Schynige Platte Railway

Schynige Platte Railway
Trains on the Schynige Platte above Interlaken and Lake Thun
Overview
Native nameSchynige Platte-Bahn SPB
Statusoperating in summer season
OwnerBerner Oberland-Bahnen AG
LocaleBernese Highlands
Termini
Stations4
WebsiteSPB
Service
TypeMountain rack railway
Services1
Operator(s)BOB
History
Opened1893
Technical
Line length7.26 km (4.51 mi)
Number of tracksSingle track with passing loops
CharacterTouristic railway
Rack systemRiggenbach rack[1]
Track gauge800 mm (2 ft 7+12 in)
Electrification100%, 1500 V DC, overhead wire
Highest elevation1,967 m (6,453 ft)
Maximum incline1 in 4 (250 or 25%)
Route diagram

km
elev.
in M
0.00
Depôt
584
0.10
Wilderswil
584
Lütschine
1.84
Rotenegg
886
4.61
Breitlauenen
1,542
Eiger, Mönch and
Jungfrau viewpoint
7.26
Schynige Platte
1,987

The Schynige Platte Railway (German: Schynige Platte-Bahn, SPB) is a mountain railway in the Bernese Highlands area of Switzerland, which connects the town of Wilderswil, near Interlaken, with the famous wildflower gardens of the Schynige Platte.[1][2][3]

An impressively and varied natural landscape unfolds on the journey, including forests, Alpine pastures and views of the Bernese Oberland. Towards the top of the line, there are also views of the imposing peaks of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The line opened, using steam traction, in May 1893, and was electrified in 1914.[3]

The line is owned by the Berner Oberland-Bahnen AG, a company that also owns the Berner Oberland-Bahn. Through that company it is part of the Allianz - Jungfrau Top of Europe marketing alliance, which also includes the separately owned Wengernalpbahn, Jungfraubahn, Bergbahn Lauterbrunnen–Mürren, Harderbahn, and Firstbahn.[3][4]

  1. ^ a b Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz. Verlag Schweers + Wall GmbH. 2012. p. 82. ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7.
  2. ^ Thompson, Andrew (September 2014). "Schynige Platte-Bahn: An Electric Centenary". Today's Railways Europe. No. 225. Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. pp. 26–28.
  3. ^ a b c "SPB - Nostalgia before the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau". Jungfraubahnen Management AG. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  4. ^ "Companies". Interlaken, Switzerland: Jungfraubahnen Management AG. Retrieved 17 May 2017.