Furka-Oberalp

One of the last private rail networks in Switzerland and the core of the narrow gauge network in the East-West Alpine corridor. If you ever travel to Zermatt, you will likely see their red trains with the large distinctive "FO" logo.

The company was founded in 1910 to connect Disentis with Brig by rail. It ran into financial trouble early on, and the first Brig-Disentis run was only completed in 1925. The original track ran on the Furka pass and was closed in the winter. In 1982, work was completed on the 15.4km Furka base tunnel which permitted year round operation.

Furka-Oberalp runs a rail network that connects Disentis/Muster (Grisons/Graubuden, 1130m)and Goschenen (Uri, 1435m) with Brig (Valais, 671m) over 100 km of track. They have their own rolling stock because most of the SBB network is standard gauge. The Furka-Oberalp network is part of the Glacier Express between Zermatt and St. Moritz, this tourist ride has been serving those who want to see the Alps from a distance since 1930. The popular train trip is run by Furka-Oberalp along with the BVZ Zermatt-Bahn and Rhatische Bahn using special coaches with panoramic windows.

The initial climb from Goschenen to Andermatt through the Schollennen gorge is worth travelling if you are a transport buff. Most of it is on a cog-wheel track, the bridges are ancient, and the mountains are criss-crossed by roads and track. Between Oberwald (Valais, 1368) and Brig, the track runs through the Goms valley, which was carved out by the Rhone. The Rhone was a wide, shallow stream running through the valley up until a few centuries ago, when it was channeled and the marshes cleaned up. It has always been the most largest and important valley in Valais. The train ride through the Goms is scenic with 3000m peaks on either side and a view of the Mt. Blanc massif on a clear day. Since the Aletsch glacier lies parallel to the Goms, the area gets a lot of tourist traffic.