Brienzer Rothorn

Situated on the turquoise-blue Lake Brienz, the Brienz Rothorn Railway steams and chugs its way up to the impressive Brienzer Rothorn between June and October. During the roughly one-hour journey, the steam train puffs along the mountainside to Planalp, passing alpine meadows, streams, cliffs, and through light forests, climbing beyond the tree line towards a breathtaking panorama. With a bit of luck, you may spot deer, foxes, or ibex along the way. And it’s been doing this since 1892! The ride on the nostalgic steam cogwheel railway alone is “pure happiness to experience.” The coal-powered locomotives—burning about 250 kilos of coal per trip uphill—are in part originals from the 19th century, from the time when the Brienz Rothorn Railway was constructed in just 16 months.