Marzilibahn – a million and more passengers - Bern

Since1885 the fastest way from the Berne railway station to the Aare and Marzili-Bad. The small railway transports a million passengers annually, with the journey taking around a minute, and departures every two.

The shortest funicular rail stretch in Europe. Until 1974 a so-called water ballast train – with 3,500-liter water tank (filled with water from the stream) beneath the passenger carriage – pulled the weight of the upwards-bound cable carriage on the other side.

And as carriage number 1 made its way up the105-meter stretch, it did so with the aid of the other water-loaden carriage - and on reaching the middle they appeared to cross – as viewed from above. How this worked, nowadays one would surely say heaven only knows!
Altitude: 539m
Accessibility:
300-meters from Bahnhof Bern on foot to the "Kleiner Schanze" next to the Bundeshaus; railway down to Marzili
View: Over the Federal Terrace to the Aare, with Schwellenmätteli and Marzili-Quartier, by fine weather as far as the Bernese Alps and Jungfrau
Attractions: (reached with the Marzilibähnli railway) Marzili swimming pool, swimming the Aare with the views of the Bundeshaus (government building)
Culinary aspects: Bistroz Marzer next to the Marzilibahn railway, Restaurant Marzilibrücke, Restaurant Schwellenmätteli
Overnight stays: In the city of Berne
Groups: By the valley station of the Marzlibahn you find the youth hostel (double and multi-bed rooms) with a large hall and stage
Special comments: Historic brown wooden water-ballast train, not far from the valley station, with a second one viewed at the museum of transport in Lucerne