FRIBOURG FUNICULAR: WASTE (WATER) NOT, WANT NOT

The town of Fribourg in Switzerland is home to one of the very last funiculars to run on waste water.

Opened in 1899, it links the town centre to the Basse-Ville (the lower area of the town). It is listed as an historical monument and is unique in Europe.

Funiculars, also known as ‘cable trains’ operate on steep slopes with a gradient of up to 55 percent. There are two passenger cars, connected by a steel cable. Both cars travel on the same single track, which splits briefly in the middle to allow them to pass each other.

Nearly all funiculars built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries used water to move small carriages up and down the tracks. At the upper station an employee would fill the descending car’s tank with water. This made the upper car heavier, so once the brakes were loosened, gravity set them both in motion. At the bottom the tank was emptied, and the process repeated.

No electricity, no fuel, no emissions, no smoke – just waste water and gravity.  A truly eco-friendly way to travel.

Over time, steam, and then electric, engines replaced water power, leaving very few water-powered funiculars in existence. What makes Fribourg’s particularly interesting is the type of water it uses. The funicular system is connected to the city’s sewers which flow from the city centre to Basse-Ville. This means no pump is required to move the water back up the hill.

It may be powered by sewer water, but don’t worry, that doesn’t mean it smells! Yes, it can be a little noisy as it creaks and clatters its way up and down, but that just adds to the sense of nostalgia as you take a load of your legs and let the little car carry you.

FACT BOX
Fribourg: fribourgtourisme.ch/en/
Switzerland: myswitzerland.com/en-gb/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chantal Cooke is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster and co-founder of PASSION for the PLANET. Chantal is passionate about vegan food and tourism being used as a force for good.  You can follow her adventures on Facebook and Twitter @chantalcooke and on Instagram @Chantaldcooke