List of highest railways in Europe
List

List of highest railways in Europe

Section Title: List
Table Section Text: None

Railway	Country	Range	Highest point	Highest elevation	Maximum incline	Gauge	Rack railway	Type	Notes

Jungfrau	Switzerland	Alps	Jungfraujoch	3,454 m (11,332 ft)	25%	1,000 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail	Underground above 2,320 m, highest railway outside the Americas before the opening of the Qinghai Railway in 1984

Gornergrat	Switzerland	Alps	Gornergrat	3,090 m (10,138 ft)	20%	1,000 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail	Highest open-air railway in Europe

Zugspitze	Germany	Alps	Schneefernerhaus	2,650 m (8,694 ft)	25%	1,000 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail	Underground above 1,640 m, biggest height difference (1,945 m (6,381 ft))

Mont Blanc	France	Alps	Nid d'Aigle	2,372 m (7,782 ft)	24%	1,000 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail

Bernina	Switzerland/ Italy	Alps	Ospizio Bernina	2,253 m (7,392 ft)	7%	1,000 mm	No	Rail crossing	Highest rail crossing in Europe, open-air railway with the biggest height difference (1,824 m (5,984 ft)), highest point in Italy: 522 m

Brienz–Rothorn	Switzerland	Alps	Brienzer Rothorn	2,244 m (7,362 ft)	25%	800 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail	Not electrified

Riffelalp	Switzerland	Alps	Riffelalp Resort	2,222 m (7,290 ft)	5%	800 mm	No	Dead-end rail	Not electrified, highest tram line in Europe

Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway	Switzerland	Alps	Furka railway station	2,163 m (7,096 ft)	11.8%	1,000 mm	Yes	Rail crossing	Not electrified, seasonal operations

Pilatus Railway	Switzerland	Alps	Pilatus	2,073 m (6,801 ft)	48%	800 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail	Steepest railway in the world

Lauterbrunnen–Kleine Scheidegg–Grindelwald	Switzerland	Alps	Kleine Scheidegg	2,061 m (6,762 ft)	25%	800 mm	Yes	Rail crossing

Andermatt–Chur	Switzerland	Alps	Oberalp Pass	2,043 m (6,703 ft)	11%	1,000 mm	Yes	Rail crossing

Montreux–Glion–Rochers-de-Naye	Switzerland	Alps	Rochers de Naye	1,968 m (6,457 ft)	22%	800 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail

Schynige Platte	Switzerland	Alps	Schynige Platte	1,967 m (6,453 ft)	25%	800 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail

Vall de Núria	Spain	Pyrenees	Núria	1,964 m (6,444 ft)	15%	1,000 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail	Highest railway in Europe outside the Alps

Artouste	France	Pyrenees	Station d'Artouste	1,940 m (6,365 ft)	500 mm	No	Dead-end rail	Accessible only by cable car

Montenvers	France	Alps	Hotel du Montenvers	1,913 m (6,276 ft)	22%	800 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail

Les Montuires–Emosson	Switzerland	Alps	Les Montuires	1,822 m (5,978 ft)	1.46%	600 mm	No	Dead-end rail	Part of the Parc d'attractions du Châtelard

Albula	Switzerland	Alps	Albula Tunnel	1,820 m (5,971 ft)	3.5%	1,000 mm	No	Rail crossing

Cercedilla-Cotos	Spain	Central System	Cotos Railway station	1,818 m (5,965 ft)	1,000 mm	No	Dead-end rail	Highest railway operated by RENFE

Bex–Villars–Bretaye	Switzerland	Alps	Bretaye	1,806 m (5,925 ft)	20%	1,000 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail

Schneeberg	Austria	Alps	Schneeberg	1,792 m (5,879 ft)	19.6%	1,000 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail

Pontresina–Scuol-Tarasp	Switzerland	Alps	Pontresina	1,774 m (5,820 ft)	2.5%	1,000 mm	No	Dead-end rail	Lowest point at the terminus station (Scuol-Tarasp)

Rigi	Switzerland	Alps	Rigi Kulm	1,752 m (5,748 ft)	25%	1,435 mm	Yes	Rail crossing at Rigi Staffel, dead-end rail to the summit	Oldest mountain rack railway in Europe

Chur–Arosa	Switzerland	Alps	Arosa	1,739 m (5,705 ft)	6%	1,000 mm	No	Dead-end rail

Schafberg	Austria	Alps	Schafberg	1,732 m (5,682 ft)	25.5%	1,000 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail

Wendelstein	Germany	Alps	Wendelstein	1,723 m (5,653 ft)	23.7%	1,000 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail

Borjomi-Bakuriani	Georgia	Lesser Caucasus	Bakuriani	1,650 m (5,413 ft)	900 mm	No	Dead-end rail	Highest railway in Transcaucasia, Opened in 1902

Grütschalp–Mürren	Switzerland	Alps	Mürren	1,639 m (5,377 ft)	5%	1,000 mm	No	Dead-end rail	Accessible only by cable car

Landquart–Klosters–Davos	Switzerland	Alps	Davos Wolfgang	1,625 m (5,331 ft)	4.5%	1,000 mm	No	Rail crossing

Visp–Zermatt	Switzerland	Alps	Zermatt	1,605 m (5,266 ft)	12.5%	1,000 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail

Monte Generoso	Switzerland	Alps	Generoso Vetta	1,601 m (5,253 ft)	22%	800 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail

Cerdagne	France	Pyrenees	Bolquère-Eyne	1,592 m (5,223 ft)	6%	1,000 mm	No	Rail crossing

Portet-Saint-Simon–Puigcerdà	France/ Spain	Pyrenees	Porté-Puymorens	1,562 m (5,125 ft)	4%	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing	Highest adhesion and standard gauge railway in Europe

Brig–Andermatt	Switzerland	Alps	Realp	1,538 m (5,046 ft)	1,000 mm	Yes	Rail crossing

Ripoll-Puigcerdà	Spain	Pyrenees	Toses tunnel	1,494 m (4,902 ft)	1,668 mm	No	Rail crossing	Highest adhesion and Iberian gauge Railway in Spain

Aigle–Leysin	Switzerland	Alps	Leysin Grand Hôtel	1,450 m (4,757 ft)	23%	1,000 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail

Göschenen–Andermatt	Switzerland	Alps	Andermatt	1,436 m (4,711 ft)	17.9%	1,000 mm	Yes	Rail crossing

Panoramique des Dômes	France	Massif Central	Puy de Dôme	1,406 m (4,613 ft)	20%	1,000 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail

Mont-Blanc Express	France/ Switzerland	Alps	Vallorcine	1,384 m (4,541 ft)	90 ‰	1,000 mm	No	Rail crossing	Operated by the Martigny–Châtelard and Saint-Gervais–Vallorcine railways

Brenner	Austria/ Italy	Alps	Brenner	1,371 m (4,498 ft)	2.5%	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Vevey–Les Pléiades	Switzerland	Alps	Les Pléiades	1,360 m (4,462 ft)	20%	1,000 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail

Madrid-Hendaye	Spain/ France	Central System	Herradón-La Cañada Railway station	1,360 m (4,462 ft)	1,668 mm	No	Rail crossing

Tatra	Slovakia	Tatra Mountains	Štrbské Pleso	1,350 m (4,429 ft)	15%	1,000 mm	Yes	Rail crossing

Fréjus	Italy/ France	Alps	Fréjus Tunnel	1,338 m (4,390 ft)	3%	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Arlberg	Austria	Alps	Arlberg Tunnel	1,311 m (4,301 ft)	3.1%	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Villalba-Segovia	Spain	Central System	Gudillos tunnel	1,300 m (4,265 ft)	1,668 mm	No	Rail crossing

Montreux-Oberland Bernois	Switzerland	Alps	Saanenmöser Pass	1,279 m (4,196 ft)	7%	1,000 mm	No	Rail crossing

León-Gijón	Spain	Cantabrian Mountains	La Perruca tunnel	1,278 m (4,193 ft)	1,668 mm	No	Rail crossing

Sulmona-Isernia	Italy	Apennines	Rivisondoli-Pescocostanzo	1,268 m (4,160 ft)	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Septemvri-Dobrinishte	Bulgaria	Between Rhodope and Rila Mountains	Avramovo	1,267 m (4,157 ft)	3.2%	760 mm	No	Rail crossing	Highest railway in the Balkan Peninsula

Ritten	Italy	Alps	Rappersbichl	1,255 m (4,117 ft)	1,000 mm	No	Dead-end rail	Accessible by cable car

Lötschberg	Switzerland	Alps	Lötschberg Tunnel	1,240 m (4,068 ft)	2.7%	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing	Highest adhesion and standard gauge railway in Switzerland

Bergen	Norway	Scandinavian Mountains	Finse Tunnel	1,237 m (4,058 ft)	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing	Highest railway in Scandinavia

Nyon–St-Cergue–La Cure	Switzerland	Jura Mountains	Col de la Givrine	1,228 m (4,029 ft)	6%	1,000 mm	No	Dead-end rail	Highest railway in the Jura Mountains

Tauern	Austria	Alps	Tauern Tunnel	1,226 m (4,022 ft)	3%	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Sagunto-Zaragoza	Spain	Iberian System	Puerto Escandón railway station	1,218 m (3,996 ft)	1,668 mm	No	Rail crossing

Madrid-Barcelona high-speed rail line	Spain	Iberian System	Somewhere between Layna and Arbujuelo during the brief pass of the line through Castile and Leon	1,217 m (3,993 ft)	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing	Highest high-speed rail line in Spain. Higuest adhesion and standard gauge railway in Spain.

Monastier La Bastide-Saint-Laurent-les-Bains	France	Massif Central	Allenc	1,215 m (3,986 ft)	27 ‰	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Erzberg	Austria	Alps	Präbichl	1,204 m (3,950 ft)	7.1%	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Veynes–Briançon	France	Alps	Briançon	1,203 m (3,947 ft)	2.5%	1,435 mm	No	Dead-end rail

Madrid-Valladolid high-speed rail line	Spain	Central System	Guadarrama Tunnel	1,200 m (3,937 ft)	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing	High-speed rail line

Canfranc Railway	Spain	Pyrenees	Canfranc International Railway Station	1,194 m (3,917 ft)	1,668 mm	No	Dead end rail (see remarks)	A former rail crossing between Spain and France. Nowadays rail traffic on the Spanish side ends at Canfranc International Railway Station.

La Robla Railway	Spain	Cantabrian Mountains	Alto del Cristo del Amparo	1,192 m (3,911 ft)	1,668 mm	No	Rail crossing

Lyon-Perrache - Marseille-Saint-Charles	France	Alps	Col de la Croix Haute	1,174 m (3,852 ft)	25 ‰	1,435 mm	No	Rail Crossing

Torralba-Soria	Spain	Iberian System	Miño de Medinaceli Railway Station	1,162 m (3,812 ft)	1,668 mm	No	Rail crossing	Not electrified

Aigle–Sépey–Diablerets	Switzerland	Alps	Les Diablerets	1,155 m (3,789 ft)	6%	1,000 mm	No	Dead-end rail

Figeac - Arvant	France	Massif Central	Le Lioran	1,151 m (3,776 ft)	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Gotthard	Switzerland	Alps	Gotthard Tunnel	1,151 m (3,776 ft)	2.7%	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Aranjuez-Valencia	Spain	Sierra de los Palancares	Los Palancares Railway station?	Approximately: 1,132 m (3,714 ft)	1,668 mm	No	Rail crossing	Highest point and its altitude need to be confirmed with reliable sources.

Salamanca-Ávila	Spain	Central System	Ávila Railway Station	1,132 m (3,714 ft)	1,668 mm	No	End rail (see remarks)	Not electrified The line ends in Ávila but trains can continue (and most of them continue) to Madrid using the Madrid-Hendaye line.

Brocken Railway	Germany	Harz	Brocken	1,125 m (3,691 ft)	3.3%	1,000 mm	No	Dead-end rail	Not electrified

La Chaux-de-Fonds–Ponts-de-Martel	Switzerland	Jura Mountains	Above L'Abbaye	1,120 m (3,675 ft)	1,000 mm	No	Dead-end rail

Ausserfern	Austria/ Germany	Alps	Lähn	1,106 m (3,629 ft)	3.75%	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Zamora-A Coruña	Spain	Galician Massif	Approximately: 1,100 m (3,609 ft)	1,668 mm	No	Rail crossing	Higuest point and exact altitude need to be confirmed with reliable sources. Part of the line, including the highest parts, isn't electrified.

León-A Coruña	Spain	Montes de León	Brañuelas Tunnel	Approximately: 1,100 m (3,609 ft)	1,668 mm	No	Rail crossing	Exact altitude needs to be confirmed with reliable sources.

Madrid-Barcelona	Spain	Iberian System	Approximately: 1,080 m (3,543 ft)	1,668 mm	No	Rail crossing	Higuest point and exact altitude needs to be confirmed with reliable sources.

La Chaux-de-Fonds–Le Noirmont–Glovelier	Switzerland	Jura Mountains	Hotel de Bellevue	1,071 m (3,514 ft)	1,000 mm	No	Rail crossing

Yverdon–Ste-Croix	Switzerland	Jura Mountains	Sainte-Croix	1,066 m (3,497 ft)	4.4%	1,000 mm	No	Dead-end rail

Snowdon	United Kingdom	Snowdonia	Snowdon	1,065 m (3,494 ft)	800 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail	Highest railway in the British Isles

Béziers - Neussargues	France	Massif Central	Les Monts-Verts	1,056 m (3,465 ft)	33,5 ‰	1,435 mm	No	Rail Crossing

Ploiești–Brașov	Romania	Carpathian Mountains	Predeal	1,054 m (3,458 ft)	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Vallorbe–Le Brassus	Switzerland	Jura Mountains	Le Lieu	1,050 m (3,445 ft)	2.3%	1,435 mm	No	Dead-end rail

Laqueuille - Mont-Dore	France	Massif Central	Mont-Dore	1,050 m (3,445 ft)	35 ‰	1,435 mm	No	Dead-end rail

Neuchâtel–La Chaux-de-Fonds–Col-des-Roches	Switzerland	Jura Mountains	Les Convers	1,048 m (3,438 ft)	3.1%	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Monthey–Champéry	Switzerland	Alps	Champéry (north station)	1,044 m (3,425 ft)	13.5%	1,000 mm	Yes	Dead-end rail

Tenda	Italy/ France	Alps	Tenda Tunnel	1,040 m (3,412 ft)	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Interlaken–Grindelwald	Switzerland	Alps	Grindelwald	1,034 m (3,392 ft)	12%	1,000 mm	Yes	Rail crossing

Saint-Germain-des-Fossés Nîmes	France	Massif Central	La Bastide-Puylaurent	1,025 m (3,363 ft)	25 ‰	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Dovre	Norway	Scandinavian Mountains	Hjerkinn	1,024 m (3,360 ft)	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Nice - Digne	France	Alps	Thorame-Haute	1,015 m (3,330 ft)	1,000 mm	No	Rail crossing

Aosta–Pré-Saint-Didier	Italy	Alps	Pré-Saint-Didier	1,004 m (3,294 ft)	1,435 mm	No	Dead-end rail

Brünig	Switzerland	Alps	Brünig	1,002 m (3,287 ft)	12%	1,000 mm	Yes	Rail crossing

Vimperk - Volary	Czech Republic	Šumava	near railroad station Kubova Huť	1,001 m (3,284 ft)	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Saint-Georges-d'Aurac - Saint-Étienne-Châteaucreux	France	Massif Central	Fix-Saint-Geneys	1,000 m (3,281 ft)	1,435 mm	No	Rail crossing

Sentence(s)

Most of Europe's highest railways are located in Alps.

final_sentence: Most of Europe's highest railways are located in Alps.