The Meiringen–Innertkirchen railway line is a railway line in the Swiss canton of Bern. It covers a distance of between Innertkirchen and Meiringen, where it connects with the Brünig railway line of the Zentralbahn company, which links Interlaken and Lucerne.
In 1946 the line received a licence to operate as a public passenger-carrying railway, and to this end the Meiringen-Innertkirchen-Bahn company was founded to operate the line as a subsidiary of the owners, KWO.
When the license came up for renewal in 1976, it was decided to upgrade the line drastically. The heavy, four-wheel battery railcars were harsh on the track and trackbed, and were at the end of their economic life. The line was electrified and electric streetcar-type railcars were purchased. In 1996, a new railcar was purchased to run most services. In 2005, a second-hand railcar was purchased to act as reserve, allowing the former streetcars to be scrapped.
In 2003, the underground Aareschlucht Ost stop was opened, to provide access to the eastern entrance to the Aare Gorge.
On January 1, 2021, the Zentralbahn took over the line.
Operation
Route
The line begins at track 13 of Meiringen railway station, where it is physically connected to the Brünig line of the Zentralbahn company. Both lines are of gauge, but are incompatible electrically, and no through passenger services are operated. Shortly after leaving the station, the line crosses a level crossing and passes the disused former passenger terminus of the line, used until passenger service was extended into the main station.
From Alpbach the line follows the north bank of the Aare river. The next stop is Aareschlucht West, just before the beginning of the scenic Aare Gorge or Aareschlucht. The line by-passes the gorge through the long Kirchetunnel, which contains the underground Aareschlucht Ost stop. Both Aareschlucht stops link to the tourist walkways through the gorge itself.
The operation of the Aareschlucht Ost stop is particularly notable, as the train stops within the tunnel, with its front door adjacent to a door in the side of the tunnel that opens out through the side of the gorge. The tunnel door is opened by the train driver only once the train has come to a halt. The stop is a request stop, and passengers wishing to board a train must press a button outside the tunnel door to request the train to stop.
Freight traffic is run as demand warrants, largely carrying spare parts arriving via the Brünigbahn for the power stations.
Rolling stock
Current rolling stock
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Image
!Numbers
!Notation
!Year
!Notes
|-
|180px
|8
|Be 4/4
|1996
|New railcar built by Stadler Rail.
|-
|180px
|11
|BDe 4/4
|1953
|Ex Chemins de fer du Jura 604. Bought and rebuilt in 2005 as reserve railcar used when 8 is not available.