Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Germany Heidelberg Heidelberger Bergbahnen

Heidelberger Bergbahnen

This historic funicular system combines the old with the new while offering delightful views over the surrounding valley.

Heidelberg, Germany

Added By
Ted Jerome
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The Heidelberg funicular.   Hubert Berberich/CC BY-SA 3.0
The Heidelberg funicular.   Radosław Drożdżewski/CC BY-SA 4.0
The view en route.   Ribax/CC BY-SA 4.0
The modern cars.   ptwo/CC BY 2.0
The historic carriages.   Hans-Rudolf Stoll/CC BY 2.0
The view from near the Königstuhl station.   James Russell/CC BY-SA 2.0
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Heidelberg castle is one of the most important ruins in Germany. From its perch on the Königstuhl hillside, it overlooks the town, the Neckar River, and beyond. The funicular system leading to the stalwart structure is very much a match for its illustrious destination, as it is one of the oldest funicular lines in the country.

The Heidelberg funicular ran for the first time in 1890, on the lower line between Kornmarkt in the heart of the town and Molkenkur, via the castle. It worked on a water ballast system and could accommodate up to 50 passengers on each of its journeys.

Nearly 17 years after its first trip, a second line on an upper track between Molkenkur and Königstuhl was opened, powered entirely by electricity. The lower line was also electrified as the whole system underwent the first of many modernization efforts.

Today, it connects four stations including the castle. The railway is a striking combination of one of the country’s oldest and most modern funiculars, thanks to a comprehensive overhaul between 2002 and 2005. The lower line has modern cars, while the upper has retained the historic carriages to add a touch of nostalgia to a tourist’s slow journey up the mountain.

The Molkenkur station serves as a connecting point for the two lines. Each of the city's four stations has a number of historic buildings and trails nearby for visitors to explore, including attractions like the Tinnunculus falconry and a fairytale park for children.

Related Tags

Castles History Funicular Trains Transportation

Community Contributors

Added By

tedjerome

Edited By

CoolCrab, Kavya Ram Mohan

  • CoolCrab
  • Kavya Ram Mohan

Published

December 1, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.heidelberg-marketing.de/en/experience/sights/funicular-railway.html
  • http://www.bergbahn-heidelberg.de/en/Stations/Station-Koenigstuhl/Station-Koenigstuhl.html
  • http://europeforvisitors.com/germany/heidelberg/heidelberg-funicular.htm
Heidelberger Bergbahnen
20 Zwingerstraße
Heidelberg
Germany
49.411346, 8.712031
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Heidelberg Tun

Heidelberg, Germany

miles away

Heidelberg Bridge Monkey

Heidelberg, Germany

miles away

Hochwassermarken

Heidelberg, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Heidelberg

Heidelberg

Germany

Places 8

Nearby Places

Heidelberg Tun

Heidelberg, Germany

miles away

Heidelberg Bridge Monkey

Heidelberg, Germany

miles away

Hochwassermarken

Heidelberg, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Heidelberg

Heidelberg

Germany

Places 8

Related Places

  • Knoxville Incline Overlook Park - stairs near Welsh Way

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

    Knoxville Incline Overlook Park & Greenway

    An abandoned incline railway site is now a green space with six acres of trails connecting hilltop neighborhoods.

  • Tunnel entrance seen from the ground.

    Bramhope, England

    Bramhope Tunnel North Portal

    This Gothic castle-like portal is a testament to the amazing craftsmanship of the navvies who built the railway tunnel.

  • Stuttgart, Germany

    Stuttgart Cable Car

    This old wooden funicular railway leads to a cemetery in the forest.

  •  Visitors to the Oklahoma Railway Museum can explore—and ride—century-old vessels restored by local train buffs.

    Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

    Oklahoma Railway Museum

    A crew of die-hard train buffs spent decades turning a defunct stretch of railway in Oklahoma City into a museum now home to over 50 antique and restored trains.

  • View from above, on the entrance and driveway

    Houyet, Belgium

    Halte Royal d'Ardenne

    The private train station King Leopold II built for the Belgian royal family now lies abandoned.

  • East Broad Top Railroad

    Rockhill, Pennsylvania

    East Broad Top Railroad

    Catch a ride through the Pennsylvania countryside on this historic narrow-gauge railroad.

  • Sierra Leone’s National Railway Museum

    Freetown, Sierra Leone

    National Railway Museum

    After Sierra Leone's railways shut down in 1974, a collection of engines and other artifacts spent decades hidden away in this old workshop—now a museum.

  • Istanbul Tunel Karaköy Beyoğlu

    Istanbul, Turkey

    Tünel

    Climb a steep hill in 90 seconds on the second-oldest urban subway in the world.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.