New Zugerberg railway line: first preparatory work begins

01.10.2021 | After more than 114 years, the route of the Zugerberg railway needs to be renewed. The main work will start in February 2022 and last around eight months. An elevated track will be built, which will enable more stable operations, especially in winter. Initial preparatory work will be underway from 11 October 2021.

The new track will run in the same place as it does today and will be built as an elevated track over long stretches. This means that the existing tracks will be raised by a few centimetres to half a metre. The elevated track will contribute to a more stable operation and fewer interruptions due to snow can be expected, especially in winter. Suitable crossings will be created for wildlife crossing.

There is a clear focus on nature-friendly construction and realisation. The project team will be supported and advised by a construction biologist. The special landscape and the natural environment in which the route is located are taken into account. The material will be deliberately supplied by a construction cable car in order to carry out the work as gently as possible. The first preparatory work will begin on 11 October 2021 with the construction of the installation sites so that the main work can start immediately on 7 February 2022.

From 18 October, an information container will be available to interested members of the public at the Schönegg valley station with the most important information on the construction of the new route.

Access to the Zugerberg during the construction period

The Zugerberg Railway will cease operations from 7 February 2022 until the timetable change in December 2022. The access function for residents of the Zugerberg and the Institut Montana as well as the transport of guests will be ensured via a replacement railway. This will run from the Schönegg valley station via Geissbodenstrasse. With the exception of the replacement buses, a general driving ban will apply on Geissbodenstrasse during the entire construction period due to the construction site traffic. The timetable for the railway replacement can be found on the Zugerberg Railway website at www.zbb.ch.

In operation for over a century

The railway was built in 1906 and opened in 1907 to provide access to the local recreation area. Today, it is one of ten funicular railways in Central Switzerland and has been reliably transporting the people of Zug, hikers and families, mountain bikers and sledgers, schoolchildren and local residents up the nearby local mountain for over a century. The railway runs along a 1280 metre long track, which has withstood the weather and the strain of the railway for 114 years. Thanks to reliable maintenance and targeted renovation measures over the years, it has been possible for this railway line to last as long as it has. Now the track is undergoing a fundamental renovation to ensure that the popular local mountain remains accessible by railway in the future.

Further information

The Zugerberg Railway provides regular updates on the construction project on its website at www.zbb.ch/trassee.

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