauge
- Yverdon-les-Bains - Ste-Croix, 24km, metre gauge
(Site in French)
Industrial Railways
- EWZ Railway underground narrow gauge railway
servicing the tunnels of the Zurich District Heating System operated
by EWZ. The tunnels carry steam pipes
from the incinerator / power plant at Hagenholz to two university
campuses and a hospital site (EWZ site in German, contains no
details of railway; main article is an unofficial website with good
pictures and a map)
- Feldschlösschen Brewery at Rheinfelden has a
standard gauge internal rail network of some 6km for movement of
raw materials in and finished product out. it formerly offered
passenger train rides for visitors, but these ceased in 2008
(Site contains little information relating to railway)
Museum Railways
- Ballenberg Dampfbahn steam trains between
Interlaken and Meiringen on the metre gauge Zentralbahn line.
Occasional journeys continue to Innertkirchen over the Meiringen -
Innertkirchen - Bahn. Operates typically one Sunday each month from
April to October, and by private charter (Site in German)
- Blonay -
Chamby Railway Museum with steam and electric traction on a line
connecting the Train des Étoiles at Blonay with the MOB main line at
Chamby. 3km, metre gauge. Operates most weekends from May to October,
and by private charter (Site in French and German)
- Brienz -
Rothorn steam operated rack railway with a rise of 1700m in 8km.
800m gauge. Operates most days from June to October, and by private
charter
- DFB
steam trains over a former section of the Furka Oberalp, now bypassed in
tunnel by the Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn main line. Operates most days
from late June to August, and Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in
September and early October
- DVZO steam trains
between Hinwil and Bauma in the Zürcher Oberland. The section between
Hinwil and Bäretswil is part of the SBB network. Operates 2 Sundays
each month from May to October (Site in German)
- Rheinbähnle
based at the museum in Lustenau, Austria. operate steam and electric
hauled trains over the 750mm gauge former Internationale Rheinregulierung
works railway. Certain trains, mainly during the latter part of the
year, enter Switzerland to reach Widnau or Kriessern
(Site in German)
- Schinznacher
Baumschulbahn narrow (600mm) gauge railway running for some 3km
through the gardens and woodlands of the Baumschule Zulauf at Schinznach. Steam
hauled services operate weekends from late April to mid October, diesel
hauled on Wednesdays during the same period (Sites in
German)
- Stiftung
Museumsbahn occasional excursions, usually steam hauled, between
Stein am Rhein and Rielasingen, Germany. 12km, of which 3km is in Germany.
Standard gauge. On Sundays, and by prior arrangement on other days,
pedal driven trolleys may be hired on the 3.5km section between Ramsen
and Hemishofen or Rheinbrücke (Site in German)
- Sursee-Triengen-Bahn standard gauge, steam hauled.
Operates typically one Sunday each month from May to October, and by
private charter (Site in German)
- VerticAlp
Emosson two funiculars and a 600mm gauge railway, originally
used for the construction of the Emosson dam
- VVT tourist trains
from Neuchâtel to St Sulpice and Les Verrières, partly on the SBB
Neuchâtel to Portarlier route and partly on the TransN Val de Travers
line. Standard gauge, steam hauled or historic electric locomotive.
Dining facility available on some trains. Operates typically 4 days each
year (Site in French)
Miniature Railways
- MiNi-Train
de Pully Pully. 184mm (7¼ inch) gauge railway 420m in length.
Steam and diesel hauled. Operates weekends and public holidays,
April to October (Site in French)
- Steiner
Liliputbahn Stein-am-Rhein. 184 / 368mm (7¼ / 14½ inch) gauge
railway around 900m in length. Usually steam hauled. Operates
Sundays and public holidays, April to October, and Sundays in
early December (Site in German)
- Swiss Vapeur
Parc park in Le Bouveret with extensive miniature railways,
including a 184mm (7¼ inch) gauge passenger carrying line over
1.5 km in length. Steam, diesel and battery electric hauled.
Operates daily, mid March to late October.
- Verkehrshaus der Schweiz museum in Luzern has
a 241mm (9½ inch) gauge miniature railway. Battery electric hauled.
Operates daily throughout the year.
Metro, trams and urban funiculars
- Basel
- BVB city
trams. Includes cross-border services to Leymen and Saint-Louis, France,
and Weil am Rhein, Germany.
- BLT suburban and
interurban trams
- Bern
- Biel / Bienne
funiculars (Site in French and German)
- Cossonay
funicular connecting the station with the town (Site in French)
- Fribourg funicular
(Site in French and German)
- Geneva trams.
Includes a cross-border service to Annemasse, France.
- Glattal (northern
Zürich) trams (Site in German)
- Interlaken Heimwehfluhbahn funicular (Site in
German)
- Lausanne Metro
and trams
- Locarno Madonna del Sasso funicular (Site
in German and Italian)
- Lugano
- Luzern
- Hotel Château Gütsch funicular serving the hotel.
The historic Gütschbahn was replaced by a modern equivalent in 2015
- Hotel
Montana a private funicular gives direct access from the lakeside
to the hotel lobby
- Sonnenbergbahn funicular (Site in German)
- Montreux Territet - Glion funicular
- Neuchâtel
Trams and funiculars (Site in French)
- Riffelalp (Zermatt) battery trams within the
Riffelalp mountain resort (Unsolicited audio on
website)
- St Gallen
Mühleggbahn funicular (Site in German)
- Zurich the ZVV
transport union including:
- VBZ most tram
services, and the Rigiblick funicular
- Forchbahn tram
route serving Esslingen (Site in German)
- Limmattalbahn tram route under construction
which will serve Killwangen-Spreitenbach. An initial section between
Farbhof and Geissweid opened in 2019 (Site mainly in German
with some information in English)
- Dolderbahn rack railway (Site in
German)
- UBS
Polybahn funicular (Site in German)
Mountain funiculars
- Bergbahnen
Engadin
- St Moritz - Corviglia in two sections, from St Moritz Dorf to
Chantarella and Chantarella to Corviglia, where the funicular connects
with a cablecar to Piz Nair
- Punt Muragl - Muottas Muragl
- Braunwald
Standseilbahn Linthal to Braunwald, in the Glarnerland
- Chäserrugg
Bergbahnen from Unterwasser in the upper valley of the Thur to Iltios,
where the funicular connects with a cablecar to Chäserrugg in the
Churfirsten mountains
- Flims Waldhaus - Caumasee (Site in German)
- Funiculaire St
Imier - Mont Soleil (Site in French and German)
- Funiculaire St Luc
Chandolin St Luc to Tignousa
- Giessbachbahn
from the pier on Lake Brienz to the Grandhotel Giessbach. Claimed to be the
oldest operating funicular in Europe
- Moléson
Village to Plan Francey connecting at Plan Francey with a cablecar to
Le Moléson (Observatoire)
- Niesenbahn
in two sections, from Mülenen to Schwandegg and Schwandegg to Niesen Kulm
(Site in German)
- Parsennbahn in two sections, from Davos Dorf to
Höhenweg and Höhenweg to Weissfluhjoch
- Puschlaver Geisterbahn private underground funicular linking
the hydroelectric power stations of Palü und Cavaglia in the Val Poschiavo.
Not normally open to the public, except during pre-arranged power station
visits. Owned by Repower (Site
in German and Italian, contains few details relating to funicular)
- Ritombahn Piotta
in the Ticino valley to Piora near Lake Ritom (Site in German and
Italian)
- Saas Fee
Bergbahnen a cabin lift from Saas Fee connects at Felskinn with the
funicular to Allalin
- Schatzalp-Bahn
private funicular serving a hotel above Davos (Site in German)
- SFMC privately owned funicular connecting the power station
of Chätelot deep in the upper valley of the Doubs with Les Planchettes. By
prior arrangement, members of the public may use it for access to the
valley (Site in French)
- SMC Sierre to
Montana Vermala, at over 4km the longest funicular in the world (Site
mainly in French, with some information in English)
- Standseilbahn
Engelberg - Gerschnialp funicular linking the town of Engelberg with
the Gasthaus Gerschnialp and mountain cablecars to Titlis
- Standseilbahn
Mürren - Allmendhubel funicular linking the village of Mürren with
the Panorama Restaurant and recreation areas at Allmendhubel
- Stanserhornbahn
a historic funicular links the town of Stans with Kälti, where it connects
with a cablecar to the Stanserhorn
- Stoosbahnen Schwyz to the car-free mountain village
of Stoos. A new funicular, the steepest in the world with a rise of
740m in a little over 1.5km and a maximum gradient of 111%, opened in
2017 replacing an older funicular which had been in operation since
1933
- Thunersee-Beatenbergbahn from Beatenbucht on the shores
of Lake Thun to Beatenberg, where the funicular connects with a cablecar
to Niederhorn (Site in German)
- Treib-Seelisberg-Bahn from the pier at Treib on
Lake Luzern (with ferry connections from Luzern and Flüelen) to the
village of Seelisburg (Site in German)
- Trümmelbach
Falls the attraction in the valley above Lauterbrunnen has an
underground funicular (“Tunnel-Lift”) giving access to the falls
(Site in German)
- Vinifuni Ligerz / Gléresse to Prêles (Site in
French and German)
- Zermatt
Bergbahnen funicular from Zermatt to Sunnegga, where it connects
with a cabin lift to Blauherd and a cablecar from there to Rothorn,
as well as another short funicular (the Leisee Shuttle) from Sunnegga
to the shore of the Leisee
- Zugerberg Bahn
from Schönegg, near Zug, to the Zugerberg (Site in German)
Schienenvelos (Vélorails / Draisinen)
- Schienenvelo pedal powered or motor hauled trolleys
between Laupen and the Wittenberg Leisure Centre at Gümmenen. 4.5km,
standard gauge (Site in German and French)
- Sensetalbahn
pedal driven trolleys for hire on a closed section of line from Laupen
to Gümmenen (Site in German)