Rail transport in Switzerland
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| Rail transport in Switzerland | |
|---|---|
| Network size | 5,063 km |
| Broad gauge | 0 km on - m |
| :Electrified | 0 km |
| Standard gauge | 3,652 km on 1.435 m |
| :Electrified | 3,641 km |
| Narrow gauge | 1,383 km on mainly 1.0 m |
| :Electrified | 1,353 km |
The railways of Switzerland include standard gauge (1435 milimetres) and narrow gauge (usually 1 m (3 ft 33⁄8 in), occasionally less).
- Network size: 5,063 km
- standard gauge: 3,652 km 1,435mm gauge (3,641 km electrified)
- narrow gauge: 1,383 km (1,353 km electrified), mostly 1 m (3 ft 33⁄8 in) gauge, some 800 mm (2 ft 7½ in) gauge and one line (Waldenburgerbahn, 13 km) 750 mm (2 ft 51⁄2 in) gauge.
- street tramways: almost all 1 m (3 ft 33⁄8 in) gauge.
(Data 2004, Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications)
Nearly all of the Swiss standard gauge railways are part of the nationwide SBB-CFF-FFS (Schweizerische Bundesbahnen) system, which also includes affiliated standard gauge lines such as BLS (Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon).
Contents |
[edit] Narrow gauge lines
[edit] RhB, FO, and BVZ
The Rhaetian Railway (RhB) is the longest narrow-gauge railway in Switzerland, linking Disentis, Davos and St. Moritz in the high Alps with Chur, a rail junction with the SBB. It passes through the upper Rhine Valley and several side valleys, as well as the Engadin, the upper valley of the Inn River. Total length: 366 kilometres.
The Furka-Oberalp-Bahn (FO) is a narrow-gauge railway in the high southern alps. Its name refers to two passes, the Furka Pass and the Oberalp Pass. The Furka pass lies at the upper end of the Rhone valley. The Oberalp is the highest railway pass in the Alps at 2033 metres, and lies at the upper end of the Rhine valley. Total length of the railway is 100 kilometres, and the line runs from Brig to Disentis.
The Brig-Visp-Zermatt (BVZ) railway, commonly known as the BVZ Zermatt-Bahn, is a short line between Brig and Zermatt. It passes through the Visp and Matt Valleys, tributaries of the Rhone River. Total length: 43 kilometres.
In 2003, the FO and BVZ merged to form the Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn.
The Glacier Express runs on the three lines. A one-day trip in panoramic view cars takes tourists from Zermatt to St. Moritz, through some of the most spectacular scenery of the Alps.
[edit] Further lines
The Gornergratbahn climbs for nine kilometres from an elevation of 1600 metres near the Zermatt station of the Zermatt RR to a 3000 metre high end station on the shoulder of the Monte Rosa Mountain. The entire route is a rack-and-pinion railway.
The Berner Oberland Bahn is a 24 kilometre line from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. It begins at Interlaken Ost station and divides at Zweiluetschinen, about 10 kilometres south of Interlaken. The western branch leads to Lauterbrunnen, while the eastern branch leads to Grindelwald. It is possible to make a loop by taking the Lauterbrunnen branch and returning via the Grindelwald branch. The two branches are connected by the Wengernalp Bahn.
The Wengernalpbahn is a 19 kilometre line from Lauterbunnen to Grindelwald, leading over the Eiger ridge at the junction station of Kleine Scheidegg. In the winter, this junction is a ski resort served by many lifts and trails, as well as the rail line. Skiers can ride the train from the valleys below to return to the top of the runs.
The Jungfraubahn, which is also rack-and-pinion throughout, starts at Kleine Scheidegg and runs 9 kilometres through tunnels in the Eiger and Mönch, leading to the "Jungfraujoch," a saddle between the Mönch and the Jungfrau summits. At the saddle are a visitor center and an observatory. The Aletsch Glacier, largest in Europe, runs to the south toward the Rhone valley.
The Bergbahn Lauterbrunnen-Mürren (BLM) is a 6 km long, hybrid cable car and adhesion railway.
The Montreux-Oberland Bernois line runs 75 kilometres from Montreux on Lake Geneva to Zweisimmen, with a connecting line to Lenk in the Simmental. The section from Montreux to Zweisimmen, approximately 63 kilometres long, is part of the "Golden Pass Panorama" trip from Montreux to Lucerne, a trip which combines rides on the MOB, the BLS and the Brunig lines.
From Interlaken, the narrow-gauge Brünigbahn section of the Zentralbahn runs 74 kilometres further to Lucerne. It skirts Lake Brienz and passes through the range of mountains to the north of the lake via Brunig pass, and then drops into the Sarner Aa valley to Lucerne.
At Brienz the Brienz Rothorn Bahn (BRB), a steam hauled rack railway, ascends to near the summit of the Brienzer Rothorn.
[edit] Trams
Street running tramways are nearly all metre gauge.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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