Metro Alpin, Underground funicular in Saas-Fee, Switzerland
Metro Alpin is a funicular railway running through a 1,447-meter tunnel beneath the Swiss Alps, connecting Felskinn station to Mittelallalin station. The system operates at elevations between 3,000 and 3,500 meters and carries around 115 passengers per journey.
The funicular opened in 1984 after a remarkable construction effort that required workers and engineers to live at Felskinn station for more than three years. This project was a major breakthrough in mountain transport technology for extreme elevations.
The funicular makes it possible for people to experience the high mountains without having to hike for hours on difficult trails. It brings together climbers, skiers, and tourists who otherwise might never reach these heights together.
The journey takes just three minutes and twenty seconds, making the ride quick and straightforward. Bring warm clothing, as temperatures at the top are significantly colder than at the base station.
This is the world's highest underground cog railway system and also the highest subway-style operation ever built. Many visitors do not realize that most of the journey takes place entirely within the mountain, even though they arrive at the highest mountain transport station on Earth.
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