Group Excursions: Cable Car Rides

An impressive view from Piz Palü across the Bellavista to Piz Bernina. Six kilometres before the Bernina Pass, the cable car climbs up on the right to this glacier viewpoint at almost 3,000 metres above sea level.

The “Funi” (funicular railway), which overhang the Old Town and the river Sarine, is a “technical engineering marvel”, listed as a cultural asset of national importance. This nostalgic railway has been running since 1899 – with no exhaust fumes.

A stately ibex, head bowed, sits atop its throne on the summit of Piz Nair, overlooking the Upper Engadin at its feet.

Geneva’s local mountain lies 900 metres above the Jet d’Eau – on French soil but very much part of Geneva’s identity. The mountain has been accessible by rail for over 120 years and offers impressive views over the canton of Geneva to the Jura, and on a clear day to Mont Blanc.

The 2,970-metre Schilthorn offers 360-degree panoramic views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and more than 200 other peaks.

The panoramic view stretches across large parts of the Valais Haute Route: to the west, the Dents du Midi and Mont Blanc; to the south, the Grand Combin with the Val de Bagnes and Mauvoisin reservoir; to the east, the Weisshorn, Dent Blanche and Matterhorn; and northwards across the Rhone Valley to the Vaud and the Bernese Alps.

Some people say that the Matterhorn is best viewed from the Rothorn, since it showcases its pyramid shape perfectly. And who are we to argue? The mountains to the east of Zermatt are great viewpoints.

Already the Romans trod this path from the main Valais valley to the north. The historic Gemmipass crossing unites Leukerbad with Kandersteg – without roads, instead mountain rail.

Lugano’s home mountain and pinnacle of enjoyment - that’s San Salvatore! The striking mountain south of the town boasts 360° views over the lake and environs, far south and to the high Alps in the west.The funicular railway up this landmark mountain starts in Lugano-Paradiso.

One of the world’s steepest funicular railways departs from Leventina for the Ritomsee lake. Built by Swiss Federal Railways in 1917 to aid with the construction of the reservoir and power station, the little red train has been carrying 100 people per hour to the recreation area around the mountain lakes in the Val Piora since 1921.

This viewpoint was known a long time ago for ore mining, but is now famous for its far-reaching views. You could spot as many as 1,000 peaks from up here.

Despite undergoing a number of technical updates, the funicular railway still radiates the same nostalgic charm and romance it did way back in 1879.

The glacier to the west of the Wildstrubel is flat, 200 metres thick in places, and drains mainly towards Lenk in the Bernese Oberland but also into the Rhone Valley in Valais.

One of the most beautiful and perhaps most impressive mountain lakes can be reached by gondola from Kandersteg. The gondola also carries walkers looking to hike over the Hohtürli pass into the Kiental valley.

The journey to the Titlis is truly an adventure in itself. First take the Titlis Xpress gondola to the middle station, then continue your journey in the TITLIS Rotair, the world’s first revolving cable car, all the way to the top.

Two cable cars over the blue lakes of the Upper Engadin – different heights, different experiences: On the Corvatsch you can enjoy high-alpine views of Piz Bernina’s Biancograt ridge, while Furtschellas offers a hiking paradise with six mountain lakes.

With his keen eye for beautiful landscapes, and unique light conditions, Segantini discovered this special patch of the earth. Between the wide valley of the River Inn and the valley that leads to the Bernina Pass, this is probably the most beautiful vantage point above the lakes of Upper Engadine. Sunsets from here are a sight to behold.

The Allalinhorn above Saas-Fee is what gave the area its name. With the right equipment and in the company of a mountain guide, the four-thousand-metre peak is a relatively easy climb for a sporty mountaineer.

At the very heart of Switzerland, a world record-holding technical innovation awaits: the steepest funicular railway in the world leads from Schwyz up to the car-free mountain village of Stoos. The journey there is an experience in itself, with passengers being taken up to a natural paradise 1,300 metres up.

A culinary voyage of discovery between mountains and lakes on lake Brienz. This allows you to discover the Bernese Oberland.

With breathtaking 360-degree panoramic views, the Rigi offers a first-class mountain experience whatever the season. The cog railways from Goldau and Vitznau, as well as the cable car from Weggis, enable a variety of round trips, which can also be combined with a boat trip on Lake Lucerne.

It’s not hard to pinpoint the distinctive head of rock at the entrance to the Bernese Oberland – but the fact that you can stand pretty much on top to enjoy views direction Thun, Aare Valley and Bern as far as Jura is known to few.

The cable cars once used by mountain farmers are known in Swiss dialect as Buiräbähnli. They are now are the highlight of a multi-day hike through the mountains of the Engelberg region – the Buiräbähnli Safari.

Since 1885, this funicular has been the fastest route from Bern railway station to the Aare and the Marzili-Bad lido. It now carries a million passengers per year, departing every few minutes on its one-minute journey.

Thrill-seekers will certainly find what they’re looking for here in the Haslital valley, on the Bernese side of the Grimsel Pass. With a maximum gradient of 106%, this single-carriage funicular is undisputedly the steepest in Europe.

The days of having to saddle up a mule to get to Belalp are long gone – nowadays there’s a cable car to take you there from the valley station at Blatten bei Naters.

The journey in the big Säntis cable car from Schwägalp across the rocky ridges to the mountain station is an impressive experience in itself. And once you reach the “weather mountain”, the view of six different countries will take your breath away.

This easy-to-climb 3,000-metre peak in the Val d’Anniviers valley is often described as the best mountain in the Valais for views. You can see into the high mountains, the Weisshorn and Dent Blanche close by and the Matterhorn in the distance.

Even on the way up from Malans in the little yellow gondola cabins, you can enjoy the view as far as Chur and Graubünden's Rhine Valley. More views await you 1,200 metres further up in the cosy mountain restaurant. Like the restaurant, the railway is operated by enthusiastic locals.

A place for anyone who seeks peace and quiet, appreciates nature and wants to experience history. The historic hotel and Alpine landscape are what makes this spot 300 metres above Davos so special.

The Parsenn funicular climbs the Weissfluhjoch in two sections much like an express train. With the Davos landscape below us, the view extends as far as Piz Kesch, the Bernina and 60 kilometres to the south.

Three exciting rail lines lead to the Emosson reservoir. The adventure begins in Martigny, passing through the deep ravine of the Trient valley before ending at the 180-metre-high dam.

Unlimited fun and adventure for active types, explorers, children and families. Numerous hiking and biking routes follow the barely visible border between Switzerland and Austria.

An emblem of Zurich, the nostalgic Polybahn links the old town with one of the most beautiful viewing terraces high above the city.

Between the Basel area and Solothurn’s Thal nature park lies the scenic Passwang range of hills. From Liestal you reach the Jura heights in solely 45 minutes by bus and gondola rail to Wasserfallen.

Even the Neanderthals came here. Today, the cable car sweeps over the rugged rocks and once inhabited caves to the Ebenalp, the starting point for a wide range of discoveries.