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Switzerland & Austria:
Mountain Transportation

  • Funiculars, Aerial Cable Cars, and Cogwheel Railroads
    An introduction to mountain transportation in Switzerland and Austria, with photos.

  • Cardada Cable Car (Ticino)
    The Cardada funivia will whisk you from Locarno to a mountain ridge where you can enjoy lunch, hiking, and views of Lake Maggiore and the Swiss and Alps.

  • Gornergrat Bahn, Zermatt
    Ride a cogwheel train of the GBB to great skiing or lovely summer views. If you're adventurous, you can even have your wedding at a mountain hotel overlooking the Matterhorn.

  • Grindelwald-First
    Europe's longest gondola lift serves tourists, hikers, and skiers. The upper station offers spectacular mountain views.

  • Jungfraujoch Railway
    It's high in elevation, popularity, and price. We tell you what makes it unique and how to trim your ticket costs by up to 50%.

  • Niesenbahn (Bernese Oberland)
    This 90-year-old funicular leads to spectacular views, hikes, and a mountain inn overlooking Lake Thun.

  • Pilatus Kulm
    You can ascend this mountain overlook near Lucerne by cablecar, on foot, or via the world's steepest cogwheel railway.

  • Stockhornbahn (Bernese Oberland)
    Ride a cable car, hike a nature path, try a 100m bungee jump, or enjoy a bargain buffet breakfast at a mountain restaurant overlooking Lake Thun.

  • Ski-Lift Fire in Kaprun, Austria
    At least 159 skiers were killed when a car of the Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicular burst into flames after entering a tunnel on the first day of the Austrian ski season.  (Archived article.)