Bayerische Zugspitzbahn Bergbahn AG

Garmisch–Zugspitzplatt
Early photograph from May 1931
Route number:	11031
Line number:	9540
Line length:	19.0 km
Track gauge:	1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in)
Voltage:	1500 V DC
Electrification:	Catenary
Maximum incline:	Adhesion 3.51  % Rack rail 25  %
Rack system:	Riggenbach
Maximum speed:	70 km/h
State:	Bayern
from Munich 0,0 Garmisch 705 m Mittenwald Railway to Innsbruck 1,2 Hausbergbahn 2.0 Rießerseeclosed in 1985 3.0 Bridge over the Außerfern Railway to Kempten (Allgäu) 3.1 Katzenstein Tunnel (75 m) 4.1 Kreuzeck- / Alpspitz Railway 754 m 5.5 Hammersbach 766 m 7.5 GrainauBeginn Zahnstange 751 m Depot 8.4 Crossing loop 1 9.8 Crossing loop 2 10.7 Eibsee 1008 m 11.9 Water tank station 1152 m 13.0 Kleiner Tunnel (70 m) 13.4 Crossing loop 3 1478 m 14.1 Riffelriss 1640 m 14.2 1640 m 15.0 Window 1 1820 m 16.2 Crossing loop 4 2115 m 17.1 Höllental 18.1 0.0 2525 m Zugspitze Tunnel (4466 m) 18.6 Schneefernerhaus 2650 m Rosi Tunnel (975 m) 0.9 Zugspitzplatt 2588 m

The Bavarian Zugspitze Railway (German: Bayerische Zugspitzbahn) is one of four rack railways still working in Germany, along with the Wendelstein Railway, the Drachenfels Railway and the Stuttgart Rack Railway. The metre gauge line runs from Garmisch in the centre of Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany. The line culminates at 2,650 metres above sea level, which makes it the highest railway in Germany and the third highest in Europe. It is also the railway in Europe with the biggest height difference: 1,945 metres, the lower half being open-air and the upper half being underground.

The line is operated by the Bayerischen Zugspitzbahn Bergbahn AG (BZB), whose majority owner is the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Municipal Works. In 2007 the Zugspitze Railway was nominated for a award.

The Zugspitze is also accessible via the Eibsee Cable Car or Tyrolean Zugspitze Cable Car.

The railway was built between 1928 and 1930 and opened in three stages. The first was the 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) long centre section between Grainau and the Eibsee which went into operation on 19 February 1929. On 19 December 1929 it was followed by the 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) long section between Garmisch and Grainau, including the important tourist connexion to the main railway network of the Deutsche Reichsbahn. On 8 July 1930 the last 7.9 kilometres (4.9 mi) long section between the Eibsee and the – now closed – summit station of Schneefernerhaus was opened, including the final 4,466 metres (14,652 ft) long Zugspitze Tunnel.

In 1987 the route of the railway in the summit area was changed and the 975 metres (3,199 ft) long "Rosi Tunnel" opened. The tunnel was named after the skier, Rosi Mittermaier, who was the tunnel patroness (Tunnelpatin) at the time. The tunnel branches from the 1930-built Zugspitze Tunnel about three-quarters of the way along it, and runs to the somewhat lower Zugspitzplatt plateau at 2,588 metres (8,491 ft). Here, below the Sonn-Alpin Restaurant is the new Glacier Station (Gletscher-Bahnhof) in the middle of the ski area.

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Wikipedia