Brienz Rothorn Railway

The steam railway. Unusually for Switzerland the line is not electrified, and most trains are still pulled by steam locomotives, pushing up gradients of up to 25% from the lakeside at Brienz to 2,244 meters. The smoke, the noise and the slow, working climb are the experience, as much as the summit. From the top, Lake Brienz lies far below on one side with the Bernese Alps beyond. It runs only in summer and fall, roughly June to late October, and some departures run on weekends only, so check the timetable before planning a day around it.