Trains - Switzerland: Illustrated History Books & Guides

La Suisse et ses chemins de fer

Switzerland, a country in the heart of the Alps. Switzerland, a small country geographically, a large country in the field of economy, and a giant in the railway world.
Everywhere, on the plateaus, in the valleys and in the mountains, engineers have imagined and workers have built railway lines with often audacious routes, and which sometimes reach unsuspected altitudes. This book, richly illustrated with photos from yesterday and today, is like a tribute to the best in Europe in terms of rail transport.

Pages from the book "La Suisse et ses chemins de fer"

Product details

Author:	Jean Tricoire
Details:	272 pages, 10.6 x 8.7 in (27 x 22 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	many b&w and colour photos
Language:	French
Publisher:	La Vie du Rail (F, 2019)
ISBN:	9782370620811

Mit den Augen des Lokführers - Unterwegs auf schmaler Spur in der Schweiz

The Rhaetian Railway and the Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway form Switzerland's largest metre-gauge network at 528 km, served by legendary trains such as the Glacier Express.

This photo book presents the network from two perspectives: from the outside and from the driver's viewpoint. Hans-Bernhard Schönborn traveled all routes from the cab and photographed them - a dream for railway enthusiasts.
The book also provides detailed information about the lines and the profession of train drivers.

Pages from the book "Mit den Augen des Lokführers - Unterwegs auf schmaler Spur in der Schweiz"

Product details

Author:	Hans-Bernhard Schönborn
Details:	176 pages, 10.4 x 9.1 in (26.5 x 23 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	41 b&w and 366 colour photos, 20 drawings, 19 maps
Language:	German
Publisher:	Transpress (D, 2018)
ISBN:	9783613715578

Eisenbahn von oben - Die Schweiz

From Lake Geneva to St. Gallen: See the railway country of Switzerland from a bird's eye view! A network of tracks that patiently winds its way between peaks and valleys, past lakes and over rivers, and through (large) cities and pretty villages.
Huge marshalling yards and quiet stretches of track, spectacularly photographed by the passionate aerial photographer Niklaus Wächter, with accompanying texts by the Swiss railway enthusiast Werner Nef.

Product details

Author:	Werner Nef, Niklaus M. Wächter
Details:	192 pages, 11.4 x 10.6 in (29 x 27 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	160 colour photos
Language:	German
Publisher:	GeraMond Verlag (D, 2018)
ISBN:	9783862452989

Alpenbahnen

Travelling through the Alps by train - something that is taken for granted today - once required pioneering work in railway construction. Every single Alpine railway - from the Semmering Railway in the east to the Tenda Railway in the west - is considered a technical masterpiece.

This illustrated book shows trains in the wild nature of the Alps between rugged high mountains, glittering Swiss glaciers and the French Maritime Alps. On spectacular routes, dizzyingly high bridges and viaducts, technology and history meet the majestic mountain world - a unique combination!

Product details

Author:	Berthold Steinhilber, Eugen E. Hüsle
Details:	320 pages, 14.75 x 11.6 x 1.69 in (37.5 x 29.5 x 4.3 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	220 colour photos
Language:	German
Publisher:	Frederking & Thaler (D, 2022)
ISBN:	9783954162819

Eisenbahn in der Schweiz - Die große Chronik, die schönsten Strecken

This book traces more than 175 years of Swiss railway history through a collection of historical photographs. It documents the development of Switzerland's railway network, from the opening of the Strasbourg-Basel line in 1844 to the construction of major railway routes, tunnels and bridges across the Alps.

The book explores the growth of private railway companies, the challenges of railway construction and the engineering achievements that shaped Swiss rail transport. Featured highlights include the 57-kilometre Gotthard Base Tunnel, the Unesco World Heritage-listed Albula and Bernina railway lines, and the famous Glacier Express.

Through historical photographs, the book presents Switzerland's railway heritage, scenic Alpine railway routes and the engineering projects that transformed transport through the mountains. It is a reference for railway enthusiasts, trainspotters and readers interested in Swiss railway history, historic locomotives, Alpine railways, railway tunnels and bridges, and the development of railway engineering.

Product details

Author:	Dietmar Beckmann, Silvia Beckmann
Details:	288 pages, 10.8 x 9.1 x 0.98 in (27.5 x 23 x 2.5 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	330 b&w and colour photos
Language:	German
Publisher:	VGB GmbH (D, 2024)
ISBN:	9783987021077

Schweizer Museumsbahnen - Über 60 faszinierende Reiseziele für Eisenbahnfreunde

NEW

Switzerland is a popular destination for railway enthusiasts. This new book by Cyrill Seifert provides a comprehensive overview of museum railways and their rolling stock in Switzerland.
The author presents each railway, association, club, and museum, outlines their history, and describes the routes they operate. Complete lists of all locomotives and rail vehicles are included.

In total, the book covers more than 60 associations and railways, all worthwhile destinations. It is therefore a valuable travel companion for anyone interested in railways.

Product details

Author:	Cyrill Seifert
Details:	144 pages, 9.7 x 6.7 x 0.55 in (24.5 x 17 x 1.4 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	200 b&w and colour photos
Language:	German
Publisher:	Transpress (D, 2025)
ISBN:	9783613717466

Schweizer Triebwagen der 1960er-Jahre

In the 1960s, five smaller private railways acquired twelve technically identical railcars, which became known as EAV railcars due to funding from the Federal Office of Transport (EAV). These vehicles were used by the Mittelthurgaubahn (MThB), the Wohlen-Meisterschwanden-Bahn (WM), the Martigny-Orsières-Bahn (MO), the Chemins de fer fribourgeois (GFM), and the Chemin de fer Régional du Val-de-Travers (RVT).

At the same time, the Bodensee-Toggenburg Railway (BT), the Südostbahn (SOB), and the EBT Group procured 15 more powerful high-performance railcars. These were externally and technically related to the SBB's RBe 540 units, which had been operating on Swiss tracks since 1963. A total of 82 RBe 540 vehicles were built.

The book "Schweizer Triebwagen der 1960er-Jahre" presents all 109 vehicles (SBB and private railways) from this period. It offers expert texts, interesting anecdotes and many previously unpublished photos.

Product details

Author:	Sandro Sigrist, Peter Hürzeler, Ralph Bernet
Details:	144 pages, 9.25 x 6.5 in (23.5 x 16.5 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	150 b&w and colour photos
Language:	German
Publisher:	Edition Lan AG (CH, 2012)
ISBN:	9783906691534

Türen schließen! - Die schönsten Bergbahnen der Alpen

A train ride to the summit is one of the most impressive railway journeys that passengers can take. Karl-W. Koch reports on the fascination of the mountain railways in the Alps, all of which he personally visited with his camera.
Not only did he manage to take impressive pictures of the demanding railway operations in the mountains, but he also gained access to the workshops and depots that are otherwise closed to visitors. He gives a vivid account of the routes, their planning, construction and history. He also does not leave out the sophisticated cogwheel technology. A book that invites you to travel into the mountains.

Product details

Author:	Karl-W. Koch
Details:	176 pages, 10.8 x 9 x 0.71 in (27.5 x 24 x 1.8 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	200 b&w and colour photos
Language:	German
Publisher:	Transpress (D, 2022)
ISBN:	9783613716575

Unsere Bahnen - Unsere Schweiz

This book presents a journey through 17 decades of Swiss railway history - from the first steam locomotives without driver's cabs, where crews were exposed to the weather, to the modern Giruno trains that reach 250 km/h through the Gotthard Base Tunnel.

Each year is illustrated with an image and a short text. A full written history of Swiss railways would not fit meaningfully into a single volume, as many books already cover this topic. Instead, this book uses images to highlight the most important achievements of Swiss rail transport - from the Spanisch Brötli-Bahn to the modern Super Hybrid locomotive by Stadler Rail.

Product details

Author:	Ronald Gohl
Details:	144 pages, 11 x 7.9 in (28 x 20 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	260 b&w and colour photos
Language:	German
Publisher:	Edition Lan AG (CH, 2021)
ISBN:	9783906909240

Treni di montagna - Le più belle ferrovie delle Alpi

Since the inception of European railway transportation, the towering mountains have posed a challenge - technological, conceptual, even aesthetic - for nations bordering the Alpine range. Overcoming environmental obstacles like steep slopes, inaccessible terrain, and extreme weather, railways in the Alps stand as remarkable testaments to European railway ingenuity.

Bold viaducts, helical tunnels, cogwheel systems, narrow-gauge railways, and locomotives designed for steep gradients showcase a unique array of technical solutions, still enabling travelers to reach some of the most breathtaking mountain vistas by train.

This volume explores the Alpine railways, delving into the historical events and technical features of each railway, from engineering marvels to rolling stock. From the Mont Blanc glaciers to the Jungfraujoch, from the Roya Valley to Lake Geneva, and spanning Liguria, Piedmont, Lombardy, France, and Switzerland.

For each route, detailed maps, a rich and unique photographic collection, historical and technical insights, a discovery itinerary, and practical information are provided to assist in organizing journeys on Europe's most significant mountain trains.

Text in Italian.

Product details

Author:	Diego Vaschetto
Details:	208 pages, 11.2 x 8.5 x 0.87 in (28.5 x 21.5 x 2.2 cm), hardback
Illustrations:	extensively illustrated
Language:	Italian
Publisher:	Edizioni del Capricorno (I, 2014)
ISBN:	9788877072306