Scenic Trains Rides in Switzerland

The following text has been written by Jobst Brandt (jbrandt@hpl.hp.com) and distributed via the misc.transport.rail.europe newsgroup.

There are a few Swiss specialties that rate high on the "must" list as I see it. Depending on your specialty, the order of importance may change, however...

• Pilatus 800mm gauge Locher horizontal opposed cogwheel drive. Steepest cog in the world at 48% (42% average) with spectacular view over Lucerne. Goes from Alpnachstad (alt.441 m) to Bergstation Kulm (alt. 2070 m). It was inaugurated with steam power on 4th June 1889, electric power introduced on 15th May 1937. Runs from mid May to the end of November. To get there, take the SBB meter gauge Brunig line from Lucerne to Alpnachstadt.
• Brienzer Rothorn Bahn (BRB) 800mm gauge steam cog line with spectacular scenery. Runs turn of the century steam Abt cog equipment. Arrives at Rothorn Kulm (alt. 2244m, 7362ft). Inaugurated in 1892. Can be reached by SBB Brunig meter gauge adhesion/cog (Riggenbach) rail line from Lucerne or Interlaken to Brienz.
• The Postauto trip from Meiringen (where Meringue was invented) to Rosenlaui and Grindelwald over the Grosse Scheidegg pass is a spectacular introduction to the Eiger-Moench-Jungfrau Massif. In the shadow of the Wetterhorn this scene, framed in rugged glaciers, is a fitting start to the train up the Jungfrau. This trip, starting in Meiringen, passes the cliff on the Reichenbach waterfall where Holmes and Moriarty fought to the death as they both went over the falls. The Sherlock Holmes bar is in Meiringen adorned by the old sleuth's visage in bronze.
• Jungfraujoch Bahn with meter gauge Strub cog up through the Eiger to the Jungfrau overlook. Arrives at Jungfraujoch (3454 m, 11'333ft) the highest altitude railway station in Europe. Unique 99% in tunnel cog rail. Must be seen to be believed. At mid tunnel, huge windows give views out of the famous north face and then the south face overlooking the Aletsch Glacier. Don't miss this one if you ever get near it. Berner Oberland Bahn (BOB) meter gauge adhesion/Riggenbach cog from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald, then by Wenger Alp Bahn (WAB) 800mm gauge Abt cog to Kleine Scheidegg and then the Jungfrau Bahn.
• Berner Oberland Bahn (BOB) to Schynige Platte from Wilderswil (about 4 km out of Interlaken on the BOB mainline). This 800mm gauge line uses Riggenbach rack and has no adhesion drive. From the Schynige Platte, a panorama of Wetterhorn, Eiger, Moench, Jungfrau, and many others to the south fill the view. In the Aar valley to the north the Thunersee, Interlaken, and Brienzersee spread out below with a backdrop of mountains to fill out the scene.
• Dampfbahn Furka Bergstrecke (DFB) formerly Furka Oberalp (FO) meter gauge Abt cog (max 11%) with steam operation over the Furka Pass on the old line from Realp. This is a resurrected mountain line that was bypassed through a tunnel. Original steam locomotives from 50 years ago were recovered from the jungles of Vietnam along with two much larger steamers built by SLM for Vietnam. These larger ones that had never run in Europe have about twice the power of the original steamers. Although currently not a through railroad, the DFB is one of the most interesting parts of the FO that runs from Brig to Disentis where it connects to the RhB. It makes connections to the SBB and BLS mainline at Brig and the SBB at the Gotthard tunnel via the Schoellenenbahn (part of FO).
• Vitznau Rigi standard gauge Riggenbach rack from Vitznau on the lake to the top of the Rigi gives a grand panorama. Take the lake steamer (real steam) to Vitznau from Lucerne. Return from the top of the mountain by way of the ARB Arth-Rigibahn to Goldau on the other side of the mountain. The VRB and ARB were merged recently into a single railroad but they retain their livery of blue and white for the ARB and red for the VRB. They are compatible and share track. The VRB was Riggenbach's first cog railway that he copied from Marsh's Mt Washington NH railway, the first cog line in the world.
• In Zermatt, the (GGB) Gornergrat Bahn runs double track up to Gornergrat with twin pantographs under dual overhead three phase on meter gauge and Abt rack, cog drive only. This has an exceptional panorama from Monte Rosa on the left to the Gemini in the middle and the Matterhorn to the right to name a few. Access from Brig is by the (BVZ) Brig-Visp-Zermatt meter gauge adhesion and cog line, an extension of the FO and the start of the Glacier Express.
• Glacier Express from Zermatt to Chur over the BVZ meter gauge adhesion and Abt cog from Zermatt to Brig where the train continues on the FO that uses similar equipment to climb up the narrowing Rhone Valley to the Furka tunnel from Oberwald to Realp, the route that the DFB covers over the pass with steam. After Andermatt, it's over the Oberalp Pass with horseshoe cog drive tunnels. The RhB takes over in Disentis with adhesion only and goes to Chur where you can catch the Arosa branch or the Bernina Express the next day or continue on to St. Moritz, the terminus of the Glacier Express.
• The Bernina Express on the RhB runs from Chur to Italy over the Albula and Bernina Pass route. Meter gauge adhesion but 7% grades. One of the most photographed lines in Switzerland. The Albula grade includes loop tunnels and stone arch viaducts that cross the valley in grand loops before ducking into the tunnel to the Engadin and the Inn river. This line has the famous curved stone arch bridge that dives into a sheer granite wall high over the Landwasser at Filisur. At Samedan, after passing through the Albula tunnel, it picks up 1000VDC power for the run over the Bernina section of the RhB. Reach Chur either by SBB or from the FO and RhB through Disentis.
• Martigny-Chatelard-Chamonix meter gauge Strub cog line from Martigny to Chamonix. This 1000 VDC line runs third rail through the countryside with no protection. Its climb out of the Rhone valley leads to an unbelievable ride on the edge of a "grand canyon" in a manner that defies description. Mont Blanc is a fitting terminus for such a ride. The SNCF operates the section from the border to Chamonix and beyond.
• The SBB Gotthard line from Lucerne to Locarno (or Lugano) and then by the Ferovie e Autolinie Regionale Ticinese (FART) meter gauge Centovalli line to Domodossola and back to Brig through the Simplon is a worthy adventure. The Gotthard and Simplon are probably the earliest of the great tunneling mainlines, both of which make use of stacked double track loop tunnels between which they barely emerge to get a breath of air in narrow canyons with spectacular vertical granite walls. All this as a prelude to the two great tunnels, the double track Gotthard at 16 km and the twin bore Simplon 20 km long.
• After the Simplon, in Brig you could take the BVZ meter gauge cog to Zermatt or the FO to the Furka Pass or the Bern Loetschberg Simplon (BLS) mainline back to Interlaken.
• While you were going south, instead of going straight to Locarno you could go to Lugano and take the balanced funicular that goes from the train station to the marvelous downtown for a tour of the shops. This cable car was formerly run with water ballast, filled into the descending car at the top and drained at the bottom station. Lugano has two other funiculars that deserve special mention, the Monte Bre not far from downtown and the two stage San Salvatore. Both use balance cars in the classic manner with double flanged wheels on one side only so they can pass at the halfway mark without a switch. Or even better go to Chiasso and next door to to the Italian city of Como that has an enchanting waterfront and endless shops with worldwide appeal. An ancient city with lots of charm and a funicular of its own.
• The Monte Generoso 800mm Abt cog at Capolago, at the end of the lake from Lugano, is a great ride that overlooks Lugano and Como and has a panorama over the Po valley with Milano on the horizon on a clear day. This one, as many of the cog railways, has one or more steamers that get pulled out for special occasions. They don't run regularly because they cannot fit into today's timetables that are based on higher speed electrics. The BRB is an exception as is the DFB. Take a lake steamer or an SBB local from Lugano.
• The Niesenbahn up Mt. Niesen (2372m) is one of the longer and steeper funicular lines that offers both an excellent ride through rugged cliffs as well as a great view from the top. The car starts from Muelenen (700m) just out of Spiez on the BLS going toward Brig.

Many of these Swiss trains are nearly free on a Swissrail pass except for the super cog lines that only give a small discount. This pass is valid on the meter gauge lines, lake steamers, all postal busses and city buses and trams. Get a second class one for one week or less. They can always be extended at any train station if need be. The Eurail pass is not valid on any of the private lines, nearly all of the ones listed. The Swissrail is worth it.