Jungfrau railway, Mountain rack railway in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland.
The Jungfrau Railway is a rack railway in Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, and Fieschertal, Switzerland, running much of its route inside the mountain. It links Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch, climbing roughly 1400 meters in elevation.
The line was built between 1896 and 1912 following plans by Adolf Guyer-Zeller, who wanted a railway reaching high elevations. Workers blasted the tunnel through Eiger and Mönch, fighting against rock layers and weather conditions.
The name refers to the nearby summit region while travelers use the line to reach high alpine zones. Passengers experience the shift from forested slopes to glaciated areas during the journey.
Trains run regularly throughout the year, with the journey to Jungfraujoch taking about an hour. Travelers should bring warm clothing and sun protection, as temperatures at the top are much lower.
Two intermediate stations inside the tunnel offer viewing windows in the Eiger north face, where travelers can look out at glaciers and rock walls. These short stops were originally created for construction work and later opened for visitors.
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