Steepest funicular in the world opens in Switzerland

The Stoos Bahn has been 14 years in the making

The steepest funicular railway in the world has opened in Switzerland, with gradients of up to 110 per cent.

Running from the valley floor in the town of Schwyz up to the village of Stoos, which is located on a plateau beneath the Fronalpstock mountain, the Stoos Bahn was 14 years in the making and cost CHF52m (£40m) to construct.

The carriages' design means they stay even (Reuters)

The funicular has been praised for its revolutionary design, with four cylindrical cabins that adjust to changes in gradient so the floor is always level.

Each carriage can carry up to 34 people at speeds of 10m a second along the 1,720m-track, with the journey taking four minutes.

It replaces the previous funicular, which had been going since it was built in 1933.

Gradients reach 110 per cent (Reuters)

The track passes through the side of the mountain for some of the journey, and climbs 743m in total.

“After 14 years of planning and building, everyone is very proud of this train,” said railway spokesperson Ivan Steiner.

The Stoos Bahn opened to the public on Sunday 17 December.