The Alpine railway line between Brig and Disentis, one of the key components of the famous Glacier Express route, has celebrated its 100th anniversary. Built under difficult technical and financial conditions, the metre-gauge railway crosses the Swiss Alps and reaches an altitude of 2,033 metres at the Oberalp Pass.
The continuous rail link between Brig and Disentis was opened on 3 July 1926, following a project marked by the bankruptcy of the original company, the suspension of works and the difficulties encountered in tunnelling through the Furka Pass.
The line, which is 96 km long, is currently operated by the Swiss railway company Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn – MGBahn and provides a link between the upper Rhone Valley, the Goms region, the Urseren Valley and Surselva.
Construction began in 1911
The origins of the project date back to 1910, when the company Compagnie Suisse du chemin de fer de la Furka – BFD was founded.
Work began the following year, and in 1914 the first section, between Brig and Gletsch, was opened. However, further construction was hampered by a lack of funding and technical problems arising with the tunnel beneath the Furka Pass.
The original company went into liquidation, and the project remained unfinished for a time.
Work resumed in 1925, when operations were reorganised with the support of the Visp–Zermatt-Bahn, the Swiss Confederation and the cantons involved.
Collaboration with the Schöllenenbahn and the Rhaetian Railway Rhätische Bahn enabled the completion of a continuous link between Brig and Disentis. The new Furka Oberalp Bahn officially opened the entire line on 3 July 1926.
For over half a century, services were only possible in summer
The original route crossed the high-altitude section of the Furka Pass and could not be fully operated during the winter.
Heavy snowfall and the risk of avalanches necessitated the seasonal closure of part of the line. On some sections, including the electrical installations, these had to be dismantled before the cold season and reassembled in the spring.
The situation changed in 1982 with the opening of the Furka Base Tunnel, which is 15.4 km long. The new infrastructure enabled year-round service and provided a safer link between the cantons of Valais and Uri.
The old mountain line has not disappeared completely. Part of the historic route is currently operated for tourist purposes by the Dampfbahn Furka-Bergstrecke, featuring historic trains and steam locomotives.
The highest point is at 2,033 m
The Brig–Disentis line is built to a metric gauge of 1,000 mm and passes through some of the most spectacular Alpine scenery in Switzerland.
The highest point is at the Oberalp Pass, at an altitude of 2,033 m. Notable engineering structures include the 176-metre-long bridge over the River Ron at the eastern exit of Brig and the Grengiols viaduct, which reaches a height of 48 m.
Along the route, trains pass through regions with different languages and cultural identities, linking the German-speaking part of the canton of Valais with the Romansh-speaking region of Surselva.
“The Brig–Disentis line connects not only towns, but first and foremost people, regions and generations. It is a meeting place, a vital artery and, for many, quite simply part of what home means,” said Egon Gsponer, Managing Director of Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn.
Part of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn network since 2003
The Furka Oberalp Bahn and the Brig–Visp–Zermatt-Bahn merged in 2003 to form the current Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn.
The line celebrating its anniversary has thus become part of a continuous network serving several Alpine regions and major Swiss tourist destinations.
Brig–Disentis is also one of the central sections of the Glacier Express, the tourist train linking Zermatt to St. Moritz and crossing the Swiss Alps from west to east.
Anniversary journey on historic trains
Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn marked its centenary with a special one-day journey, organised using historic rolling stock.
Company representatives, partners and guests travelled the railway route, and one of the highlights was the steam train journey between Oberwald and Realp.
The programme also included a stop at Realp, where participants visited the events organised by the tourism company Dampfbahn Furka-Bergstrecke.
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