The Gelmer Funicular in the canton of Bern in Switzerland

By Online Harbour. Lifestyle

The Gelmerbahn in Bern, Switzerland

The Gelmer (Gelmerbahn) Funicular is a cable railway in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It links a lower terminus at Handegg, in the Haslital with an upper terminus at the Gelmersee lake.

While it is extremely steep, this railway only goes 4.5 miles per hour, giving plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. The passenger car takes 24 people on a 12-minute ride up at 1860m (6,102ft) above sea level.

You can either buy a roundtrip, riding in the cable car both ways or a one-way ticket choosing to hike back by walk which usually takes between 1.5 to 2 hours.

The Gelmerbahn was originally built in 1926 to transport heavy construction materials of the Gelmersee and it was not open to the public until 2001. The Gelmerbahn with a maximum inclination of up to 106% was the steepest funicular in Switzerland and Europe; until the opening of the new Stoos Funicular in 2017 (with 110% slope) also in Switzerland.

This popular attraction. The line operates from the beginning of June through October. Tickets are limited and sell out quickly and it is recommended to reserve online at the Grimseltor Tourist Centre few days in advance.