Gütsch Funicular


The Gütsch Funicular, also known as the Drahtseilbahn Gütsch 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 west of the centre of the city, with an upper station adjacent to the Château Gütsch hotel, 90 m above.
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.
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:
FeatureValue
Number of stops2
ConfigurationTwin track
Mode of operationAutomatic
Track length
Rise
Track gauge
Number of cars2
Capacity8 passengers per car
Travel time1.5 minutes