Mountain railroads: mobility in the mountains

We have long been fascinated by mountains that are as beautiful as they are forbidding. We want to climb, own and control them. The easiest way to reach the heavens is probably by cable car. However, these have only been around since the end of the 19th century. From cog railroads to double-decker cable cars, here are ten examples of means of transportation in mountain landscapes.

Ropeways are built in places that seem impregnable. A distinction is made here between aerial and funicular railroads. Aerial cableways allow cabins, gondolas or chairs to float high above the ground. They are carried by one or more wire ropes.

The longest and highest aerial cableway is in Canada. However, the world’s first aerial cableway is much closer to home – in the Swiss canton of Obwalden. The cable car, built in 1992, was already a hit back then with its rotating cabin floor. Bad Reichenhall is also home to the world’s oldest preserved original large-cabin cable car. The so-called “Predigtstuhlbahn” from 1928 was considered a model of a perfect cable car. Today, the dodecagonal red gondolas are a listed building. But the nostalgic cable car is still in operation! A machine operator works in the mountain station.

In an aerial tramway, two cabins move synchronously on separate track ropes. A haul rope moves them up and down. The cabins are often large. This means they transport many people at once and usually at fixed departure times. Several smaller cabins tend to be used on circulating ropeways. Single-cable, bicable and even tricable gondola lifts move on fixed suspension cables and circulating traction cables for the gondolas. Tricable gondola lifts currently have the highest transport capacity – up to 5,500 passengers per hour. One example of this is the “Glacier Ride” in Zermatt. As the highest tricable gondola lift in the world, it transports up to 2,000 people per hour. Another highlight is that the gondolas have a glass floor. So you should be free from giddiness to enjoy this all-round view.

Funiculars move along a fixed route, often on rails. They are propelled by wire ropes that pull the cabins. In the past, water ballast tanks were used for this purpose. A piece of cable car history awaits tourists in Nidwalden in Switzerland, for example. The over 125-year-old “Stanserhorn-Bahn” transports them from Stans to the equally spectacular “CabriO” cable car. The nostalgic mountain railroad from 1893 impresses with its charming wooden cabins. Another funicular is the “Hungerburgbahn” in Innsbruck. This was designed by none other than star architect Zaha Hadid. The futuristically curved roofs of the cable car stations are intended to be reminiscent of glacier tongues and moraines. And in the Tyrolean village of Serfaus, there is a special version of the funicular: an underground air cushion cable car. Another highlight is the “Gelmerbahn”. For the last hundred years, this was used to build and operate a power station in the Bernese Oberland. Now tourists can also use this extraordinary mountain railroad in summer. At its steepest points, it has a gradient of 106 percent! This makes it the steepest open funicular in Europe. What’s more, on this rollercoaster-like ride, you are always sitting downhill with the car open.

These installations climb up the steepest slopes so that we can enjoy spectacular views while suspended in the air. The “l’Aiguille du Midi cable car” in France, for example, is a technological masterpiece. This cable car includes the world’s longest section of cable car constructed without intermediate supports.

The name says it all: “CabriO” is an open cable car. But that’s not all. It is also the world’s first cable car-guided double-decker. This Swiss mountain railroad is guided sideways between two cables. The cabin of the gondolas is fully glazed. As if that wasn’t enough, there is also an upper deck. Here you can breathe in the alpine air at an altitude of 1,900 meters. Sixty people fit in the cabin, thirty on the upper deck.

There are already gondolas that rotate 360 degrees. One example of this is the “Titlis Rotair” cable car. The gondolas of the world’s first revolving cable car spiral around themselves once on the way to the summit. Nothing stands in the way of a panoramic view.

Hay bales instead of tourists – some mountain railroads prioritize differently. For example, there is the Swiss “Buiräbähnli”. This miniature cable car is used to supply farms, but also takes visitors. Far from high-tech, only a wooden gate keeps the passengers in the red cabin.

Yes, they still exist. Beyond modern technology with fancy names, you can still find these models of transportation. The nostalgic “Vellau” basket lift, for example, consists of a chest-high metal basket for two people. It then takes you upright – and very leisurely – across meadows and forests to the Leiteralm.

The chairlift sounds a little more comfortable. Whether as a single seat or several next to each other, this mountain lift transports you upwards. Instead of sitting in a closed cabin, you sit in the fresh air. You are usually secured by a bar that can be pulled down from above.

Instead of ropes, gear wheels are used for locomotion. The jagged wheels engage with the rack on the ground. The Swiss “Pilatus Railway” is the steepest cogwheel railroad in the world. The original steam-powered cars are in the museum. Today, the line is modernized and runs on electricity. Switzerland also has a rack railroad with an extra sausage. The “Dampfwürstlibummler” from 1892 takes you up the Rothorn at a leisurely pace. In addition to the view, you can enjoy the famous Heizerwürstli sausages. These are cooked on the steam boiler during the ride.

Also interesting: What are the fastest trains in the world? We answer this question here.