The Rhaetian Railway (german: Rhätische Bahn; it, Ferrovia retica; rm, Viafier retica), abbreviated RhB, is a Swiss transport company that owns the largest network of all private railway operators in
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. Headquartered in
Chur
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Churwalden, Tschiertschen-Praden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Malix, Trimmis, Untervaz, Pfäfers
, twintowns = Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxe ...
, the RhB operates all the railway lines of the
Swiss canton
The 26 cantons of Switzerland (german: Kanton; french: canton ; it, cantone; Sursilvan and Surmiran: ; Vallader and Puter: ; Sutsilvan: ; Rumantsch Grischun: ) are the member states of the Swiss Confederation. The nucleus of the Swiss Co ...
of
Grisons
The Grisons () or Graubünden,Names include:
*german: (Kanton) Graubünden ;
* Romansh:
** rm, label= Sursilvan, (Cantun) Grischun
** rm, label= Vallader, (Chantun) Grischun
** rm, label= Puter, (Chantun) Grischun
** rm, label= Surmiran, (Ca ...
, except for the line from
Sargans
Sargans is a municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of Sarganserland in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.
Sargans is known for its castle, which dates from before the founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291. Sargans was also ...
to the cantonal capital, Chur, which are operated by
Swiss Federal Railways
Swiss Federal Railways (german: link=no, Schweizerische Bundesbahnen, ''SBB''; french: link=no, Chemins de fer fédéraux suisses, ''CFF''; it, Ferrovie federali svizzere, ''FFS'') is the national railway company of Switzerland. It is usuall ...
(SBB CFF FFS), as well as the line from
Disentis/Mustér
Disentis (German) or Mustér (, Romansh), with its official name Disentis/Mustér is a village and a municipality in the Surselva Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.
The skiing and summer tourism resort high up in the Rhine valley is the ...
to the
Oberalp Pass
Oberalp Pass ( rm, Alpsu or ''Cuolm d'Ursera''; german: Oberalppass) (2044 meters above sea level) is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps connecting the cantons of Graubünden and Uri between Disentis/Mustér and Andermatt.
Winter closure
...
and further on to
Andermatt
Andermatt ( rm, ) is a mountain village and municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland. At an elevation of above sea level, Andermatt is located at the center of the Saint-Gotthard Massif and the historical center cross of north-south and e ...
,
Uri, which is operated by
Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn
The Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn is a narrow gauge railway line and a railway company (Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn AG, MGB) in Switzerland. The track width is . It was created in 2003 through an amalgamation of Furka Oberalp Bahn (FO) and BVZ Zermatt- ...
(MGB). Inaugurated in 1888 and expanded from 1896 onwards in various sections, the RhB network is located almost entirely within Grisons, with one station across the
Italian border at
Tirano.
The Rhaetian Railway serves a number of major tourist destinations, such as
St. Moritz and
Davos
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Bergün/Bravuogn, Klosters-Serneus, Langwies, S-chanf, Susch
, twintowns =
}
Davos (, ; or ; rm, ; archaic it, Tavate) is an Alps, Alpine resort town and a Municipalities of Switzerland, muni ...
. One of the RhB lines, the
Bernina Railway
The Bernina Railway (german: Berninalinie; it, Linea del Bernina; rm, Lingia dal Bernina) is a single-track railway line forming part of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB). It links the spa resort of St. Moritz, in the canton of Graubünden, Switze ...
, crosses the
Bernina Pass
The Bernina Pass (el. .) ( it, Passo del Bernina) is a high mountain pass in the Bernina Range of the Alps, in the canton of Graubünden (Grisons) in eastern Switzerland. It connects the famous resort town of St. Moritz in the Engadin valley w ...
at above sea level and runs down to Tirano,
Lombardy
(man), (woman) lmo, lumbard, links=no (man), (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 =
, ...
in Italy.
In 2008, the RhB section from the
Albula/
Bernina area (the part from
Thusis
Thusis ( it, Tosana, '' Romansh: Tusàn'') is a municipality in the Viamala Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2018 the former municipality of Mutten merged into the municipality of Thusis.
History
Thusis is first mentioned ...
to
Tirano, including
St. Moritz) was added to the list of
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
s. The Albula-Bernina line is the first rail line in the world to be photographed and put on
Google Street View
Google Street View is a technology featured in Google Maps and Google Earth that provides interactive panoramas from positions along many streets in the world. It was launched in 2007 in several cities in the United States, and has since expan ...
. The line also operates several historic trains on the network.
History
The establishment of the Rhaetian Railway traces back to
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
Willem Jan Holsboer, who owned a hotel in Davos.
He proposed a railway line from
Landquart to
Davos
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Bergün/Bravuogn, Klosters-Serneus, Langwies, S-chanf, Susch
, twintowns =
}
Davos (, ; or ; rm, ; archaic it, Tavate) is an Alps, Alpine resort town and a Municipalities of Switzerland, muni ...
in 1888.
Holsboer founded the Landquart-Davos AG to begin construction of a standard-gauge line, but the mountainous terrain lacked sufficient space. On 29 June 1888, a ground-breaking ceremony took place for a narrow-gauge railway instead. By 1890, the railway line served Davos.
In 1895, Holsboer changed his company's name to the Rhaetian Railway () to reflect his plans for network expansion. By 1896 the lines Chur–Landquart and Chur–Thusis were operated.
In 1897, a referendum was held for the Rhaetian Railway to bid on operations of the Graubünden/Grisons State Railways.
This was followed by the Albula line in 1903 and the series of expansion projects carried on until 1922. In 1903 the Album line reached
Celerina, and in 1904 also St.Moritz was able to be served.
During the years 1907 to 1910, the Rhaetian Railway, in collaboration with the federal and cantonal governments, undertook a large-scale expansion of its network.
All RhB lines are wide and electrified:
* (the
Bernina Railway
The Bernina Railway (german: Berninalinie; it, Linea del Bernina; rm, Lingia dal Bernina) is a single-track railway line forming part of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB). It links the spa resort of St. Moritz, in the canton of Graubünden, Switze ...
from St Moritz to Tirano) is electrified at 1000 V DC.
* is electrified at 11 kV 16.7 Hz (including since 1997 Chur-Arosa and the new Vereina tunnel).
The network contains 84 tunnels (the longest being the
Vereina Tunnel
The Vereina Tunnel is a railway tunnel, and the principal part of the Vereina railway line, in the canton of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland. It connects the Landquart–Davos Platz and the Bever–Scuol-Tarasp lines.
First proposed durin ...
, opened on 19 November 1999, and the
Albula Tunnel) and 383 bridges. The
maximum gradient is 7% on the
Bernina railway
The Bernina Railway (german: Berninalinie; it, Linea del Bernina; rm, Lingia dal Bernina) is a single-track railway line forming part of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB). It links the spa resort of St. Moritz, in the canton of Graubünden, Switze ...
, 6% on the Chur–Arosa line and 4.5% on Landquart–Davos line.
In 2022, to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Switzerland's first railway, the Rhaetische Bahn, supported by Swiss train-builder Stadler, came together to run the world's longest-ever passenger train, composed of 100 cars stretching almost two kilometres long.
Network
Current passenger services as operated by the RhB (2016):
In 2002 the annual traffic carried by the RhB was 300 million
passenger-kilometre
The units of measurement in transportation describes the unit of measurement used to express various transportation quantities, as used in statistics, planning, and their related applications.
Transportation quantity
The currently popular units ...
s and 54 million
tonne-kilometre
The units of measurement in transportation describes the unit of measurement used to express various transportation quantities, as used in statistics, planning, and their related applications.
Transportation quantity
The currently popular units ...
s of freight. 80% of the passenger income comes from tourist traffic, although 40% of passengers are local commuters.
Landquart–Davos line
Landquart railway station in
Graubünden is the starting point of the Rhaetian Railway, historically as part of the Landquart-Davos line, operationally as the company's main workshop, and topologically as the 0 kilometre point of the company's core network. The Landquart-Davos line is the oldest in the Rhaetian Railway network.
After leaving Landquart, the line to Davos generally follows the river
Landquart upstream as far as
Klosters Platz. Along the way, it crosses the river three times and passes by the award-winning
Sunniberg Bridge, the centerpiece of the Klosters bypass road.
Just south of Klosters Platz, the tracks cross the river the last time and come to two tunnels. One of these is for the Vereina line (see below). The other, the Klosters
loop tunnel, takes the Davos line through a 90-degree loop towards the west. The line to Davos begins to climb at 4.5% gradient and then loops 180 degrees back towards the east, inside the Cavadürli loop tunnel. It continues to climb through dense
larch
Larches are deciduous conifers in the genus ''Larix'', of the family Pinaceae (subfamily Laricoideae). Growing from tall, they are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains fur ...
and other
coniferous
Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All ext ...
forest
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...
s to the
Davos Laret.
The highest point on the line is the next stop,
Davos Wolfgang at . Then the line leads back down and along
Lake Davos to
Davos Dorf
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Bergün/Bravuogn, Klosters-Serneus, Langwies, S-chanf, Susch
, twintowns =
}
Davos (, ; or ; rm, ; archaic it, Tavate) is an Alpine resort town and a municipality in the Prättigau/Davos Re ...
, and the terminus at
Davos Platz
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Bergün/Bravuogn, Klosters-Serneus, Langwies, S-chanf, Susch
, twintowns =
}
Davos (, ; or ; rm, ; archaic it, Tavate) is an Alpine resort town and a municipality in the Prättigau/Davos R ...
.
Davos–Filisur line
The connecting line from Davos Platz to the
Albula Railway
The Albula Railway (german: Albulalinie; it, Linea dell'Albula; rm, Lingia da l'Alvra) is a single track metre gauge railway line forming part of the so-called core network of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB), in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerl ...
at
Filisur
Filisur is an Alpine village and former municipality in the Albula Region in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. The village sits on a hillside with a view to the west where the two rivers Albula/Alvra from the Albula Pass and Landwasser ...
passes through wild gorges, and is technically very interesting, not only due to its famous
Wiesen Viaduct.
The Davos–Filisur line is long, runs through 14 tunnels extending a total of in length, and crosses 28 bridges. It was
electrified
Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source.
The broad meaning of the term, such as in the history of technology, economic history ...
in 1919.
Landquart–Thusis line
![Glacier-Express zwischen Reichenau-Tamins und Bonaduz](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Glacier-Express_zwischen_Reichenau-Tamins_und_Bonaduz.jpg)
Starting in the Rhine valley, the Landquart-Thusis line runs more or less parallel with the
Swiss Federal Railways
Swiss Federal Railways (german: link=no, Schweizerische Bundesbahnen, ''SBB''; french: link=no, Chemins de fer fédéraux suisses, ''CFF''; it, Ferrovie federali svizzere, ''FFS'') is the national railway company of Switzerland. It is usuall ...
'
Sargans
Sargans is a municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of Sarganserland in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.
Sargans is known for its castle, which dates from before the founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291. Sargans was also ...
-
Landquart-
Chur
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Churwalden, Tschiertschen-Praden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Malix, Trimmis, Untervaz, Pfäfers
, twintowns = Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxe ...
standard gauge
A standard-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge of . The standard gauge is also called Stephenson gauge (after George Stephenson), International gauge, UIC gauge, uniform gauge, normal gauge and European gauge in Europe, and SGR in E ...
line as far as
Chur
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Churwalden, Tschiertschen-Praden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Malix, Trimmis, Untervaz, Pfäfers
, twintowns = Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxe ...
(). The line to Thusis then simply follows the course of the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, source ...
to
Bonaduz
Bonaduz ( rm, Panaduz) is a municipality in the Imboden Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.
History
Bonaduz is first mentioned in 960 as ''Beneduces''. Until 1854, the German-speaking hamlet of Sculms belonged to Bonaduz. Following ...
(). From there, it enters the Domleschg Valley and follows the
Posterior Rhine from
Rhäzüns
Rhäzüns is a municipality in the Imboden Region in the Swiss canton of Grisons.
History
Rhäzüns is first mentioned about 840 as ''Raezunne''.
It formed a single parish with Bonaduz until the Reformation.
It was part of the Grey League f ...
() to
Thusis
Thusis ( it, Tosana, '' Romansh: Tusàn'') is a municipality in the Viamala Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2018 the former municipality of Mutten merged into the municipality of Thusis.
History
Thusis is first mentioned ...
().
Albula line (Thusis–St. Moritz)
This line begins in
Thusis
Thusis ( it, Tosana, '' Romansh: Tusàn'') is a municipality in the Viamala Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2018 the former municipality of Mutten merged into the municipality of Thusis.
History
Thusis is first mentioned ...
(697 m). It continues toward
Tiefencastel (851 m) following the
Albula and then crosses the
Landwasser Viaduct
The Landwasser Viaduct (german: Landwasserviadukt) is a single-track six-arched curved limestone railway viaduct. It spans the Landwasser between Schmitten and Filisur, in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland.
Designed by Alexander Acatos, ...
before arriving at
Filisur
Filisur is an Alpine village and former municipality in the Albula Region in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. The village sits on a hillside with a view to the west where the two rivers Albula/Alvra from the Albula Pass and Landwasser ...
(1032 m). Shortly after Filisur the line passes its first
spiral
In mathematics, a spiral is a curve which emanates from a point, moving farther away as it revolves around the point.
Helices
Two major definitions of "spiral" in the American Heritage Dictionary are:[Bergün/Bravuogn
Bergün/Bravuogn (german: Bergün, rm, , in the local Romansh dialect ''Brauégn'') is a village and former municipality in the Albula Region in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. The double name (German/Romansh) has been the official n ...]
(1373 m).
Between Bergün/Bravuogn and
Preda
Preda is locality within the municipality of Bergün, district of Albula, Canton Graubünden, Switzerland.
Transportation
Rhaetian Railway
The Rhaetian Railway (german: Rhätische Bahn; it, Ferrovia retica; rm, Viafier retica), abbreviat ...
(1789 m), at the end of the valley, the line has to achieve a difference in height of about 400 metres inside a horizontal distance of 5 kilometres, without using
rack-and-pinion
A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises a circular gear (the ''pinion'') engaging a linear gear (the ''rack''). Together, they convert rotational motion into linear motion. Rotating the pinion causes the rack to be driven i ...
, but with many spirals. Then the line enters the
Albula Tunnel at 1,815 metres under the
Albula Pass
The Albula Pass ( Romansh: ''Pass d'Alvra'' or , german: Albulapass) (el. 2312 m) is a Swiss mountain pass in the canton of Graubünden. It lies at the heart of the Albula Alps, on the watershed between the Albula, tributary of the Rhine and t ...
. It emerges in the Val Bever, where it reaches
Bever (1,708 m) on the
Engadin
The Engadin or Engadine ( rm, ;This is the name in the two Romansh idioms that are spoken in the Engadin, Vallader and Puter, as well as in Sursilvan and Rumantsch Grischun. In Surmiran, the name is ''Nagiadegna'', and in Sutsilvan, it is ...
plain. The line continues toward
Samedan
Samedan (, ) is a town and municipality in the Maloja Region in the Swiss canton of Grisons. It is served by Samedan railway station on the Rhaetian Railway network and by the Samedan Airport.
History
Samedan is first mentioned in 1139 as '' ...
(1,721 m) and arrives at
St. Moritz (1,775 m).
Albula tunnel
In 2009 it was announced that an examination of the
Albula Tunnel conducted in 2006 had found major degradation of the tunnel, with over 60% of the lining in need of replacement. Furthermore, the bores are
small
Small may refer to:
Science and technology
* SMALL, an ALGOL-like programming language
* Small (anatomy), the lumbar region of the back
* ''Small'' (journal), a nano-science publication
* <small>, an HTML element that defines smaller text ...
by modern standards, and cabling, signalling and drainage all need replacement. As a result, it was announced that an inquiry would decide between two options for action: a comprehensive renewal of the existing tunnel, or the construction of a new bore to modern standards. As a result of this inquiry, RhB decided to build a new tunnel. Construction began in 2015, with the new tunnel opening in 2022 and the project completed including refurbishment of the old tunnel in 2023.
Reichenau–Disentis/Mustér line
![Glacier Express in der Vorderrheinschlucht](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Glacier_Express_in_der_Vorderrheinschlucht.jpg)
The Reichenau to
Disentis/Mustér
Disentis (German) or Mustér (, Romansh), with its official name Disentis/Mustér is a village and a municipality in the Surselva Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.
The skiing and summer tourism resort high up in the Rhine valley is the ...
line links the rest of the Rhaetian Railway network with the
Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn
The Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn is a narrow gauge railway line and a railway company (Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn AG, MGB) in Switzerland. The track width is . It was created in 2003 through an amalgamation of Furka Oberalp Bahn (FO) and BVZ Zermatt- ...
. It branches from the line to Thusis behind the shared Rhine bridge.
The line, which was opened progressively between 1903 and 1912, has been electrified since 1922.
In contrast with the accompanying road, which rises about 500 metres towards
Flims
Flims ( rm, Flem) is a municipality in the Imboden Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The town of Flims is dominated by the Flimserstein which one can see from almost anywhere in the area.
Flims consists of the village of Flims (called ...
and
Laax
Laax ( rm, Lags) is a municipality in the Surselva Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.
History
Laax is first mentioned c. 1290–98 as ''Lags''.
Geography
Laax has an area, , of . Of this area, 35.8% is used for agricultural pur ...
, the railway to Disentis/Mustér runs slowly up the narrow "
Ruinaulta gorge
A canyon (from ; archaic British English spelling: ''cañon''), or gorge, is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales. Rivers have a natural tendency to cu ...
". On this part of the line, its associated engineering structures dominate the otherwise pristine natural landscape.
At
Ilanz
Ilanz ( rm, Glion) is a former municipality in the district of Surselva in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The former municipality of Ilanz was congruent with the town of Ilanz. On 1 January 1978, the former municipality of Strada merged into ...
, the railway line and road merge paths once again. Their combined pathways then rise slowly and evenly to Disentis/Mustér.
The main traffic on the Reichenau–Disentis/Mustér line is
RegioExpress
RegioExpress (RE) is a fast regional train service in Switzerland, run by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS) or other railway companies (such as TILO, BLS, tpf, transN, THURBO or RhB). It is comparable to the Regional-Express in Germany, ...
passenger trains operating at hourly intervals. Several times a day, there are
Glacier Express
The Glacier Express (GEX) is a direct train connecting railway stations of the two major mountain resorts of Zermatt and St. Moritz via Andermatt in the central Swiss Alps. The train is not an "express" in the sense of being a high-speed train ...
trains in each direction.
Timetabled
goods trains also operate on the line to serve industry in the Vorderrhein area and supplied cement for the construction of the normal gauge
Gotthard Base Tunnel
, rm, Tunnel da basa dal Sogn Gottard
, image = 20141120 gotthard-basistunnel02-wikipedia-hannes-ortlieb.jpg
, image_size = 250
, caption = Turnout at Faido multifunction station
, line = Gotthard Line
, location = Switzerland ( Uri, Grisons and ...
with train IDs starting with 5. Usually three pairs of trains serve Disentis/Mustér with a Ge 6/6 II and a few additional trains go only to Ilanz with a Ge 4/4 II.
Engadin line (Pontresina–Scuol-Tarasp)
![RhB-Pendelzug auf der Engadiner Linie](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/RhB-Pendelzug_auf_der_Engadiner_Linie.jpg)
This line, which runs up the
Engadin
The Engadin or Engadine ( rm, ;This is the name in the two Romansh idioms that are spoken in the Engadin, Vallader and Puter, as well as in Sursilvan and Rumantsch Grischun. In Surmiran, the name is ''Nagiadegna'', and in Sutsilvan, it is ...
valley, was constructed in two stages. The
Samedan–Pontresina section was opened on by the Rhaetian Railway on 1 July 1908, simultaneously with the Pontresina–
Morteratsch section, which formed part of the then-independent Bernina Railway. The actual
Engadine line
The Engadine Line is an over long strike-slip fault in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, which extends into Italy and Austria. It runs along the Engadine Valley (which formed on the fault) and the Bregaglia Valley and offsets Austroalpine and P ...
, between
Bever and
Scuol-Tarasp, was opened on 1 July 1913, and was the first Rhaetian Railway line to be electrified from the start at 11 kV 16⅔ Hz
AC.
Since the opening of the Engadin line, Pontresina has been a dual system station, as the Bernina Railway operates on 1,000 V
DC. Track 3 at Pontresina station has a switchable catenary, and is used for trains, such as the ''Heidi Express'', operating through the station and needing to change from one of the two electification systems to the other.
Between Samedan and Bever, the Engadin line shares its track with the Albula Railway. With the opening of the
Vereina Tunnel
The Vereina Tunnel is a railway tunnel, and the principal part of the Vereina railway line, in the canton of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland. It connects the Landquart–Davos Platz and the Bever–Scuol-Tarasp lines.
First proposed durin ...
and line in November 1999, the Engadin line, at both Lavin (
Sagliains car shuttle train
A car shuttle train, or (sometimes) car-carrying train, is a shuttle train used to transport accompanied cars ( automobiles), and usually also other types of road vehicles, for a relatively short distance.
Car shuttle trains usually operate on ...
station) and
Susch (Sasslatsch II car shuttle train station), acquired a direct connection to the
Prättigau at
Klosters
Klosters is a Swiss village in the Prättigau, politically part of the municipality of Klosters-Serneus, which belongs to the political district Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden. In 2021, the municipality shortened its name to Kl ...
, on the Landquart–Davos line.
Bernina line (St. Moritz–Tirano, originally Berninabahn)
![Swiss Rail Rhb ABe 4 4](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Swiss_Rail_Rhb_ABe_4_4.jpg)
This line begins at
St.Moritz and runs towards
Pontresina
Pontresina ( rm, Puntraschigna) is a municipality in the Maloja Region in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland.
History and name
Pontresina was first mentioned in medieval Latin documents as ''ad Pontem Sarisinam'' in 1137 and ''de Ponte Sar ...
(1,774 m) in Val Bernina. It ascends progressively through the valley to the
Bernina Pass
The Bernina Pass (el. .) ( it, Passo del Bernina) is a high mountain pass in the Bernina Range of the Alps, in the canton of Graubünden (Grisons) in eastern Switzerland. It connects the famous resort town of St. Moritz in the Engadin valley w ...
over the
Morteratsch station (1,896 m) (with the
Morteratsch Glacier
The Morteratsch Glacier (Romansh: Vadret da Morteratsch) is the largest glacier by area in the Bernina Range of the Bündner Alps in Switzerland.
By area and by volume (1.2 km3), it is the third largerst glacier in the eastern alps, after th ...
and
Piz Bernina
Piz Bernina ( Romansh, it, Pizzo Bernina, ) is the highest mountain in the Eastern Alps, the highest point of the Bernina Range, and the highest peak in the Rhaetian Alps. It rises and is located south of Pontresina and near the major Alpine ...
, the highest summit of the
Eastern Alps
Eastern Alps is the name given to the eastern half of the Alps, usually defined as the area east of a line from Lake Constance and the Alpine Rhine valley up to the Splügen Pass at the Alpine divide and down the Liro River to Lake Como in t ...
, in sight). After Morteratsch, the line runs towards
Bernina Diavolezza (2,093 m), where an aerial tramway leads to
Diavolezza
The Diavolezza is a col and ski resort above the Val Bernina in Graubünden. The col has an altitude of Swiss Confederation: Maps of Switzerland'. Retrieved 26 March 2021. and is located between Munt Pers (northwest, ) and Piz Trovat (southe ...
, and
Ospizio Bernina station. This station, next to
Lago Bianco, stands at the line's summit at 2,253 m above sea and holds the title of the highest point of the entire Rhetian Railway network and among all adhesion railways in Europe.
Alp Grüm (2,091 m) is the first station to the immediate south of the summit. It is situated above
Lago Palü __NOTOC__
Lago, which means "lake" in Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Galician, may refer to:
Places
*Lago, Calabria, a ''comune'' in the Province of Cosenza, Italy
*Lago, Mexico, a municipality zone in the State of Mexico
*Lago District, a ''dis ...
and right below
Piz Palü
Piz Palü is a mountain in the Bernina Range of the Alps, located between Switzerland and Italy. It is a large glaciated massif composed of three main summits, on a ridge running from west to east. The main (and central) summit is 3,900 metres ...
and
Palü Glacier. After negotiating many
hairpin turns, the line reaches
Cavaglia
Cavaglia is a hamlet on the western flank of the Val Poschiavo in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It lies at above sea level, and is in the municipality of Poschiavo, some north-west of the village of the same name. Because of the of ...
(1,693 m) above
Val Poschiavo
Val Poschiavo ( lmo, Pus'ciaf, german: Puschlav, ) is a valley in the southern, Italian-speaking part of the Swiss canton of Graubünden (Grisons). The main town is Poschiavo.
Geography
Val Poschiavo can be reached from the Upper Engadin valley i ...
; after that, the line descends across the valley towards the Swiss
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
-speaking town of
Poschiavo
Poschiavo ( it, Poschiavo, lmo, Pusciaaf, german: Puschlav, rm, Puschlav) is a municipality in the Bernina Region in the canton of Grisons in Switzerland.
History
Poschiavo is first mentioned in 824 as ''in Postclave'' though this comes from ...
(1,014 m).
After Poschiavo, the line runs next to
Lago Poschiavo and calls at
Le Prese
Le Prese is a village in the Val Poschiavo in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It lies at above sea level at the northern end of Lago di Poschiavo, and is in the municipality of Poschiavo, some south of the village of the same name. The ...
(964 m) and
Miralago
Miralago is a village in the Val Poschiavo in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It lies at above sea level at the southern end of Lago di Poschiavo, and the Poschiavino river flows out of the lake in the village. The village is some sou ...
(965 m). The descent continues towards
Brusio
Brusio (Lombardy, Lombard: ''Brüs'', Romansh language, Romansh ''Brüsch'') is a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Bernina Region in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Grisons in Switzerland.
History
Brusio is first mentioned ...
(780 m), after which the line runs across the famous spiral bridge,
Brusio Viaduct. After the spiral bridge, the line passes through the Swiss border town of
Campocologno
Brusio ( Lombard: ''Brüs'', Romansh ''Brüsch'') is a municipality in the Bernina Region in the canton of Grisons in Switzerland.
History
Brusio is first mentioned in 1106 as ''Bruse''. It was first mentioned as Brusio in 1212. Previously it w ...
(553 m) before entering Italy at
Tirano RhB station (430 m).
Arosa line (originally Chur–Arosa-Bahn (ChA))
![Chur-Arosa-Bahn in Chur](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Chur-Arosa-Bahn_in_Chur.jpg)
The railway line from
Chur
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Churwalden, Tschiertschen-Praden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Malix, Trimmis, Untervaz, Pfäfers
, twintowns = Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxe ...
to
Arosa
, neighboring_municipalities= Alvaneu, Davos, Langwies, Lantsch/Lenz, Molinis, Peist, Schmitten, Tschiertschen, Vaz/Obervaz, Wiesen
, twintowns = Fukumitsu (Japan)
Arosa is a town and a municipality in the Plessur Region in the canton o ...
is known as the (or ), and is often abbreviated as "ChA" (Chur-Arosa). Work began in 1912 on the route and the line opened on 12 December 1914. The railway leads up from Chur to Arosa (a total climb of ) via a number of tunnels, bridges and other structures, including the
Langwieser Viaduct
The Langwieser Viaduct (or Langwies Viaduct; german: Langwieser Viadukt) is a single track reinforced concrete railway bridge spanning the Plessur River and the Sapünerbach, near Langwies, in the Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland.
It was de ...
- a structure of national importance. In 1942 the line became part of the RhB company and network; however the line ran on a separate electric system to the remainder of the network until 1997. Before then it was 2400 V
DC - now it is 11 kV 16.7 Hz
AC. The
gauge
Gauge ( or ) may refer to:
Measurement
* Gauge (instrument), any of a variety of measuring instruments
* Gauge (firearms)
* Wire gauge, a measure of the size of a wire
** American wire gauge, a common measure of nonferrous wire diameter, ...
has always been as per the rest of the RhB network.
It is a
single track
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
railway, with the exception of a short double track section along Engadinstrasse in Chur, with a number of
passing loop
A passing loop (UK usage) or passing siding (North America) (also called a crossing loop, crossing place, refuge loop or, colloquially, a hole) is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at or near a station, where trains or ...
s along the route: at all stations with the exception of Chur Stadt (and formerly Sassal), as well as at Chur Sand depot and at Haspelgrube near Arosa. The
maximum incline is 6% but there is no
rack-and-pinion
A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises a circular gear (the ''pinion'') engaging a linear gear (the ''rack''). Together, they convert rotational motion into linear motion. Rotating the pinion causes the rack to be driven i ...
used.
A short section of the line runs
along the streets of Chur and is known as the Chur ('town railway'). In Chur, the line starts on Bahnhofplatz, in front of the main railway station, where that station's platforms for the Arosabahn are, though there is a second stop in Chur only 760 metres from the main station.
A 5-kilometre tunnel through the Mittenberg had been planned as an alternative route for the lower section of the line, avoiding running through the centre of Chur. This plan was finally dropped in 1996 as the considerable expense could not be justified.
Currently the train service (Regio) R4 provides the passenger service on the line and is shown as timetable 930 in the Swiss national timetables. It is well used by tourists coming to and from the resort at Arosa. The line also carries a substantial amount of freight.
Bellinzona–Mesocco line (originally Ferrovia Bellinzona–Mesocco)
This line is not connected to the others. It opened in 1907 and was owned by the Rhaetian Railway between 1942 and 2003. Passenger services ceased in 1972, but a limited freight traffic continued until 2003. The private association (SEFT, Società Esercizio Ferroviario Turistico) operated it as a
heritage railway
A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...
for tourists over of the original of line until part of the concession was withdrawn in 2013 to allow road construction. The road construction had been started in July 2014.
Road construntion
google map
file:Moesa Roveredo.jpg, Moesa III bridge
file:Ferrovia Bellinzona-Mesocco2.jpeg, Cama station
file:Soazza03.JPG, Soazza station
file:Bahnhof Mesocco.JPG, Mesocco
Mesocco ( Lombard: ''Mesòch'') is a municipality in the Moesa Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.
History
The first human settlement in the area dates back to the Mesolithic era. Stone tools dating to about 6000 BC have been found in the ...
station
Vereina line
Rolling stock
Apart from the normal passenger coaches and the panoramic coaches used for the branded ''Bernina Express'' tourist services, the railway attaches to the back of trains, according to need:
* yellow open trucks with wooden benches called
* art deco Pullman coach AS 1143, which may be hired by private parties
Corporate information
Statistics
* Travellers per year (2008): 10.7 million
* Revenue (2008): 308,700,000 sFr.
* Profit (2008): 1,700,000 sFr.
* Employees (2008): 1,348
* Total rolling stock (2008): 1,294
Ownership
The RhB is 51.3% owned by the Cantonal government of Graubünden, 43.1% by the Swiss Confederation, 4.6% by private shareholders and 1% by a collection of local communities.
The RhB has its headquarters
Headquarters (commonly referred to as HQ) denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the to ...
at Bahnhofstrasse 25, Chur
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Churwalden, Tschiertschen-Praden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Malix, Trimmis, Untervaz, Pfäfers
, twintowns = Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxe ...
.
Accidents and incidents
:
*On 13 August 2014, a passenger train was struck by a landslide and derailed at Tiefencastel
Tiefencastel ( rm, Casti) is a village and a former municipality in the district of Albula in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. On 1 January 2015 the former municipalities of Alvaschein, Mon, Stierva, Tiefencastel, Alvaneu, Brienz/ ...
, Graubünden, on the Albula Railway
The Albula Railway (german: Albulalinie; it, Linea dell'Albula; rm, Lingia da l'Alvra) is a single track metre gauge railway line forming part of the so-called core network of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB), in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerl ...
. Eleven people were injured.
In popular culture
In 1997, the Rhaetian Railway was used as the prototype for the Nord Express
Nord, a word meaning "north" in several European languages, may refer to:
Acronyms
* National Organization for Rare Disorders, an American nonprofit organization
* New Orleans Recreation Department, New Orleans, Louisiana, US
Film and televisi ...
in the 20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
animated motion picture ''Anastasia
Anastasia (from el, Ἀναστασία, translit=Anastasía) is a feminine given name of Greek origin, derived from the Greek word (), meaning "resurrection". It is a popular name in Eastern Europe, particularly in Russia, where it was the most ...
''. Not only was the Rhaetian Railway featured in the film, but several landmarks were also included: the Landwasser Viaduct
The Landwasser Viaduct (german: Landwasserviadukt) is a single-track six-arched curved limestone railway viaduct. It spans the Landwasser between Schmitten and Filisur, in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland.
Designed by Alexander Acatos, ...
and a 1912 Mittelthurgau-Bahn Ec 3/5 Class 2-6-2 tank locomotive No. 3 with an added tender. This 1912 locomotive was portrayed as a Russian continental steam locomotive (fictional). It was modified with the smoke deflectors
Smoke deflectors, sometimes called "blinkers" in the UK because of their strong resemblance to the blinkers used on horses, and "elephant ears" in US railway slang, are vertical plates attached to each side of the smokebox at the front of a ste ...
and the smoke-box door from a Danish State Railways Class R 963. The locomotive's fictitious number being used in the movie was 2747, as this was a reference to the address of the Fox Animation Studios
Fox Animation Studios was an American animation production company owned by 20th Century Fox and located in Phoenix, Arizona. After six years of operation, the studio was shut down on June 26, 2000, ten days after the release of its final film, ...
on East Camelback Road in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...
. The Landwasser Viaduct was portrayed as a tall, 4-storey viaduct in Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
as a type of Roman aqueduct
The Romans constructed aqueducts throughout their Republic and later Empire, to bring water from outside sources into cities and towns. Aqueduct water supplied public baths, latrines, fountains, and private households; it also supported mining o ...
s.
See also
* Bernina Express
The Bernina Express is a train connecting Chur (or Davos) in Switzerland to Poschiavo in Switzerland and Tirano in Italy by crossing the Swiss Engadin Alps. For most of its journey, the train also runs along the World Heritage Site known as the ...
* Hakone Tozan Railway
The is a private railway company in Japan, part of the Odakyu Group. It is best known for its operation of the Hakone Tozan Line, the first mountain railway in Japan, but like most Japanese railway companies, also operates bus service, namely Hako ...
: Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
ese private mountain railway, twinning railway with RhB.
* List of mountain railways in Switzerland
This is a list of mountain railways in operation in Switzerland. It includes railways that overcome steep gradients (over 5%) or whose culminating point is over above sea level. Most of them are located in the Alps, which include the highest Eur ...
* List of heritage railways and funiculars in Switzerland
This is a list of heritage railways in Switzerland. For convenience, the list includes any pre-World War II railway in the large sense of the term (either adhesion railway, rack railway or funicular) currently operated with at least several origi ...
* List of narrow-gauge railways in Switzerland
Switzerland has an extensive collection of narrow-gauge railways, almost all of which are metre gauge and electrified with different voltages. Most lines have at least one interchange station with the standard gauge Swiss Federal Railways or Bern ...
* List of railway companies in Switzerland
* Table of turn tunnels
Lists of spiral (helicoidal) tunnels and tunnels on a curved alignment on roads and railway lines worldwide.
Road tunnels
* Churchischleif, road to Isenfluh ( Switzerland)
* Drammen Spiral, Norway
* on SS 659 near Formazza, Italy (full 360° tur ...
Notes and references
Bibliography
*
*
*
External links
RhB official website
(English)
Image presentations of famous Rhaetian lines
{{Authority control
World Heritage Sites in Italy
World Heritage Sites in Switzerland
Railway companies of Switzerland
Transport in Graubünden
Transport in Lombardy
Metre gauge railways in Switzerland
Railway companies established in 1888
Swiss companies established in 1888
Heritage railways in Switzerland