- Home ›
- Germany ›
- Heidelberg
During the ride in one of the most modern mountain railways in the country, passengers enjoy the view of Heidelberg and over the Neckar valley. Many of them use the train to save themselves the steep walk to the top. The starting point for the lower section is the Kornmarkt, located in the middle of Heidelberg's picturesque old town.
Guests of the city can purchase a combination ticket at the Kornmarkt. This includes the round trip to the first stop as well as the entrance fee to the castle, the barrel cellar and the pharmacy museum.
Passengers reach the castle after just a two-minute ride. In one of Germany's most famous sights, visitors young and old can take part in events and guided tours. If you like, you can continue to the Molkenkur station at an altitude of just under 300 metres.
The upper stretch
At the Molkenkur station on the Kleiner Gaisberg there used to be the first castle in Heidelberg. Today, paths invite you to go hiking. Passengers who want to go even higher change trains here. With the original carriage "Alte Dame", which has been in service for more than 100 years, passengers reach the Königstuhl at an altitude of 550 metres after about 9 minutes. Weather permitting, they can look out over the Rhine plain as far as the Palatinate.
Technical and interesting facts
The mountain railway in Heidelberg has been in operation since 1890. At that time it was operated as a cogwheel and cable railway and went as far as the Molkenkur. 17 years later it was extended to the Königstuhl.
The upper railway is one of the oldest funicular railways in the country and has been honoured by the State Monuments Office of Baden-Württemberg. It is considered a cultural monument and received an entry in the monument book in 2004. The lower funicular has a track length of 471 meters, the upper funicular of 1,020 meters. Today, the total distance of just under 1.5 km holds a record: it is the longest mountain railway line in Germany.
Every year, more than one million passengers travel on the Heidelberg mountain railways. Theoretically, there is room for 130 passengers in the lower lift and 50 in the upper lift. However, the operators make sure that the number of actual passengers is lower than that - after all, all passengers should have a view of the scenic beauty.
