List of highest railway stations in Europe

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The Gornergrat railway station, the highest (open-air) railway station building on the continent Gornergrat railway station.jpg
The Gornergrat railway station, the highest (open-air) railway station building on the continent

This is a list of high-altitude railway stations in Europe. It includes any railway station or location with passenger railway services (on adhesion or rack railways), located at an elevation of over 2,000 metres above sea level. These are all found in the Alps in three countries: Switzerland (20), France (2) and Germany (1). At this elevation, typically above the tree line, snow becomes the main form of precipitation, therefore making railways more difficult to maintain and operate. For a list by railway line, with a lower elevation cutoff, see list of highest railways in Europe.

Contents

In the list are indicated the elevation, region, country, railway and nearest location, inhabited or not.

Main list

Station [1] Elevation RegionCountryRailwayLocationNotes
Jungfraujoch 3,454 m (11,332 ft) Valais Switzerland Jungfrau Jungfraujoch Terminus, underground
Eismeer 3,160 m (10,367 ft) Bern Switzerland Jungfrau EismeerUnderground
Gornergrat 3,090 m (10,138 ft) Valais Switzerland Gornergrat Gornergrat Terminus, highest open-air station in Europe [2]
Eigerwand 2,865 m (9,400 ft) Bern Switzerland Jungfrau Eiger north faceUnderground
Rotenboden 2,815 m (9,236 ft) Valais Switzerland Gornergrat Rotenboden
Zugspitzplatt [3] 2,588 m (8,491 ft) Bavaria Germany Zugspitze Zugspitzplatt Terminus, underground, highest station in Germany [4]
Riffelberg 2,582 m (8,471 ft) Valais Switzerland Gornergrat Riffelberg
Nid d'Aigle2,372 m (7,782 ft) Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes France Mont Blanc Nid d'AigleTerminus, highest station in France [5]
Eigergletscher 2,320 m (7,612 ft) Bern Switzerland Jungfrau Eiger Glacier
Ospizio Bernina 2,253 m (7,392 ft) Graubünden Switzerland Bernina Ospizio BerninaHighest rail crossing in Europe (summit) [6]
Brienzer Rothorn2,244 m (7,362 ft) Bern Switzerland Brienz–Rothorn Brienzer Rothorn Terminus
Riffelalp Resort2,222 m (7,290 ft) Valais Switzerland Riffelalp tram Riffelalp Resort Terminus
Riffelalp 2,211 m (7,254 ft) Valais Switzerland Gornergrat/Riffelalp tram Riffelalp Highest station in Europe with two distinct railways
Furka 2,163 m (7,096 ft) Uri Switzerland Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway East portal of Furka Summit Tunnel Rail crossing (summit)
Muttbach-Belvédère 2,118 m (6,949 ft) Valais Switzerland Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway West portal of Furka Summit Tunnel
Bernina Lagalb 2,100 m (6,890 ft) Graubünden Switzerland Bernina Bernina Lagalb
Bernina Diavolezza 2,093 m (6,867 ft) Graubünden Switzerland Bernina Bernina Diavolezza
Alp Grüm 2,091 m (6,860 ft) Graubünden Switzerland Bernina Alp Grüm
Mont Lachat2,074 m (6,804 ft) Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes France Mont Blanc Col du Mont Lachat
Pilatus Kulm2,073 m (6,801 ft) Obwalden Switzerland Pilatus Pilatus Terminus
Kleine Scheidegg 2,061 m (6,762 ft) Bern Switzerland Wengernalp/Jungfrau Kleine Scheidegg Rail crossing (summit), highest railway hub in Switzerland [7]
Bernina Suot 2,046 m (6,713 ft) Graubünden Switzerland Bernina Bernina Suot
Oberalp Pass 2,033 m (6,670 ft) Uri Switzerland Andermatt–Chur Oberalp Pass Rail crossing (summit)

By country

CountryStation Elevation RailwayLocationNotes
Switzerland Jungfraujoch 3,454 m (11,332 ft) Jungfrau Jungfraujoch Terminus, underground
Germany Zugspitzplatt2,588 m (8,491 ft) Zugspitze Zugspitzplatt Terminus, underground
France Nid d'Aigle2,372 m (7,782 ft) Mont Blanc Nid d'AigleTerminus
Norway Finse Station 1,222 m (4,009 ft) Bergen Line
Sweden Storlien railway station 592 m (1,942 ft) Central Line

See also

Notes

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Swiss Alps</span> Portion of the Alps that lies within Switzerland

    The Alpine region of Switzerland, conventionally referred to as the Swiss Alps, represents a major natural feature of the country and is, along with the Swiss Plateau and the Swiss portion of the Jura Mountains, one of its three main physiographic regions. The Swiss Alps extend over both the Western Alps and the Eastern Alps, encompassing an area sometimes called Central Alps. While the northern ranges from the Bernese Alps to the Appenzell Alps are entirely in Switzerland, the southern ranges from the Mont Blanc massif to the Bernina massif are shared with other countries such as France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Valais</span> Canton of Switzerland

    Valais, more formally the Canton of Valais, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of thirteen districts and its capital and largest city is Sion. The flag of the canton is made of thirteen stars representing the districts, on a white-red background.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transport in Switzerland</span> Overview of rail transport in Switzerland

    The Swiss rail network is noteworthy for its density, its coordination between services, its integration with other modes of transport, timeliness and a thriving domestic and trans-alp freight system. This is made necessary by strong regulations on truck transport, and is enabled by properly coordinated intermodal logistics.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Zermatt</span> Place in Valais, Switzerland

    Zermatt is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a year-round population of about 5,800 and is classified as a town by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Rosa</span> Massif in Switzerland and Italy

    Monte Rosa is a mountain massif in the eastern part of the Pennine Alps, on the border between Italy and Switzerland (Valais). The highest peak of the massif, amongst several peaks of over 4.000 m, is the Dufourspitze, the second highest mountain in the Alps and western Europe, after Mont Blanc. The east face of the Monte Rosa towards Italy has a height of about 2.400 meters and is the highest mountain wall of the Alps.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Säntis</span> Mountain in Switzerland

    At 2,501.9 metres (8,208 ft) above sea level, Säntis is the highest mountain in the Alpstein massif of northeastern Switzerland. It is also the culminating point of the whole Appenzell Alps, between Lake Walen and Lake Constance. Shared by three cantons, the mountain is a highly visible landmark thanks to its exposed northerly position within the Alpstein massif. As a consequence, houses called Säntisblick can be found in regions as far away as the Black Forest in Germany. Säntis is among the most prominent summits in the Alps and the most prominent summit in Europe with an observation deck on the top. The panorama from the summit is spectacular. Six countries can be seen if the weather allows: Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, France, and Italy.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Gornergrat Railway</span> Mountain rack railway, located in the Swiss canton of Valais

    The Gornergrat Railway 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. 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. At the end of the line on Gornergrat, the Matterhorn is visible on a clear day. It is also a popular skiing area.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Gornergrat</span> Mountain in Switzerland

    The Gornergrat is a rocky ridge of the Pennine Alps, overlooking the Gorner Glacier south-east of Zermatt in Switzerland. It can be reached from Zermatt by the Gornergrat rack railway (GGB), the highest open-air railway in Europe. Between the Gornergrat railway station and the summit is the Kulm Hotel. In the late 1960s two astronomical observatories were installed in the two towers of the Kulmhotel Gornergrat. The project “Stellarium Gornergrat” is hosted in the Gornergrat South Observatory.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Riffelberg railway station</span>

    Riffelberg is a railway station on the Gornergrat railway, a rack railway which links the resort of Zermatt with the summit of the Gornergrat. The station is situated west of the Gornergrat, in the Swiss municipality of Zermatt and canton of Valais, at an altitude of 2,582 m (8,471 ft) above mean sea level. It is the third highest station on the line and, considering only open-air railway stations, the third highest in Switzerland and Europe as well.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Bavarian Zugspitze Railway</span> Narrow-gauge rack railway in Bavaria

    The Bavarian Zugspitze Railway is one of four rack railways still working in Germany, along with the Wendelstein Railway, the Drachenfels Railway and the Stuttgart Rack Railway. The metre gauge line runs from Garmisch in the centre of Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the Zugspitzplatt, approximately 300 metres below Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany. The line culminates at 2,650 metres above sea level, which makes it the highest railway in Germany and the third highest in Europe. It is also the railway in Europe with the biggest height difference: 1,945 metres, the lower half being open-air and the upper half being underground.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Gornergrat railway station</span>

    Gornergrat is the upper terminal railway station of the Gornergrat railway, a rack railway which links it with the resort of Zermatt. The station is situated at the summit of the Gornergrat, in the Swiss municipality of Zermatt and canton of Valais. At an altitude of 3,089 m (10,135 ft) above mean sea level, it is the highest open-air railway station in Europe.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Rotenboden railway station</span>

    Rotenboden is a railway station on the Gornergrat railway, a rack railway which links the resort of Zermatt with the summit of the Gornergrat. The station is situated west of the Gornergrat, in the Swiss municipality of Zermatt and canton of Valais. At an altitude of 2,815 m (9,236 ft) above mean sea level, it is the second highest open-air railway station in Europe, after the Gornergrat railway station, on the same line.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Riffelalp railway station</span>

    Riffelalp is a railway station on the Gornergrat railway, a rack railway which links the resort of Zermatt with the summit of the Gornergrat. The station is situated west of the Gornergrat, in the Swiss municipality of Zermatt and canton of Valais, at an altitude of 2,211 m (7,254 ft) above mean sea level.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Theodul Glacier</span> Glacier of the Alps

    The Theodul Glacier is a glacier of the Alps, located south of Zermatt in the canton of Valais. It lies on the Swiss side of the Pennine Alps, although its upper basin touches the Italian region of the Aosta Valley. The glacier descends from the west side of the Breithorn and splits into two diverging branches above Gandegg: the Upper Theodul Glacier, spilling on a high plateau near Trockener Steg, together with the Furgg Glacier, and the Lower Theodul Glacier, reaching a height of about 2,500 metres (8,202 ft) above the Gorner Glacier. Both branches are part of the Rhone basin, through the rivers Gornera, Mattervispa, and Vispa. Slightly above the glacier splitting is the Theodul Pass, crossing the border between Switzerland and Italy, and connecting Zermatt to Breuil-Cervinia. On the west, the Theodul Glacier is overlooked by the Matterhorn.

    References

    1. "Zermatt winter superlatives". zermatt.ch. Zermatt Tourism. Retrieved 17 June 2021. Europe's highest outdoor railway station lies in Zermatt, at 3,089 metres above sea level.
    2. Ride the Zugspitzbahn rack railway up Germany's highest mountain, discover-bavaria.com
    3. "Bahnland Bayern in Zahlen". bahnland-bayern.de. Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft . Retrieved 17 June 2021. Der höchstgelegene Bahnhof befindet sich auf Deutschlands höchstem Berg: Es ist der Bahnhof Zugspitzplatt mit 2.588 m über dem Meeresspiegel.[The highest station is on Germany's highest mountain: it is the Zugspitzplatt station at 2,588 m above sea level.]
    4. "Mountain railways: The most beautiful rack railway routes in Europe". archyde.com. Retrieved 17 March 2021. The French have called a Nid d'Aigle – eagle's nest – the highest train station in their country.
    5. Nicola Williams, Damien Simonis, Kerry Walker. Switzerland (ebook Edition) . Lonely Planet
    6. 61512 Proceedings 2006/2007. IRSE Convention 2006: Interlaken, Switzerland. Institution of Railway Signal Engineers. Kleine Scheidegg, the highest railway junction in Switzerland