Gelmerbahn

Gelmerbahn
Car on the steepest part of the line
Overview
StatusIn operation
OwnerKraftwerke Oberhasli AG
LocaleCanton of Bern, Switzerland
Coordinates46°36′49″N 08°18′31″E / 46.61361°N 8.30861°E / 46.61361; 8.30861
Termini
  • Handegg
  • Gelmersee
Stations2
Service
TypeCable railway
OperatorKraftwerke Oberhasli AG
Rolling stock1 for 24 passengers
History
Opened1926; 100 years ago (1926)
Open to the public2001; 25 years ago (2001)
Federal concession2004; 22 years ago (2004)
Technical
Track length1,028 m (3,373 ft)
Track gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
ElectrificationFrom opening
Operating speed2 m/s (4.5 mph)
Highest elevation1,850 m (6,070 ft)
Maximum incline106% (average 49.4%)

The Gelmerbahn or Gelmer Funicular is a cable railway in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. It links a lower terminus at Handegg, in the Haslital (the valley of the upper Aar River), with an upper terminus at the Gelmersee lake, 448 metres (1,470 ft) above. The Handegg terminus of the line is close to the road over the Grimsel Pass. It is accessible by car and by an infrequent PostBus service.

With a maximum incline of 106% (or 47°), Gelmerbahn was commonly identified as the steepest funicular in Europe, until the opening of the Stoosbahn (a true funicular which reaches 110%) in 2017. It remains the steepest open-car railway in Europe.

History

View down the line

The cable railway was originally built to facilitate the construction of the Gelmersee – a reservoir constructed in 1926 to exploit the hydroelectric resources of the area – and was not opened for public use until 2001. The line is owned and operated by Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG (KWO), which owns the power station.

Another funicular, the Standseilbahn Handegg–Wasserschloss Handeggfluh Ärlen, existed on the opposite side of the valley from 1948 to 2015.

Operation

Car just below the upper station

The line operates from the beginning of June to mid-October, in daylight hours only. It has the following parameters:

Feature Value
Number of cars 1
Number of stops 3
Configuration Single track with no passing loop
Track length 1,028 m (3,373 ft)
Rise 448 m (1,470 ft)
Maximum gradient 106% (46°41')
Track gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Speed 2 m/s (6.6 ft/s)
Journey time 10 minutes
Capacity 24 passengers per car; 60 persons in each direction per hour

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Swiss Standard German pronunciation: [ˈgɛlmərˌbaːn].

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Gelmer Bahn". Funimag. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "61.061 Handegg - Gelmersee, Innertkirchen, Standseilbahn". Schweizer Seilbahninventar [Swiss Inventory of Cableways] (in German). Federal Office of Culture. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
  3. ↑ "Gelmer Funicular". Grimselwelt. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  4. ↑ adventure (24 October 2023). "Gelmerbahn: the Thrilling Alpine Rollercoaster Ride on Europe's Steepest Funiculaire - Adventure Interlaken". Retrieved 21 September 2026.
  5. ↑ Arora, Prakriti (1 September 2026). "First-Timer's Guide to Gelmerbahn: A Complete Guide with Tips". Escape to Landscapes | Travel + Food. Retrieved 21 September 2026.
  6. ↑ Tourismus, Schweiz. "Gelmerbahn". Switzerland Tourism. Retrieved 21 September 2026.
  7. ↑ Pickering, Christine (3 February 2025). "Europe's Steepest Open-Air Railway Is A Thrilling Journey With Breathtaking Alpine Views". Islands. Retrieved 21 September 2026.