Currently, there are only four working rack railways in Germany. Two of them deserve special attention. The first three described rack railways in Germany are popular, while the cog railway in Stuttgart is less known and thus less popular among tourists.
Rack railways in Germany
Wendelstein-Zahnradbahn (Wendelstein Rack Railway) – a mountain rack railway transports tourists near the summit of Wendelstein, which stands at 1,838 meters. The second highest railway in Germany. The upper station of the railway is at an elevation of 1,723 meters above sea level.
The railway has been operating since 1912, with the first train journey on May 12 and regular scheduled services starting on May 25. Construction of the line took two years and involved over 800 workers, mainly from Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is hard to believe that such a line could be built in such difficult mountainous conditions within two years, covering a length of 9.95 km.
From 1987 to 1991, the cog railway underwent a major overhaul, including the replacement of the carriages. The old trains are only run on selected days as retro trains.
The trains run between the stations Talbahnhof Brannenburg and Bergbahnhof Wendelstein. A one-way trip takes 25 minutes, passing through 8 galleries, 7 tunnels, and 12 bridges at an average speed of 20 km/h.
There are no toilets on the trains. Prices are very high.
Wendelstein Rack Railway – official website
Bayerische Zugspitzbahn – one of the most famous cog railways in Europe. Trains run from the center of the popular German ski resort Garmisch-Partenkirchen to tehe station situated just below the summit of Zugspitze, the highest peak in Germany. The peak stands at 2,962 meters above sea level. The railway does not reach the summit, but from its upper station, passengers can take a cable car to the top of Zugspitze.
The railway was constructed in three stages from 1928 to 1930. The route was renovated in 1991 and 1993.
The track gauge is 1,000 mm, and the route length is 19 kilometers. Ticket prices are also very high, making the railway accessible primarily to Western European tourists or wealthy tourists from our region.
Bayerische Zugspitzbahn – official website
Drachenfelsbahn – a rack railway in North Rhine-Westphalia was inaugurated in June 1883. The railway connects center of the Königswinter town with the summit of Drachenfels Mountain, offering panoramic views of the city and surroundings. Between the lower and upper stations, the train stops at Schloss Drachenburg station, located next to a beautiful castle. A passing loop is located at Schloss Drachenburg station. Additionally, at the summit of Drachenfels, there are small ruins of another castle.
The railway route is only 1.52 km long. It operates all year round except in December.
Drachenfelsbahn – official website
Stuttgart Rack Railway – an electric rack railway in Stuttgart called Zacke (spike) by the residents of Stuttgart. It was inaugurated in 1884 and electrified in 1902. Currently, it is a rather a tram or a light rail system. The railway operates scheduled passenger services and is part of the public transportation system in Stuttgart. It runs as line number 10 every day throughout the year. The route length is 2.2 km. The rack railway cars includes a trailer in uphill direction for transporting bicycles.
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Train travel in Germany – a comprehensive guide
