Funiculars and cable cars Switzerland

The Schilthorn summit has been accessible by cableway since the 1960s. It was here that the world's first revolving restaurant was built, set amidst peaks of 3,000 and 4,000 m. Famous thanks to the James Bond film, Her Majesty's Secret Service, it has become a veritable place of pilgrimage, with experiences such as a visit to Bond World. You can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the famous film shoot, take a seat in the 360° restaurant and contemplate two hundred peaks during a 45-minute rotation and enjoy the unforgettable panorama.

It is one of the city's curiosities. The people of Fribourg are very attached to their unique funicular. Classified as a historical monument, it dates from 1899. It runs on the energy of the city's waste water, via a system of counterweights. The journey is short (2 minutes) but so efficient to reach the lower town (Neuveville and Auge) in the centre. It is used regularly by the inhabitants and is an integral part of the cliff. It is like a decor, a living sculpture that animates sometimes one district, sometimes the other.

In 6 minutes, you go from the GoldenPass MOB Les Avants stop to the pretty lookout of Sonloup, covering the 500 m that separate these two small villages. Trains are more frequent in winter, when the toboggan run is open! In spring, and especially in May, the fields are covered with daffodils and form a magnificent landscape. In Sonloup, the funicular's machinery, put into service in 1910 and recently renovated, is made visible to the public.

On a 300 m difference in altitude for a short trip of 600 m, this funicular, opened in 1883, connects the village of Territet (5 minutes from Montreux) to Glion (690 m altitude) in 3 minutes. At the time of its construction, it was the steepest ramp in the world. The view of the lake from Glion is indeed breathtaking! Today, it is the oldest funicular in Switzerland, and you really feel as if you've travelled back in time!

From Lucerne, access is easy and open all year round, simply park in the car park at the bottom of the cable car or take the bus from the centre. The ascent takes place in two stages. First you take the gondolas, which are used as lifts in winter when the snow covers the lower altitudes. Do not get off at the first arrival, to get to Pilatus you have to continue to Fräkmüntegg. The cable car takes you up to Pilatus Kulm.

Incredible rope course linking the two peaks Jakobsbad and Kronberg, created by the ropeway company leading to the same mountains. The Kronberg-Scheidegg-Chlepfhütte-Jakobsbad route rises between 3 and 8 m above sea level and comprises several itineraries with six to eight stations and varying degrees of difficulty, depending on the level required. A cable car ride up to the Kronberg is required. In winter, the route is also prepared daily.

The key to a panoramic view at 2,336 m above sea level, from the Black Forest to the high Bernese Alps. The 30-minute funicular ride up the 11,674 steps of the neighbouring staircase (world record!) is reserved for service personnel or, once a year, for competitors in the official Niesen Staircase Race. You can stop at various landings to hike up or down. The funicular is not open all year round, so the summer period is the best time to experience it.