Giessbachbahn, Funicular railway at Lake Brienz, Switzerland.
Giessbachbahn is a funicular railway on the shore of Lake Brienz in the Swiss canton of Bern, linking the lakeside boat landing to the Grand Hotel Giessbach. The track runs 345 meters up a steep hillside and has a passing loop at the midpoint where the two cars cross each other.
The railway opened in 1879 and initially ran on a water ballast system. It was converted to hydraulic power in 1912 and then switched to electric drive in 1948.
The funicular connects the boat landing on Lake Brienz directly to the Grand Hotel Giessbach, which sits above the water. Many visitors ride it not only for the hotel but to reach the nearby Giessbach waterfalls, which drop in several stages down the hillside.
The funicular is easiest to reach by boat from Brienz, which docks right at the lower station. On a clear day, the ride offers open views over the lake and the surrounding hillsides.
Engineer Carl Roman Abt designed a rail system for the passing loop that uses no moving parts at all. This means the two cars can safely cross on a single track without any switching mechanism.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
