Railways in canton Valais

Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB)

The Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn was formed in 2003 from the merger of the Brig Visp Zermatt Bahn and the Furka Oberalp Bahn. The MGB is a metre gauge line forming an east west line through the cantons Valais and Uri and is electrified at 11kV 16.7 Hz, parts of the line use Abt rack and most rolling stock is fitted for rack.

The main route runs from the mountain resort of Zermatt, down to the Rhone valley at Visp, then to Brig. From Brig the line climbs into the Goms before the Furka base tunnel betwee Oberwald and Realp. After Andermatt, where there is a short branch to Goschenen, the line climbs and crosses the Oberalp pass into the Rhine valley where a connection is made to the Rhatische Bahn at Disentis.

As well a local passenger services, there is signifcant freight working between Visp and Zermatt and the Glacier Express tourist trains run from Zermat through Brig and Andermatt to Disentis, where they pass to the RhB