Most passengers arrive by ship at Vitznau station.
The station and the depot are directly at the lake shore near the ship landing bridge.
In the background the motor ship Schwyz is visible, while one of the 1937 railcars basks in the sun on the
turntable.
[Mar 2015].
To cope with increased demand, the Rigi Railway added two new railcar and trailer units to its fleet in 1986.
These class BDhe 4/4 trains waits at the platform of Vitznau station.
[Apr 2016].
In 2022 six new Class Bhe 4/6 railcars entered service.
These articulated railcars were built by Stadler Rail and have 150 seats.
New railcar No. 46 from 2022 stands beside railcar No. 2 from 1937 in Vitznau.
[May 2025].
The depot of the Rigi Railways in Vitznau is directly by the lake.
A new railcar can be clearly seen in the large shed when viewed from a ship on the lake.
[May 2025].
This railcar is travelling downhill to Vitznau.
In the background are Lake Lucern and the snow-covered central Alps.
[Apr 2016].
To move the crowds often several trains travel on the line one behind the other.
A modern class BDhe 4/4 railcar with driving trailer follows an older class Bhe 2/4 railcar.
[Apr 2016].
This train is about to cross the Schnurtobel Viaduct near Grübisbalm.
[Apr 2016].
Railcar No. 4 was built in 1953, but to the same design as the three previous railcars built in 1937.
Here it pushes a driving trailer uphill near Grübisbalm.
[Apr 2016].
The rails of the Rigi railways with the Riggenbach rack railway system.
It features a ladder rack rail at its centre.
[Apr 2016].
One of the 1986 railcars is seen near Grübisbalm.
Many international tourists travel by ship from Luzern to Vitznau and from there by rack railway to the Rigi.
Many return the same way or via the cable car to Weggis.
Because of that passenger numbers are high and operations relatively profitable.
[Apr 2016].
After the new Bhe 4/6 railcars had entered service, some of the older BDhe 4/4 railcars were used for maintenance work.
Here one of the new railcars has just passed a works train.
[May 2025].
In Kaltbad the Rigi railway connects to the cable car from Weggis to Kaltbad, which is now owned by the same company.
A class BDhe 4/4 descends from the station Staffelhöhe.
[Mar 2015].
In March there was still plenty of snow on Mt Rigi.
This photo was taken from the train near Staffelhöhe.
A walking track runs right beside the railway track here.
[Mar 2015].
And that's what the view out the train window looks like on a rainy day in late spring.
The windows of the Bhe 4/6 can be opened.
The trains do not have air conditioning, but do have active heating and ventilation.
[May 2025].
In the new railcars even passengers can see the line ahead if they want to and can watch the train driver in action.
[May 2025].
One of the Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn trains from 1986 in Staffel.
Here the Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn meets the Arth-Rigi-Bahn and they run parallel up to Rigi Kulm.
Since 1992 the two railways are owned and operated by the same company.
[Mar 2015].
This photo shows the two parallel railway lines.
On the left the Arth-Rigi-Bahn with blue trains; on the right the Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn with red trains.
[Mar 2015].
One of the older railcars pushes a trailer up to Rigi Kulm.
[Mar 2015].
Railcar No. 5 (BDhe 4/4), built in 1964, can push two trailers up the incline.
The train is about to arrive at Rigi Kulm.
In the background is Rigi Chapel.
[Mar 2015].
Railcar No. 3 from 1937 has just left Rigi Kulm.
These vehicles just have doors on one side.
[Mar 2015].
Railcar No. 5 followed it. This railcar from 1964 has doors on both sides.
It was surprising and equally pleasing that the railway continued to operate so successfully with such old rolling stock.
[Mar 2015].
But now the railway relies on the new railcars.
In December 2025 four additional railcars were ordered from Stadler Rail to also replace the trains to Arth-Goldau.
One of the Bhe 4/6 railcars delivered in 2022 is here in Rigi-Kulm.
[May 2025].
At Rigi Kulm trains of the Arth-Rigi-Bahn and the Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn stand side by side.
[Mar 2015].
The view from the summit of Mt Rigi on Rigi Kulm station and the mountain panorama beyond.
[Mar 2015].
The trains of the Arth-Rigi-Bahn in winter also have waggons to transport skies and sleds.
[Mar 2015].
A train of the Arth-Rigi-Bahn near Rigi Kulm.
The Arth-Rigi-Bahn opened in 1875 and over many years provided competition to the Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn from the other
side of the mountain.
[Mar 2015].
The Arth-Rigi-Bahn was electrified in 1907.
Today second generation railcar and trailer units are used on the railway.
These trains were modernised and now have rectangular headlights.
[Mar 2015].
This train is about to arrive at Rigi Staffel, where the Arth-Rigi-Bahn and the Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn meet.
Not as many international visitors travel on the Arth-Rigi-Bahn, so that this line is not as profitable.
It is mainly local leisure seekers that travel up this side of the mountain.
[Mar 2015].
A train from Arth-Goldau has arrived in the station Rigi-Staffel.
This train sports advertising for cooperative supermarket chain Migros.
[May 2025].
The train from Rigi to Arth-Goldau arrives in Staffel.
Only a few hikers would get on the train on such a rainy afternoon.
This Class BDhe 2/4 railcar from 1949 probably will not be in service much longer.
[May 2025].
The train travels through the snowy landscape on the slopes of Mt Rigi.
Up until 1959 the line started in Arth on Lake Zug.
Since then it only operates from the railway station in Arth-Goldau.
[Mar 2015].
This train of the Arth-Rigi-Bahn is about to arrive in Staffel.
In the background is one of the ski lifts, which provide the winter sport infrastructure on Mt Rigi.
[Mar 2015].
A train is underway between Wölfertschen and Staffel.
From the summit one has a good view of the route of the Arth-Rigi-Bahn.
[Mar 2015].
A train near Wölfertschen station.
[Mar 2015].
A train from the Rigi has arrived in Arth-Goldau station.
Here passengers have direct connection to trains departing in all directions, particularly SBB and SOB trains.
[May 2025].