The Giessbach Railway was the first funicular railway in Europe opened particularly for leisure passengers.
It began operations in 1879.
The carriages from that time are still used.
[Apr 2015].
The Giessbachbahn Railway connects the Giessbach Hotel with the landing bridge on Lake Brienz.
The hotel stands at an altitude of about 100m above the lake.
Near the landing bridge the Giessbach rushes into Lake Brienz.
[Apr 2016].
This is the view of Giessbach in summer, with hotel, funicular railway and landing bridge.
[Aug 2015].
That's the view in early spring before leaves appear on the trees.
The motor ship Brienz approaches Giessbach.
[Apr 2015].
The Giessbach landing bridge.
To the right the covered walkway leads to the lower station of the funicular railway.
[Aug 2015].
The paddle steamer Lötschberg leaves the Glessbach landing bridge.
To the right is the station of the funicular railway.
[Jul 2015].
A carriage of the Giessbach railway waits in the lower station for the next trip.
The station's roof with the bend is quite visible.
[Apr 2015].
In the middle of the 345m long funicular railway is crossing loop.
Looking up the hill, Carriage 1 always travels on the left, carriage 2 always on the right.
This is the view from carriage 1 towards carriage 2 during the trip.
[Jul 2015].
The upper part of the Giessbach Railway runs over several iron girder bridges that
together are 174m long.
The crossing loop also is on a bridge.
[May 2014].
The bridges carry the railway high above the forest floor and the Giessbach stream among the tree tops.
[May 2014].
In summer the Giessbach Railway is fully framed by the green of the trees.
[Jul 2005].
The upper station of the Giessbach Railway is right beside the Giessbach Hotel, which was opened in 1875.
It lies like a castle above Lake Brienz.
[May 2014].
Carriage 1 in the upper half of Giessbach line.
[Apr 2015].
This carriage is about to arrive at the upper station.
[Apr 2015].
This is one of the many waterfalls of the Giessbach near the hotel.
[Apr 2016].
The Harder Railway leads from Interlaken to Harder Kulm.
This is just below the summit of the local mountain and gives access to a restaurant with sweeping views.
One of the carriages in Interlaken.
[Apr 2016].
The Harder Railway is 1.4 km long.
It is operated by the Jungfraubahn Group.
Since 2008 a panorama carriage built by Gangloff is used.
This is the view through the roof of the panorama carriage.
[Apr 2016].
The Niesen is a 2,362m high mountain and looks like a pyramid.
Not only due to its distinctive shape, but also the views from the top, it is a popular destination.
[Mar 2016].
A funicular railway ascends the Niesen from Mülenen in two sections.
It was opened in 1910.
This is the view along the line from the station in Mülenen.
[May 2014].
In Mülenen the funicular railway crosses the River Kander right by the station.
[May 2014].
The first section is 2.1km, the second 1.4 km long.
Beside the railway are stairs,
which in the Guiness Book of Records are noted as the longest stairs in the world.
The stairs are normally closed to the public.
[May 2014].
Above the tree line the Niesen Railway passes through tunnels,
bridges and embankments up the slopes.
[May 2014].
The summit terminal is inside a tunnel, probably also to protect the carriages and passenger from the weather.
A carriage has just arrived at the summit station.
[May 2014].
The Niesen Railway near the summit.
[May 2014].
The Beatenbergbahn connects Beatenbucht on Lake Thun to the village of Beatenberg on the slopes of the mountain Niederhorn.
The funicular railway opened in 1889.
[Oct 2015].
Beatenbucht is not a village, but just the lakeside terminal of the Beatenberg Railway.
Here the funicular railway connects to ships on Lake Tun and bus line 21 Thun-Oberhofen-Gunten-Beatenbucht-Interlaken.
[Jan 2016].
Beatenbucht Station.
To the left is an articulated Line 21 bus.
For many buses from Thun Beatenbucht is also the terminus, while others continue on to Interlaken.
[May 2014].
The track curves around these rocks.
[May 2014].
A carriage of the Beatenberg Railway arrives at the Beatenbucht terminal.
[Oct 2014].
The Beatenberg Railway near Beatenbucht.
In the background are Lake Thun, the towns of Spiez and Faulensee on the other side of the lake
and the Stockhorn mountain range.
[Oct 2014].
In 2005 the old carriages were replaced by new panorama carriages built by Gangloff.
[Oct 2014].
That's the interior of the carriages.
[Mar 2015].
The Beatenberg Railway near the lower end of the line.
[Oct 2014].
A view from the funicular railway towards the lake and the Stockhorn Range.
[Aug 2014].
The carriages meet at the crossing point at the centre of the line.
[Mar 2015].
The crossing loop at the centre of the line.
[Mar 2016].
The Beatenberg Railway in the upper section of the line.
The railway operates every 20 minutes.
[Aug 2014].
The best view is from the lower end of the carriages.
This carriage has just left Beatenberg.
[Aug 2014].
This carriage is about to arrive in Beatenberg.
The Thunersee-Beatenberg-Bahn has by now merged with the Niederhornbahn and has adopted the name in its presentation.
[Mar 2016].
In the background is the pyramidical mountain Niesen.
That's the view from Beatenberg station.
[Mar 2016].
Beatenberg Station.
From here a gondola continues to the Niederhorn.
[Aug 2014].
Inside Beatenberg station.
The carriages have a tray to carry large items such as bicycles at the upper end.
[Mar 2016].
The gondola up the Niederhorn runs groups of three cabins.
It normally runs every 20 minutes, except during times of high demand, when it operates continually.
[May 2014].
The Niederhornbahn is used by many paragliders who start from the slopes near the summit of the Niederhorn.
[May 2014].
From 1885 to 1973 it was operated by water ballast.
Water was loaded in the upper carriage, which during its descent pulled the other carriage up the incline.
One of these old carriages now stands near the lower terminus.
[Aug 2015].
The Marzili Railway is only 105m long.
This is one of the modern carriages.
[Aug 2015].
The Gurten Funicular Railway runs from the suburb Wabern to the Gurten, the hill above Bern.
On this funicular railway modern carriages made by Gangloff are also used.
[Aug 2014].