Photos: Joe Mabel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Ank Kumar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 [Tycho] talk , http://shansov.net, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo credits
Photos: Joe Mabel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Ank Kumar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 [Tycho] talk , http://shansov.net, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
The railway built to reach Europe's highest station
Your local guide
Reto Wittwer
View profile
Highlights
- A railway built between 1890 and 1912
- Cliffs and waterfalls along the approach
- How a rack-and-pinion system climbs steep grades
- Europe's highest railway station explained
- The engineering behind an alpine railway
About this tour
This session traces the railway that carries travellers from Interlaken up into the high Alps, a line completed in stages between 1890 and 1912. You see the departure platforms at Interlaken Ost, the approach into the Lauterbrunnen valley, and the rack-and-pinion mechanism that makes the steepest sections possible. Reto explains the engineering choices that made reaching Europe's highest railway station achievable with the technology of the time.
He starts at the station itself and builds the story chronologically as the session moves toward the mountain. He slows down at the rack mechanism, since it is the detail most viewers ask about afterward.
This suits anyone interested in engineering or railway history, not only mountain scenery. It also helps make sense of any onward rail journey booked separately.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 6 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Interlaken before heading out.
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Interlaken Ost Platforms 17 min
Reto starts at the platforms where trains for the Jungfrau region depart, explaining how the line was pieced together over decades.
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Lauterbrunnen Valley Approach 17 min
The camera follows the line as it enters the valley, with cliffs and waterfalls rising on both sides of the track.
-
Rack Railway Mechanism 17 min
Closer to the mountain, Reto explains the rack-and-pinion system that lets the trains climb gradients a normal railway never could.
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Your questions 11 min
Time to ask anything about Interlaken: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 5 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Berner Platte and Matten, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Zurich time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 8 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Interlaken, showing you Interlaken Ost Platforms and Lauterbrunnen Valley Approach live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We connect on Google Meet with the link sent at booking. I move between the station and the valley approach with the phone in hand throughout.
Times shown in Zurich time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Thu 29 Oct · 8 seats left From 27,00 €
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