The Rhätische Bahn, or Rhaetian Railway in English, operates all the internal railways of the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It’s one of the more eccentric private railways in the countries that seems to still operate in the 1970s.
The trains are old but well-kept and the facilities are classic, but renovated with modern comforts. The seats in first class still had springs in them and the toilets still open out onto the tracks. However, the upholstery is firm and the sink is electrically operated.
Parts of the railway, most notably its arched stone bridges, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A plaque of this designation is at the railway station at Samedan. Speaking of stations, my favourite station in the system is Miralago. It’s served by the regional rail that goes down to the Italian town of Tirano, right across the Swiss border after a famous loop used by the Bernina Express. The Rhätische Bahn also operates the Glacier Express, the most luxurious and longest panoramic train line in the country.
One of the most eccentric lines is the Arosa Line which runs right through the cantonal capital of Chur. The train runs at-grade alongside road traffic with a station on the sidewalk. I caught a train there just for the novelty of it. The only other place a significant portion of the railway system runs on street level is in Tirano.
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