Niesen Mountain Funicular

The Niesen Funicular is a funicular railway in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. It links a lower terminus, in the village of Mülenen and adjacent to Mülenen station on the Lötschberg railway line, with an upper terminus at the summit of the Niesen.

The Niesen funicular runs on steep metal rails, but there are no cogs. A metal cable running around two wheels, joins two separate wagons together. The maximum gradient is 66 % in the first and 68 m/ % in the second section. For some guests the steep ascent looks rather precarious, but it is very safe. Those who want to make this a more active experience (without necessarily entering the next Niesen Stairway Run), can leave the train at the Schwandegg middle station and walk via Alp Oberniesen up to the ridge dividing the Kandertal and Simmental valleys.

26th August 1906 was the first day of work on the construction of the new funicular railway to the Niesen summit. Until 1910, an average of over 200 men were employed on this challenging construction. The Niesen Railway began services on 15th July 1910 and the first guests were carried up the mountain.

Facts

Technical Information