List of mountain railways in Switzerland

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 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 RailwayCanton(s) RangeHighest pointHighest elevationMaximum inclineGaugeRack railwayTypeNotes Jungfrau Bern/Valais Alps Jungfraujoch 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 20% 1,000 mm Yes Dead-end rail Highest open-air railway in Europe Bernina Graubünden Alps Ospizio Bernina 7% 1,000 mm No Rail crossing Highest railway crossing in EuropeNicola Williams, Damien Simonis, Kerry Walker. Switzerland (ebook Edition). Lonely Planet Brienz–Rothorn Bern Alps Brienzer Rothorn 25% Yes Dead-end rail Highest unelectrified line in Europe Riffelalp Valais Alps Riffelalp Resort 5% No Dead-end rail Not electrified, highest tram line in Europe Furka Steam Railway Valais/Uri Alps Furka railway station 11.8% 1,000 mm Yes Rail crossing Longest unelectrified line in Switzerland (18 km), seasonal operations Pilatus Obwalden Alps Pilatus 48% Yes Dead-end rail Steepest railway in the worldEngineering Magazine, Volume 14, p. 81 Lauterbrunnen–Kleine Scheidegg–Grindelwald Bern Alps Kleine Scheidegg 25% Yes Rail crossing Rail crossing usually involves change of train at Kleine Scheidegg Andermatt–Chur Uri/Graubünden Alps Oberalp Pass 11% 1,000 mm Yes Rail crossing Montreux–Glion–Rochers-de-Naye Vaud Alps Rochers de Naye 22% Yes Dead-end rail Schynige Platte Bern Alps Schynige Platte 25% Yes Dead-end rail Les Montuires–Emosson Valais Alps Les Montuires 1.46% No Dead-end rail Part of the Parc d'attractions du ChâtelardSee :fr:Parc d'attractions du Châtelard Albula Graubünden Alps Albula Tunnel 3.5% 1,000 mm No Rail crossing Bex–Villars–Bretaye Vaud Alps Bretaye 20% 1,000 mm Yes Dead-end rail Pontresina–Scuol-Tarasp Graubünden Alps Pontresina 2.5% 1,000 mm No Dead-end rail Lowest point at the terminus station (Scuol-Tarasp) Rigi Lucerne/Schwyz Alps Rigi Kulm 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 6% 1,000 mm No Dead-end rail Grütschalp–Mürren Bern Alps Mürren 5% 1,000 mm No Dead-end rail Accessible only by cable car Landquart–Klosters–Davos Graubünden Alps Davos Wolfgang 4.5% 1,000 mm No Rail crossing Visp–Zermatt Valais Alps Zermatt 12.5% 1,000 mm Yes Dead-end rail Monte Generoso Ticino Alps Generoso Vetta 22% Yes Dead-end rail Brig–Andermatt Valais/Uri Alps Realp 1,000 mm Yes Rail crossing Aigle–Leysin Vaud Alps Leysin Grand Hôtel 23% 1,000 mm Yes Dead-end rail Göschenen–Andermatt Uri Alps Andermatt 17.9% 1,000 mm Yes Rail crossing Vevey–Les Pléiades Vaud Alps Les Pléiades 20% 1,000 mm Yes Dead-end rail Montbovon–Zweisimmen Vaud/Fribourg/Bern Alps Saanenmöser Pass 7% 1,000 mm No Rail crossing Lötschberg Bern/Valais Alps Lötschberg Tunnel 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 6% 1,000 mm No Dead-end rail Highest railway in the Jura Mountains Martigny–Châtelard Valais Alps Finhaut 20% 1,000 mm Yes Rail crossing International line Aigle–Sépey–Diablerets Vaud Alps Les Diablerets 6% 1,000 mm No Dead-end rail Gotthard Uri/Ticino/Schwyz Alps Gotthard Tunnel 2.7% 1,435 mm No Rail crossing La Chaux-de-Fonds–Ponts-de-Martel Neuchâtel Jura Mountains Above L'Abbaye 1,000 mm No Dead-end rail Montreux–Montbovon Vaud/Fribourg Alps Les Cases 7% 1,000 mm No Rail crossing La Chaux-de-Fonds–Le Noirmont–Glovelier Neuchâtel/Bern/Jura Jura Mountains Hotel de Bellevue 1,000 mm No Rail crossing Zweisimmen–Lenk Bern Alps Lenk 1,000 mm No Dead-end rail Yverdon–Ste-Croix Vaud Jura Mountains Sainte-Croix 4.4% 1,000 mm No Dead-end rail Vallorbe–Le Brassus Vaud Jura Mountains Le Lieu 2.3% 1,435 mm No Dead-end rail Neuchâtel–La Chaux-de-Fonds–Col-des-RochesSee :fr:Ligne Neuchâtel – La Chaux-de-Fonds – Le Locle-Col-des-Roches Neuchâtel Jura Mountains Les Convers 3.1% 1,435 mm No Rail crossing Monthey–Champéry Valais Alps Champéry (north station) 13.5% 1,000 mm Yes Dead-end rail Interlaken–Grindelwald Bern Alps Grindelwald 12% 1,000 mm Yes Rail crossing Brünig Bern/Obwalden Alps Brünig 12% 1,000 mm Yes Rail crossing Lucerne–Engelberg Obwalden/Nidwalden Alps Engelberg 10.5% 1,000 mm Yes Dead-end rail St. Gallen–Gais–Altstätten Appenzell A./St. Gallen Alps Hebrig 1,000 mm Yes Rail crossing St. Gallen–Trogen Appenzell A./St. Gallen Alps Schützengarten 7.6% 1,000 mm No Dead-end rail Spiez–Zweisimmen Bern Alps Zweisimmen 2.5% 1,435 mm No Rail crossing Goldau–Pfäffikon Schwyz Alps Sattel Pass 1,435 mm No Rail crossing Gossau–Appenzell–Wasserauen Appenzell A./Appenzell I./St. Gallen Alps Gonten 3.7% 1,000 mm No Dead-end rail Martigny–Orsières Valais Alps Orsières 4% 1,435 mm No Dead-end rail Zurich–Uetliberg Zurich Albis Uetliberg 7.9% 1,435 mm No Dead-end rail Rorschach-Heiden Appenzell A./St. Gallen Alps Heiden 9% 1,435 mm Yes Dead-end rail Rheineck–Walzenhausen Appenzell A./St. Gallen Alps Walzenhausen 25% 1,200 mm Yes Dead-end rail Dolderbahn Zurich Adlisberg Dolder Grand 19.6% 1,000 mm Yes Dead-end rail Opened as a funicular railway and converted to rack operation later Centovalli Ticino Alps Càmedo 6% 1,000 mm No Rail crossing International line

See also 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 Swisstopo topographic maps