A funicular is a type of cable railway system which connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages permanently attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable, which is looped over a pulley at the upper end of the track. The result of such a configuration is that the two carriages move synchronously: as one ascends, the other descends at an equal speed. This feature distinguishes funiculars from inclined elevators, which have a single car that is hauled uphill.
Pilatus, also often referred to as Mount Pilatus, is a mountain massif overlooking Lucerne in Central Switzerland. It is composed of several peaks, of which the highest is named Tomlishorn.
The Jungfrau Railway is a mountain railway in the Bernese Alps, connecting Kleine Scheidegg in the Bernese Oberland to the Jungfraujoch, across the Valais border. The railway, which uses a 1,000 mmmetre gauge and racks, runs 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) from the station of Kleine Scheidegg to the Jungfraujoch. It is the highest railway in Switzerland and Europe, the Jungfraujoch being the highest railway station on the continent and well above the perennial snow line. As a consequence, the railway runs essentially within the Jungfrau Tunnel, built into the neighbouring Eiger and Mönch, to protect the line from snow and extreme weather. Another particularity of the Jungfrau Railway is the high elevation of its starting point, at the hub of Kleine Scheidegg, also the highest in Europe.
The Peak Tram is a funicular railway in Hong Kong, which carries both tourists and residents to the upper levels of Hong Kong Island. Running from Garden Road Admiralty to Victoria Peak via the Mid-Levels, it provides the most direct route and offers good views over the harbour and skyscrapers of Hong Kong. Operated since 1888, it was the first funicular railway in Asia.
The Harderbahn (HB) is one of two funiculars that operate from the town of Interlaken. The Harderbahn leads to the western end of the Harder in the north of Interlaken across the river Aare, in Switzerland.
The Schynige Platte Railway is a mountain railway in the Bernese Highlands area of Switzerland, which connects the town of Wilderswil, near Interlaken with the famous wildflower gardens of the Schynige Platte.
The Lauterbrunnen–Mürren Mountain Railway is a hybrid transport system in the Bernese Oberland area of Switzerland, which connects the villages of Lauterbrunnen and Mürren. The system consists of a connected aerial cableway, also known as the Grütschalpbahn, and an adhesion worked mountain railway. The cableway replaced a funicular, on the same route, in 2010.
The Montserrat Rack Railway is a mountain railway line north-west of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. The line runs from Monistrol de Montserrat to the mountain-top monastery of Montserrat.
The Uetliberg is a mountain in the Swiss plateau, part of the Albis chain, rising to 870 m (2,850 ft). The mountain offers a panoramic view of the entire city of Zürich and the Lake of Zurich, and lies on the boundary between the city of Zürich and the municipalities of Stallikon and Uitikon. The summit, known as Uto Kulm, is in Stallikon.
The Thunersee–Beatenberg Funicular is a funicular in the Swiss Canton of Berne. It links a jetty, at Beatenbucht in the municipality of Sigriswil and on the shores of Lake Thun, to the village of Beatenberg, situated on the plateau above at 1,120 metres (3,675 ft) above sea level.
The Penang Hill Railway is a one-section funicular railway which climbs the Penang Hill from Air Itam, on the outskirts of the city of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. The railway first opened in 1923 as a two-section railway, and the system was overhauled in 2010. The total journey time can take between five and twenty minutes. The funicular train coach travels directly from the lower station to the top, but may stop at other intermediate stations upon request.
Piz Nair is a mountain of the Albula Alps in Switzerland, overlooking St. Moritz in the canton of Graubünden. The peak is easily accessible from the village with a funicular and a cable car; the upper station unloads 30 metres (100 ft) below the summit. Below the summit to the east is the Corviglia ski area.
The Moléson is a mountain of the Swiss Prealps, overlooking the region of Gruyères in the canton of Fribourg. It lies at the northern end of the chain between Lake Geneva and the valley of the Sarine.
The Gurten is a mountain situated just to the south of Bern, the capital city of Switzerland. It is 858 metres (2,815 ft) high, and the summit yields views of Bern, of the Jura mountains and of the Alps.
The Parsenn Funicular is a funicular railway in the resort of Davos in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The line links the town of Davos with the Weissfluhjoch ridge and the Parsenn ski area.
The Monte San Salvatore funicular, or Funicolare Monte San Salvatore, is a funicular railway in the city of Lugano in the Swiss canton of Ticino. The line links a lower station in the Lugano suburb of Paradiso with an upper station at the summit of the Monte San Salvatore. The top yields a 360° panorama with views of the city, Lake Lugano, Monte Generoso and the Italian enclave of Campione.
The Scheidegg is a mountain summit of the Rigi massif, overlooking Goldau in the canton of Schwyz on its north mountainside, and Gersau and the Gersauerbecken on its south side. The cable car station 160 metres east of it is called Rigi Scheidegg.
The Rigi–Scheidegg railway is a former railway line built high on the Rigi massif on the cantonal border between Lucerne and Schwyz in Switzerland. Today the line's trackbed, which is 6.7 kilometres (4 mi) in length, and includes a 70-metre (230 ft) tunnel and several bridges, is a rail trail, which serves as a panoramic footpath in summer, and as a route for cross-country skiing in winter.
