Bernese Oberland Railway

A winter cab ride on the Bernese Oberland Railway from Interlaken Ost up the Lütschine valley to Grindelwald, with two rack sections and the Eiger ahead.

The route

The Bernese Oberland Railway, known as the BOB, is the metre-gauge line that carries visitors from Interlaken into the Jungfrau region. It opened in 1890, when steam trains first climbed the Lütschine valley. From Interlaken Ost the line runs south to Zweilütschinen, where the valley forks. One branch goes to Lauterbrunnen, the other to Grindelwald. This film follows the Grindelwald arm, which is about 19 km long and climbs from 567 m at Interlaken Ost to 1,034 m at Grindelwald.

Most of the line works by ordinary adhesion, but the steeper pitches on the Grindelwald branch use two Riggenbach rack sections. A toothed rail between the running rails gives the train grip on gradients of up to 12 per cent. Trains usually leave Interlaken coupled together and divide at Zweilütschinen, with one half going to each valley. The motor coach stays on the uphill end, so nothing has to run round at the terminus.

The BOB is the first link in a chain of mountain transport. At Grindelwald it meets the Wengernalpbahn to Kleine Scheidegg, the start of the climb towards the Jungfraujoch. Grindelwald Terminal, an extra stop opened in 2019 just below the village, connects with the cableway to Männlichen. For people who live along the valley, the line is also an everyday commuter railway.

What you will see

The film starts in the flat land between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz at Interlaken Ost and soon reaches Wilderswil at the mouth of the valley. From there the line follows the Lütschine upstream between steep, wooded slopes. In this winter film the river runs dark between snowy banks, and the spruce forest comes right down to the track. At Zweilütschinen, watch for the junction where the two valleys part and the Lauterbrunnen line bears away on its own.

Beyond Zweilütschinen the train follows the Black Lütschine east towards Grindelwald. The valley is narrower here and the gradient more noticeable. On the rack sections you can see the toothed rail in the centre of the track, and the train slows to a steady climb. Lütschental and the small request stops at Burglauenen and Schwendi go by in quick succession, with farmhouses scattered across the snowy slopes.

On the final approach the valley opens out into the wide basin of Grindelwald. The train passes Grindelwald Terminal and its cableway station before reaching the village. Look ahead for the Eiger, whose north face rises steeply above the end of the line.

Riding it for real

The BOB is part of the Jungfrau Railways group. Trains run regularly through the day from Interlaken Ost, which is also served by main-line trains from Bern and the rest of Switzerland. No seat reservation is needed. Because trains divide at Zweilütschinen, check the destination shown on your coach before you sit down.

The Swiss Travel Pass covers the BOB, and regional passes for the Jungfrau area are also available. Many visitors ride up to Grindelwald, continue to Kleine Scheidegg and return via Wengen and Lauterbrunnen to make a loop. Check the Jungfrau Railways website for current timetables, connections and fares before you travel.

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