Historic train excursions.
Experience railway history up close.
Step into the vibrant history of Zentralbahn and its predecessors with nostalgic journeys in the heart of central Switzerland and the Bernese Oberland. We offer suitable options for groups, families and railway enthusiasts and we can even arrange personalised programmes upon request.
Step into the vibrant history of Zentralbahn and its predecessors with nostalgic journeys in the heart of central Switzerland and the Bernese Oberland. We offer suitable options for groups, families and railway enthusiasts and we can even arrange personalised programmes upon request.
Events und Fahrten
A special day for all mothers
Enjoy a wonderful journey on a historic train with your mother and be delighted by a delicious brunch.
Highlights:
- Historic journey to the Brünig Pass
- A sparkling apéritif served after departure on the special morning train
- Brunch buffet at the Waldegg Restaurant on the Brünig Pass
- A rose for every mother
- A small personalised gift for every mother
- Professional tour guidance provided by the onboard staff of the Swiss Narrow-Gauge Railway Association and Zentralbahn
Adventure awaits on the Globi Train
Hop on board and enjoy an unforgettable family adventure: the special Globi Train takes you directly and in a festive atmosphere to the Globi and Schmuggli Children’s Festival in Engelberg.
Highlights:
- Round trip on the historic LSE shuttle train from Lucerne to Engelberg and back
- Globi himself will be on board as a cheerful travel companion, bringing fun, entertainment and lots of smiling faces
History on the rails
The history of Zentralbahn dates back to 1888, when the Brünig Railway began operations between Lucerne and Brienz – a pioneer of technological achievement at the time. Extended by the Lucerne–Stans–Engelberg Railway (LSE) from 1898, the two lines shaped the development of railway infrastructure in central Switzerland for over a century. In 2005, they merged to become Zentralbahn, which has combined historical legacy with modern railway comfort ever since. Zentralbahn plays an important role in regional and tourist travel.
Historic rolling stock
The former LSE’s regular push-pull train
The fleet of Engelberg power cars formed the backbone of LSE services to Engelberg from 1964 to 1980. Zentralbahn has the BDeh 140 006 available for the S41 route and seasonal additional trains. The BDeh 140 005 was once again given the original LSE paint and is used for the association’s special trips. Vehicle number 140 007 is at the Swiss Museum of Transport, where visitors can practice driving this locomotive in a driving simulator.
The accumulator power car from 1939
From 1939, the Meiringen-Innertkirchen Railway (MIB) used two accumulator power cars for passenger and freight services. The electric vehicles had a top speed of 45km/h and were a feature of MIB operations for decades, until they were decommissioned in the 1970s and kept in a museum. They were considered pioneers of accumulator-powered rail transport in Switzerland.
The «Muni» from Brünig
The HGe 4/4 I was a powerful cogwheel and adhesion locomotive on the Brünig Railway, which earned the nickname «Muni» due to its traction power. It was used primarily on the Giswil–Meiringen mountain line from 1954 onwards. Locomotive number 1992 remains operational today and offers a nostalgic reminder of its time as a technological pioneer on the Brünig line with its four light-steel passenger coaches.
The locomotive belongs to the Association Verein Meterspurbahn Schweiz in Stansstad.
The all-rounder of locomotive
The SBB Deh 4/6 was used on the Brünig Railway as a combined luggage and cog railway power car from 1941 and was the backbone of operations until the 1980s. Some vehicles were later converted to De 110 power cars purely for adhesion operations and used as push-pull trains in the valleys. Three historic units have been retained but are not currently operational.
Locomotive 909 belongs to the Association Verein Meterspurbahn Schweiz in Stansstad.
The legends of the Brünig Railway
The Brünig Steam Railway owns several historic steam locomotives previously used on the Brünig Railway. Locomotives 1067 and 1068 are typical cog railway locomotives which are used today for nostalgic journeys. The smaller locomotive 208 has also been lovingly restored and is once again operational. They are all reminders of the age of steam on the route between Lucerne and Interlaken.
The locomotives and coaches belong to the Brünig Dampfbahn (BDB) in Interlaken.
Booking and contact
Bookings for public nostalgic journeys can be made easily on the Zentralbahn booking platform. All information on timetables and prices can be found there. The costs for special journeys are listed clearly on each offer page.
If you would like to organise a special journey for a particular occasion – such as a company anniversary, a club excursion or a private event – our capable employees will be happy to help you. We offer tailored individual advice to make sure your journey is an unforgettable event.
To do so, we work closely with various associations and partner organisations to combine historic vehicles and suitable offers that ensure an atmospheric experience on the Zentralbahn rail network.
Charter train booking and planning team
André Mérioz
Mobility Manager
extrazug@zentralbahn.chKarin Küng
Offers Manager
extrazug@zentralbahn.ch