Albula Railway, Mountain railway in Grisons, Switzerland
The Albula Railway is a mountain railway in Grisons that stretches 62 kilometers through the Swiss Alps, climbing over 1,000 meters in elevation as it travels. The line features 55 bridges and 39 tunnels built into the terrain along its route.
Construction started in 1898, with the first section opening between Thusis and Celerina in 1903 and the extension to St. Moritz completed a year later. The complete route has since become a key transportation link for the region.
The railway is part of the Rhaetian Railway UNESCO World Heritage designation and shapes daily life in the valleys where locals and visitors use it regularly. It connects small mountain villages and allows people to live and work in the Alps without depending on cars.
Trains run daily on this route and the journey itself requires some patience due to the many curves and elevation changes, but it is accessible to everyone. It is helpful to reserve a window seat so you can fully enjoy the landscape and structures along the way.
Between Bergün and Preda, the railway passes through two spiral tunnels, a technical achievement of early railway engineering. These tunnels allow the line to reach four different elevations at the same location without visibly crossing its own tracks.
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