Gütsch Funicular

The Gütsch Funicular, also known as the Drahtseilbahn Gütsch (DBG) or simply the Gütschbahn, is a funicular railway in the city of Lucerne in the Swiss canton of Lucerne. The line links a lower station located on Baselstrasse, some 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) west of the centre of the city, with an upper station adjacent to the Château Gütsch hotel,[1] 90 m above.

Gütschbahn
upper station and hotel (2012)
Overview
Other name(s)Drahtseilbahn Gütsch
StatusIn operation
LocaleLucerne, Switzerland
Termini
Stations2
Websitechateau-guetsch.ch
Service
TypeFunicular
Operator(s)Verkehrsbetriebe Luzern
Rolling stock2
History
Opened22 August 1884 (1884-08-22)
Extension1897
Operations suspended21 April 2008
Reopened after new installation25 September 2015 (2015-09-25)
Technical
Line length170 m (560 ft)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Electrification1961 (water counterbalancing before)
Highest elevation519 m (1,703 ft)

The Château Gütsch was constructed between 1881 and 1883 on a site overlooking the city of Lucerne and modelled on the architecture of Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria. In order to link the hotel to the city, the water-powered Gütschbahn funicular was opened on 22 August 1884. The line continued operating until 21 April 2008, when service ceased until further notice. After rebuilding, the line reopened on 26 September 2015.[1][2]

In its current guise the line is operated by Verkehrsbetriebe Luzern, the city's transport operator, and is integrated into zone 10 of the city's integrated fare system. It has the following parameters:[1]

Feature Value
Number of stops 2
Configuration Twin track
Mode of operation Automatic
Track length 170 metres (558 ft)
Rise 90 metres (300 ft)
Track gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Number of cars 2
Capacity 8 passengers per car
Travel time 1.5 minutes

See also
  • early image of the funicular (ca. 1885)
    early image of the funicular (ca. 1885)
  • Share certificate of the Gütschbahn-Gesellschaft (founded 1895, wound-up 2007), issued 19. January 1895
    Share certificate of the Gütschbahn-Gesellschaft (founded 1895, wound-up 2007), issued 19. January 1895
  • hiking destination from upper station: Luzern, Gütschwald, Oberwil, Littau, Sonnenberg [de]
    hiking destination from upper station: Luzern, Gütschwald, Oberwil, Littau, Sonnenberg

References
  1. Ammann, Christian; Haydock, David (November 2015). "Gütschbahn reopens". Today's Railways. Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. p. 15.
  2. "Gütschbahn" (in German). Prellbock Druck & Verlag. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2015.


47.051631°N 8.296051°E / 47.051631; 8.296051

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