Virtual Railfan Tour of Switzerland - Funicular Railways (Part One) - In Search of Sherlock Holmes

There are over 50 funicular railways in Switzerland and they are spread all throughout the country.  They are fun to ride and can be a good way of getting around a city. We have seen too many to cover in one blog so we will spread them out through several.

The Reichenbach Falls are where Sherlock Holmes is reputed to have died,  The falls are close to Meiringen and accessible a short walk from the Innertkirchen railway.

The funicular leads up to a forested area which is good for hiking

The Reichenbach Falls

Bern

There is a funicular in Bern although it never seems to be working when we visit.  However, this older cabin is preserved in a park nearby.

The Bern Funicular

Neuchatel

There are three funiculars in the Neuchatel area.  The most frequently used starts at the SBB station and goes down to the lake level.  It is known as the Fun'ambule. This is entirely underground and is more like an elevator - no photos but have found this video.

The second Neuchatel funicular runs from the city center

The third funicular in Neuchatel, the Chaumont, is a little way out of town to the east, but easily accessible from the trackless electric buses.  It seems to have been a much grander affair in earlier days but has been reduced in recent times to a single cabin. It is run by one man and the line stops working when he takes his meal breaks so it is easy to become temporarily stranded at the summit.

The Chaumont funicular is an impressive ride from La Coudre (alt 517m) to Chaumont (alt. 1087m.), a total distance of 2102 meters and a rise in elevation of 570 meters.  This funicular was opened in 1910.

St. Gallen

The Muhleggbahn runs in the center of the city and has recently been renovated

The lower station is very ornate but the line  is mainly below the surface

Two videos of the Muhleggbahn