Line length 9.339 km (5.803 mi) Rack system Abt Owner BVZ Holding | Highest elevation 3,089 m (10,135 ft) Phone +41 848 642 442 | |
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Number of tracks Single track
3.79 km (2.355 mi)
Double track Track gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ⁄8 in) Electrification 725 V, 50 Hz, 3-phase,
2 Overhead lines Address Bahnhofpl. 7, 3920 Zermatt, Switzerland Hours Open today · 7AM–7PMFriday7AM–7PMSaturday8AM–2PMSunday(Saint Joseph's Day)8AM–2PMHours might differMonday7AM–7PMTuesday7AM–7PMWednesday7AM–7PMThursday7AM–7PM Similar Gornergrat, Matterhorn Museum, Sunnegga Paradise ski area, Klein Matterhorn, Alps | ||
Zermatt to gornergrat railway driver s view part 1
The Gornergrat railway (German: Gornergratbahn or Gornergrat-Bahn; GGB) is a mountain rack railway, located in the Swiss canton of Valais. It links the resort village of Zermatt, situated at 1,604 m (5,262 ft) above mean sea level, to the summit of the Gornergrat. The Gornergrat railway station is situated at an altitude of 3,089 m (10,135 ft), which makes the Gornergrat railway the second highest railway in Europe after the Jungfrau, and the highest open-air railway of the continent. The line opened in 1898, and was the first electric rack railway to be built in Switzerland.
Contents
- Zermatt to gornergrat railway driver s view part 1
- Zermatt to gornergrat railway driver s view part 2
- History
- Route
- Infrastructure
- Rolling stock
- References
The Gornergrat is a starting point for many hikes, as it lies surrounded by 29 peaks rising above 4,000 m (13,123 ft) in the Alps and several glaciers, including the Gorner Glacier (which is billed as the second longest glacier in the Alps). At the end of the line on Gornergrat, the Matterhorn is visible on a clear day. It is also a popular skiing area.
The Gornergrat railway company (Gornergrat Bahn AG) is a wholly owned subsidiary of BVZ Holdings AG, who are also the majority owners of the Matterhorn Gotthard Verkehrs AG, the company that operates the Matterhorn–Gotthard railway (MGB), with which the GGB connects in Zermatt.
Zermatt to gornergrat railway driver s view part 2
History
Work on the railway started in 1896, five years after the Visp-Zermatt-Bahn had linked Zermatt to Visp and the Rhone Valley. The line opened on August 20, 1898, and was electrified from the start. Initially it only operated in summer, but year-round operation was extended to the lower section of the line in 1929, and to the summit in 1941.
The upper terminal was remodelled in 2004.
Route
There are several passenger stops on the line:
The are also freight only stations at Ladegleis Findelbach, which is on a short branch from the passenger station at Findelbach, and at Riffelboden, which is situated between Riffelalp and Riffelberg passenger stations.
Infrastructure
The line is 9,339 m (30,640 ft) in length, including 3,790 m (12,434 ft) of double track, and traverses an altitude difference of 1,469 m (4,820 ft). It is built to metre gauge (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) and uses the Abt rack system throughout. It is one of four lines in the world using three-phase electric power, requiring two overhead conductors, with the track forming the third conductor.
Rolling stock
The line uses the following rolling stock:
The railway typically operates two-railcar trains, and can carry approximately 2,500 people per hour from Zermatt to the mountain summit.