Located in the Swiss alpine resort of Stoos, the track runs along a 731-meter incline.
Photo: Stoos Bahn
Hailed as a feat of engineering, the newly completed Stoos Bahn is finally open to the public.
Located in the Swiss alpine resort of Stoos, the world’s steepest funicular railway is 14 years in the making, at an equally steep cost of US$53 million.
Unveiled just in time for the winter ski season, the railway runs from the town of Schwyz up 110 meters to the car-free Alpine village of Stoos.
Photo: Stoos Bahn
Efficient yet well-designed, the tram features two rows of cylindrical carriages bearing an uncanny resemblance to beer barrels, which rotate as it ascends and descends the 743-meter incline, with gradients of 110 percent. This design element ensures that passengers can stay upright on the incline.
Not only will this new railway become a new tourist attraction, it looks set to help connect communities in the mountainous region.
While the views from the tram are bound to be majestic, the faint of heart can take comfort in the fact that the ride lasts only four minutes.
