Biel/Bienne–Magglingen/Macolin funicular, Mountain transport system in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
The Biel/Bienne-Magglingen funicular is a mountain railway with two modern panoramic cars operating on a single track with a passing loop. The journey stretches roughly 1,700 meters in length and climbs about 440 meters from the lower station in the city to the upper station on the mountain.
The railway began operations in 1887 and initially relied on a water counterweight system for power. In 1923, it switched to electric power using the Riggenbach rack system.
The funicular connects two linguistic communities in this two-language region of northwestern Bern. You can see this reflected in the bilingual signage and how both German and French speakers use the system daily.
The journey between stations takes about nine minutes on tracks with a maximum gradient of roughly 32 percent. The two panoramic cars enable continuous operation, so you can travel at flexible times throughout the day.
The two panoramic cars use an innovative passing loop on the tracks, enabling continuous operation without the vehicles having to wait for each other. This technical feature allows the railway to maintain steady service and offer frequent trips.
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