Oberwald railway station
Encyclopedia
Oberwald railway station is a metre gauge
station serving the village of Oberwald
, in the Canton
of Valais
, Switzerland
. The station is close to the western portal of the Furka Base Tunnel, on the Furka Oberalp Bahn (FO), which connects Brig
in Valais
, via the base tunnel and Andermatt
in Uri
, with Göschenen
, Uri, and Disentis/Mustér
, Graubünden
. Since , the FO has been owned and operated by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB), following a merger between the FO and the Brig-Visp-Zermatt railway (BVZ)
.
At ceremony held on 12 August 2010, Oberwald station also became a station on the Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway
(DFB), a heritage railway
operating in summer over the FO section that was replaced by the Furka Base Tunnel in 1982. The portion of the DFB between Oberwald and Gletsch
was formally reopened that day, following the driving of a gold spike at a ceremony on 18 June 2010 to mark the physical reconnection of that portion of the line. Scheduled DFB services commenced on 13 August 2010.
trains, which are operated at this point by the MGB, call at Oberwald, on their journey between Zermatt
and either St.Moritz
or Davos Platz
.
The MGB also operates regional services from Visp
via Brig and Oberwald to Andermatt and beyond, at hourly intervals.
Additionally, the MGB operates frequent car shuttle train
s through the Furka Base Tunnel between Oberwald and Realp
in Uri.
DFB heritage train services operate only between June and October.
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
station serving the village of Oberwald
Oberwald, Valais
Oberwald is village in the municipality of Obergoms in Goms District in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.It is situated at an elevation of 1377 m and has a population of 230...
, in the Canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The station is close to the western portal of the Furka Base Tunnel, on the Furka Oberalp Bahn (FO), which connects Brig
Brig railway station
Brig railway station is an important railway junction in the municipality of Brig-Glis , in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland...
in Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
, via the base tunnel and Andermatt
Andermatt railway station
Andermatt railway station is an important railway junction on the metre gauge Furka Oberalp Bahn . It serves the municipality of Andermatt, in the Canton of Uri, Switzerland...
in Uri
Canton of Uri
Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St. Gotthard Pass. German is the primary language spoken in Uri...
, with Göschenen
Göschenen railway station
Göschenen railway station, in the Canton of Uri, Switzerland, is an important railway junction on the Gotthardbahn railway line, at the northern end of the Gotthard Rail Tunnel....
, Uri, and Disentis/Mustér
Disentis/Mustér railway station
Disentis/Mustér is the eastern terminus of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn line from Brig via Andermatt, and the western terminus of the Rhaetian Railway line from Landquart via Chur and Reichenau-Tamins....
, Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
. Since , the FO has been owned and operated by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB), following a merger between the FO and the Brig-Visp-Zermatt railway (BVZ)
BVZ Zermatt-Bahn
The Brig-Visp-Zermatt-Bahn – officially known between 1991 and 2002 as the BVZ Zermatt-Bahn – is a metre gauge railway in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. Its 44 kilometre long line links the communities of Brig and Visp in the Rhone Valley with Täsch and the car free holiday resort of Zermatt...
.
At ceremony held on 12 August 2010, Oberwald station also became a station on the Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway
Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway
The Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway is a company which operates a railway line between Realp and Oberwald...
(DFB), a heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
operating in summer over the FO section that was replaced by the Furka Base Tunnel in 1982. The portion of the DFB between Oberwald and Gletsch
Gletsch railway station
Gletsch railway station is a metre gauge railway station serving the village of Gletsch, in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland.-History and operations:...
was formally reopened that day, following the driving of a gold spike at a ceremony on 18 June 2010 to mark the physical reconnection of that portion of the line. Scheduled DFB services commenced on 13 August 2010.
Rail services to Oberwald
Every day, several Glacier ExpressGlacier Express
The Glacier Express is an express train connecting railway stations of the two major mountain resorts of St. Moritz and Zermatt in the Swiss Alps. The train is operated jointly by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn and Rhaetian Railway...
trains, which are operated at this point by the MGB, call at Oberwald, on their journey between Zermatt
Zermatt railway station
Zermatt railway station is a metre gauge railway station serving the car-free mountaineering and ski resort of Zermatt, in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. It is the southern terminus of the BVZ Zermatt-Bahn , which connects Zermatt with standard gauge lines at Visp and Brig...
and either St.Moritz
St. Moritz (Rhaetian Railway station)
St. Moritz is a railway station in St. Moritz, Switzerland. It is the southern terminus of the Albula Railway line from Chur. Hourly services operate on this section of the line. There is also an hourly service on the Bernina Railway line from St. Moritz to Tirano, Italy...
or Davos Platz
Davos Platz (Rhaetian Railway station)
Davos Platz station is located in the municipality of Davos in the district of Prattigau/Davos in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.It is the terminus of the Landquart-Davos railway line. Northbound, there is an hourly service towards Landquart. Southbound, there is an hourly service to Filisur. The...
.
The MGB also operates regional services from Visp
Visp railway station
Visp railway station is a junction station at Visp , in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a modern station building completed in 2007, and is served by two standard gauge lines and a metre gauge line....
via Brig and Oberwald to Andermatt and beyond, at hourly intervals.
Additionally, the MGB operates frequent car shuttle train
Car shuttle train
A car shuttle train, or car-carrying train , is a train used to transport accompanied cars, or automobiles, and usually also other types of road vehicles, for a relatively short distance.Car shuttle trains usually operate on lines passing through a rail tunnel and connecting two...
s through the Furka Base Tunnel between Oberwald and Realp
Realp railway station
Realp railway station is a metre gauge station serving the municipality of Realp, in the Canton of Uri, Switzerland. The station is close to the eastern portal of the Furka Base Tunnel, on the Furka Oberalp Bahn , which connects Brig in Valais, via Andermatt in Uri, with Göschenen, Uri, and...
in Uri.
DFB heritage train services operate only between June and October.
Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn services
Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway services
See also
- Glacier ExpressGlacier ExpressThe Glacier Express is an express train connecting railway stations of the two major mountain resorts of St. Moritz and Zermatt in the Swiss Alps. The train is operated jointly by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn and Rhaetian Railway...
- Car shuttle trainCar shuttle trainA car shuttle train, or car-carrying train , is a train used to transport accompanied cars, or automobiles, and usually also other types of road vehicles, for a relatively short distance.Car shuttle trains usually operate on lines passing through a rail tunnel and connecting two...
- Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn
- Furka Base Tunnel
- Furka Oberalp Bahn
- Furka Cogwheel Steam RailwayFurka Cogwheel Steam RailwayThe Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway is a company which operates a railway line between Realp and Oberwald...