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Pilatus RailwaySteepest Railway in the World |
Pilatus Kulm, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
or well over a hundred years, the Pilatus Railway's railcars have been climbing to the summit of the imposing Pilatus on the world's boldest cogwheel railway line. With a maximum gradient of 48%, it is the steepest cogwheel railway in the world and unique of its kind. This extraordinary steepness was accompanied by the risk that the cogwheel railway systems known at the time would cause the railcar teeth to rise. The builders therefore had to create a special cogwheel system with a special rack. The so-called "Locher system" engages on both sides in a rack arranged in the centre and thus enables a safe journey.
he Pilatus Railway (Pilatusbahn) in central Switzerland is a remarkable mountain rack railway that climbs from Alpnachstad, on Lake Lucerne, to the summit of Mount Pilatus (elevation 6800 feet). Completed in 1889, it was originally built as a steam-operated line and quickly gained fame for being the steepest cogwheel railway in the world, with gradients reaching 48%. Designed by engineer Eduard Locher, the line uses his unique Locher rack system with horizontal cogwheels, developed to prevent gear disengagement on such extreme slopes. The railway was electrified in 1937, ensuring smoother, cleaner, and more reliable operations. Today, the Pilatus Railway remains a celebrated engineering achievement and a major tourist attraction. Modern electric railcars built in 2023 by Stadler Rail offer riders breathtaking alpine views and a direct link to one of central Switzerland’s most iconic peaks.
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Pilatus Railway
- route:Alpnachstad - Pilatus Kulm
- season:May to November
- length:4816 meters / 2.87 miles
- time:27 min uphill / 33 min downhill
- climb:1635 meters / 5364 feet
- grade:38% average / 48% max
- voltage:1500 volts DC
- drive power:358 kW per railcar
- gauge:0.8 meter / 31.5 inches
- rack:Locher cogwheel railway system
- wagons:Stadler Bussnang AG, 2023
- dates:
- Jun 1889: opened with steam operation
May 1937: converted to electric operation
Jun 2023: reopened with new equipment
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Ämsigen, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
Alpnachstad
Hergiswil, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
Alpnachstad, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
Click to see the Alpnachstad railway station area plotted on a Google Maps page
Alpnachstad, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
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Alpnachstad, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
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route map / collection / adapted RWH
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Ämsigen, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
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Pilatus Kulm
Pilatus Kulm, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
Click to see the Pilatus Kulm station area plotted on a Google Maps page
Pilatus Kulm, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
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collection
Pilatus Kulm, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
fter the 125th anniversary of the world's steepest cogwheel railway, the time had come to transfer the historical legacy into a new era and thus prepare it for the coming decades. With the redesign of the cogwheel railway, around 55 million Swiss Francs were invested in eight new passenger railcars, a new freight railcar and other optimisations. The primary aim of the investment project was to preserve the unique cultural asset that Eduard Locher and his team created over 130 years ago. Thanks to the pioneering rack and pinion system, the cogwheel railway has managed a record gradient of 48% since 1889 - a feat that remains unrivalled worldwide to this day. After all these years, the system shows hardly any signs of wear and remains practically unchanged.
In addition to the centrepiece of the renovation, the new passenger and freight railcars, three new, custom-made track turnouts were installed in Alpnachstad and a second platform was built. The Ämsigen middle station and the Pilatus Kulm mountain station were also optimised. All of these construction measures enable the world's steepest cogwheel railway to operate more efficiently.
Pilatus Kulm, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
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Pilatus Kulm, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
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Pilatus Kulm, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
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 (2,128.5 m [6,983 ft]) is named Tomlishorn.
The whole mountain range stretches at least from the Lopper just opposite from Stansstad to the east as far as at least to the Mittaggüpfi (1,917 m [6,289 ft]) and the Risetestock (1,759 m [5,771 ft]) to the west on the border between LU and OW.
The highest peak, Tomlishorn (2,128.5 m [6,983 ft]), and the other peaks, such as Widderfeld (2,076 m [6,811 ft]) even further west than the Tomlishorn on the border between LU and OW, Matthorn (2,040 m [6,690 ft]) to the south, the Klimsenhorn (1,906 m [6,253 ft]) to the north (NW), and Rosegg (1,974 m [6,476 ft]) and Windegg (1,673 m [5,489 ft]) to the east, both on the border of NW and OW, should only be approached with appropriate Alpine hiking equipment.
The top can be reached with the Pilatus Railway, the world's steepest cogwheel railway, from Alpnachstad, operating from May to November (depending on snow conditions) and the whole year with the aerial panorama gondolas and aerial cableways from Kriens. Tomlishorn is located about 1.3 km (0.81 mi) to the southeast of the top cable car and cog railway station. Two other peaks, closer to the stations are called Esel (Donkey, 2,118 m [6,949 ft]), which lies just east over the railway station, the one on the west side is called Oberhaupt (Head-Leader, 2,105 m [6,906 ft]).
During the summer, the "Golden Round Trip" — a popular route for tourists — involves taking a boat from Lucerne across Lake Lucerne to Alpnachstad, going up on the cogwheel railway, coming down on the aerial cableways and panorama gondolas, and taking a trolleybus back to Lucerne.
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Swiss Museum of Transport
Lucerne, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
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Lucerne, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
Lucerne, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
Lucerne, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
See also our complete Swiss Museum of Transport scrapbook in Preservation
Lagniappe
Into the Dragon's Lair
Pilatus Kulm, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
The Little Train that Could
Pilatus Kulm, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
In the Land of Pilatus
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Snapshots
Alpnachstad, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
Pilatus Kulm, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
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Pilatus Kulm, CHE / Sep 2025 / RWH
Links / Sources
- Pilatus Railway website
- Wikipedia article for Pilatus Railway
