Mühleggbahn, Funicular transport system in St. Gallen, Switzerland.
The Mühleggbahn connects St. Gallen's old town to the Drei Weieren recreation area through a 287-meter tunnel with a single automated car. The system bridges the height difference between the urban area and the leisure landscape above.
Operations began in 1893 as a water-powered funicular, was converted to a rack railway in 1950, and became its current form in 1975. This evolution reflects the adaptation to new technologies across multiple generations.
The valley station is named 'Bangor' after the monk Gallus, creating a cultural link between the urban setting and the natural landscape above. This naming reflects the religious heritage that has shaped St. Gallen.
The system operates automatically and can be called using a button, with each journey taking about 90 seconds. Visitors should note that the car is relatively small and should secure any belongings.
The car can accommodate up to 38 passengers and reaches speeds of 4.8 meters per second on the varying slopes of the route. Despite modern automation, the journey maintains a sense of continuity with the early technologies that powered it.
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