What do the Grand Budapest Hotel and the Fortress Hohensalzburg have in common? I realize one is a fictional location, and one actually exists, but stay with me here (Do you know which is which?). Yes, they are both grandiose and over the top but that’s not it. Yes, they are both outside of the United States but that’s not it either. Give up? To access these magnificent monuments, one must travel by funicular.
What? You’ve never traveled by funicular? I don’t understand why. To me, it is one of the most unique modes of transportation, ranking up there with the cogwheel train. These two people-movers actually serve a very specific purpose and solve a unique problem. Those who live in mountainous areas like the Alps know what that is.
It’s about the incline. Funiculars are used to traverse terrains that are so steep traditional, flat, steel rail trains or roadways can’t possibly do the job. A funicular is basically two cars tethered together by a cable which run on a rail. It’s a counterbalanced system. And, where they meet in the middle the rail splits into a loop so the cars can pass each other. The weight of one pulls the other up the steep incline. The Reisszug funicular that takes patrons to the Fortress Hohensalzburg in Salzburg, Austria, has been in operation since the 1500s.1 It was originally powered by humans or animals but is now powered by metal cables and electric motors.
If you want to visit the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain, you will ride an equally unique form of transportation, the cogwheel train, which you board at the station in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Here, you will catch the white-blue train, which amazingly can travel at a max speed of 70 km/h, taking you to the plateau, which reaches a height of 2600 m (~8530 feet). The cog wheels, or pinions, mesh with a toothed track to move the train up and down the steep incline.2 My husband and I rode this train on our honeymoon many years ago.
I couldn’t imagine trying to move all of my event supplies to the destination using these modes of transportation, especially the funicular. The car itself is very small, is tiered like stairs or bleachers, and probably only held 15-18 passengers standing up, no seats. How many times would you have to run the funicular up and down to get everything up there? When we visited Salzburg a few months ago, the fortress was setting up for its annual Christkindl market. Little shacks were being built for the vendors, electricity was being hooked up, and lots of Christmas decorating was being done. Next will come what I think would be the daunting task of hauling everyone’s wares to the top. Based on our visit to Austria’s Christmas markets last year, we’re talking knick-knacks, wool hats and mittens, wooden mangers, ornaments of every color, toys, finger puppets, boots, doo-dahs, whatnots, and so much more. Not to mention all of the pretzels, pastries, dumplings, other food and drinks, seating, heaters, entertainment, and activities for the kids.
After being in business for over 500 years, I would hope the staff at the fortress have a system for moving supplies to the top considering there is a museum, store, restaurant, and other outlets up there already. Still, not a job I would readily sign up for during the event season.
With hundreds of visitors flooding the area, the little funiculars will make endless runs of 15-18 passengers at a time up and down the mountainside. Most will be carrying Christmas treasures they found at the Fortress Hohensalzburg Christmas market back down the Alps to share with their friends and family members.
Just thinking about it now, I can’t wait to go back again!
Have you traveled on a funicular or cogwheel train? What did you think? Could you imagine using this as your primary mode for transporting your event supplies?
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1.Southern Highland Attractions. Ride The Incline Railway. 2024. https://ridetheincline.com/what-is-a-funicular-railway/
2.Zugspitzdorf Grainau Tourist Information. The Cog Wheel Train. 2025. https://www.grainau.de/en/zugspitze-cog-wheel-train
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Have you ever tried the Fenelon Place Elevator in DuBuque Iowa?
No, but holy cow it looks like the smallest funicular!! Thank you for sharing this!