What is the steepest train ride in Switzerland?

The cogwheel railway to Mount Pilatus in Switzerland boasts the title of the 'Steepest Cogwheel Railway in the World. ' The 30-minute journey begins in Alpnachstad and has an average gradient of 35%.



The title of the steepest train ride in Switzerland—and indeed the world—belongs to the Pilatus Railway (Pilatusbahn), which ascends Mount Pilatus near Lucerne. This remarkable feat of engineering features a maximum gradient of 48%, meaning it rises nearly 50 centimeters for every meter it travels forward. To prevent the train from slipping or jumping out of the tracks at such an extreme angle, engineer Eduard Locher designed a unique "cogwheel" system featuring two horizontally rotating cogwheels that grip the rack. This "Locher System" remains the only one of its kind in the world. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes from Alpnachstad to the summit, offering breathtaking views of the Swiss Alps and Lake Lucerne. In 2026, the railway remains a marvel of the golden age of Swiss tourism, though travelers should be aware it only operates seasonally between May and November, as the tracks are typically buried under deep snow during the winter months.

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Since 1889 from Alpnach and up the Pilatus Commissioned in 1889, a gradient of up to 48 percent, about 30 minutes travel time: that is the steepest cogwheel railway in the world in figures. Meter by meter it scales the way from Alpnachstad to Pilatus Kulm, passing alpine meadows and striking rock formations.

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The technical marvel will delight guests of all ages: the Stoosbahn reaches a gradient of 110% (47 degrees). It is the steepest funicular railway in the world. What's really fascinating is that the spherical cabins adapt to the gradient perfectly. This enables passengers to stay upright at all times.

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