| Niesenbahn | |
| Type: | funicular with 2 sections |
| Status: | in operation |
| Start: | "Mülenen (Niesenbahn)" |
| End: | "Niesen Kulm" |
| Stations: | 3 (including "Schwandegg") |
| Routenumber: | 2405 |
| Owner: | Niesenbahn AG (since 2011); Niesen-Bahn-Gesellschaft (‥–2011, name change) |
| Operator: | Niesenbahn AG |
| Stock: | 4 (2 per section, for 60 passengers each) |
| Linelength: | 3.5km (02.2miles) |
| Tracks: | 1 (each section with a passing loop) |
| Maxincline: | 68% |
| Electrification: | from opening |
| Elevation: | 2336m (7,664feet) |
| Website: | niesen.ch |
The Niesenbahn is a funicular railway above Lake Thun in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. It links a lower terminus, in the village of Mülenen at 693 m and adjacent to Mülenen station on the Lötschberg railway line, with an upper terminus at 2336 m near the summit of Niesen, a viewpoint above the lake and Bernese Oberland.The funicular is divided into two portions with a total length of 3.5 kilometers, an elevation difference of 1643 meters, and a maximum slope of 68%.
Construction of the line commenced in 1906, and it opened in 1910.[1]
The service stairway for the Niesenbahn funicular is listed by Guinness Book of Records as the longest stairway, with 11,674 steps and a height of 16690NaN0.[2] The stairs are usually employee-only, but there is a public run called "Niesenlauf" once a year.
The line is owned and operated by the Niesenbahn AG.
The line operates from late April to mid November, with cars operating every 30 minutes between 08:00 and 17:00. A 15-minute interval service is provided at busy periods, and evening services are operated on some days.[3]
The line comprises two sections, with an interchange station at Schwandegg, and has the following parameters:
| Feature | Lower section | Upper section |
|---|---|---|
| Number of cars | 2 | 2 |
| Number of stops | 2 | 2 |
| Configuration | Single track with passing loop | Single track with passing loop |
| Track length | 2112m (6,929feet) | 1388m (4,554feet) |
| Rise | 975m (3,199feet) | 667m (2,188feet) |
| Maximum gradient | 66% | 68% |
| Track gauge | ||
| Speed | 2.9m/s | 2m/s |
| Journey time | 13 mins | 12.5 mins |
| Capacity | 60 passengers per car; 120 persons in each direction per hour | 60 passengers per car; 120 persons in each direction per hour |