Swiss 100-carriage train breaks record for world's longest passenger train

Rhaetian Railway's record-breaking 100-carriage train crosses the Landwasser Viaduct. Photo / Philipp Schmildi, Swiss Image

A Swiss railway company has claimed the record for the world's longest passenger train this weekend, sending a two-kilometre long trail of red carriages through the Alps.

The Rhaetian Railway company ran the 1906-metre-long train composed of 100 coaches along the Albula line route from Preda to Bergün.

Taking all night on Friday to assemble "like a string of pearls", the hundred-coach service set off at 2.20 on the dot arriving in Bergün an hour and ten minutes later.

Around 3,000 train spotters and pedestrians lined the route through the UNESCO World Heritage area. Crowds and bypassers stopped to view the long red snaking train, emerging from the 22 tunnels and 48 bridges.

Around 3000 people attended the festival and lined the rails in Bergün to welcome the world's longest passenger train. Photo / Yanik Buerkli, Keystone; AP

Crossing the world-famous Landwasser Viaduct, a spiralling 142 metre bridge, the two-kilometres of carriages appeared to tie each other in knots.

Renato Fasciati, director of Rhaetian Bahn said the record attempt was intended to highlight some of Switzerland's engineering achievements and to celebrate 175 years of Swiss railways.

"After intensive preparation, we are overjoyed to have achieved this world record. Not only did we have a wonderful railway festival here in Bergün, but we were able to present ourselves around the world as a fascinating and innovative mountain railway thanks to our dedicated partners, sponsors and an incredibly dedicated team," says

It took a team of 7 train drivers and 21 technicians to make the hour-long traverse on a 24.9 kilometre trail through Switzerland.

- With AP Reporting

Rhaetian Railway has claimed the world's longest passenger train at just under 2km. Photo / Yanik Buerkli, Keystone; AP

Switzerland's world-beatingly scenic railways

The Bernina Express

The big one - the track on which Rhaetian Railway's world record holding train ran - the Bernina Express is one of the most popular in the country. Passing the Swiss Engadin Alps crossing 196 bridges through 55 tunnels, it's a classic.

The Swiss Gornergrat Cog Railway in Zermatt with the Matterhorn in the distance. Photo / Victor He, Unsplash

The Glacier Express

Taking scenic railways up a notch - the ski train between Zermatt and St Moritz has been dubbed the 'slowest train in the world'- taking more than eight hours to travel the full length. But that's just more time to take in the views of the Matterhorn.

Jungfrau Railway

3,453 metres above sea level the Jungfrau hangs off the side of the alps like a glacier.
Wedged between the Monch and Eiger Mountains from this extremely high-altitude ride, you can see into both Germany and France at once. Come for the ride, stay for the ice sculpture gallery.

Cogwheel Railway to Mount Pilatus

Switzerland claims another world record here with the 'Steepest Cogwheel Railway in the world.' At 35 per cent gradient, the train literally climbs Mt Pilatus to the historic Pilatus Kulm Hotel. Not for the feint hearted.

Gornergrat Cog Railway

The Gornergrat cog is a high-altitude highlight of Swiss railways. Taking just 33 minutes to ride you ascend 3009 metres to the ski resort of Zermatt and eye-level views of the Matterhorn.