Polybahn funicular

The Polybahn, sometimes known as the UBS Polybahn, is a funicular train located in the Swiss city of Zürich. The line connects the Central Square to the terrace by the main building of ETH Zürich, historically known as Eidgenössisches Polytechnikum and from which the railway gets its name. The line had formerly been known as the SBG Polybahn and the Zürichbergbahn. The financial firm UBS AG owns the line, which is managed on their behalf by the municipal transport operator Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich. Polybahn funicular rail, which has been in service since 1889, delivers around 50 passengers every two minutes in both directions. And the path is exactly the same as when it initially started.

Initially, the service was powered by water-weights, like in Bern and Freiburg, but in Zurich, the service was shortly to be powered by electricity. The Polybahn is one of two funiculars in Zürich, the other being the Rigiblick on the city's northern outskirts. Furthermore, the city's Dolderbahn rack train was originally a funicular until it was converted to rack operation in the 1970s.

The railway was extensively reconstructed in 1996. The haulage system was completely overhauled and mechanized, and the old three-rail tracks were replaced with contemporary two-rail tracks. The railway reopened on October 21, 1996, and is currently known as the UBS Polybahn, reflecting the rebranding of the owning banking firm as UBS AG (in 1998). The line established a new record in 1998, with over 2 million passengers. On 30 May 2021 the Polybahn was closed for refurbishment, with the cars being removed by crane. The Polybahn reopened on 17 September 2021.

Location: Zurich, Switzerland