Metro Alpin Funicular

The Metro Alpin is the underground funicular in the Alps that carries visitors from the upper end of the lifts above Saas-Fee to a station at around 3,500 metres on the Mittelallalin. It runs entirely inside a tunnel bored through the rock and ice of the mountain, and it is generally described as the highest underground funicular in the world. The line is about 1,750 metres long, climbs from the Felskinn station at roughly 3,000 metres to Mittelallalin at about 3,450 metres, and was opened in the 1980s as a way of reaching the glacier summit area without a surface cableway.

The reason for tunnelling is practical. At this altitude the weather can change violently, with strong winds, snow and freezing fog, and the glacier ice moves. A tunnel gives a smooth and weather-independent ride, and the funicular runs on rails laid in the rock, with cars pulled by a cable. The journey takes only a few minutes, and the carriages are quiet and warm inside, which makes the transition from village to high alpine terrain feel abrupt. You step into the car in a station with lights and benches and step out at the top to a glacier, a bright sky and very thin air.

To reach the Metro Alpin from Saas-Fee, you first ride a cable car from the village to Felskinn, which is the lower station, and from there the funicular continues up. At the top, the Mittelallalin station is the gateway to the high glacier. Here you find a viewing terrace with a panorama over the surrounding four-thousanders, among them the Dom, the Täschhorn and the Allalinhorn, and a restaurant, which is advertised as the highest revolving restaurant in the world. A short walk leads to the glacier cave at the Ice Pavilion, which has its own entry in the guide, and the glacier is used for summer skiing, snowboarding and guided climbing. The Allalinhorn, one of the easiest four-thousand-metre peaks, starts directly from the upper station.

The altitude has practical consequences. At 3,500 metres the air contains much less oxygen than in the valley, and some visitors feel breathless, tired or dizzy after arriving, so take things slowly, drink water, and avoid alcohol or strenuous activity at first. The sun is intense and the snow reflects it, so sunglasses and sun cream are essential, even on cold days, and warm clothing is needed whatever the temperature is in the village. Operating times and conditions depend on the season and weather, and the funicular can pause for maintenance, so check the schedule.

The Metro Alpin suits anyone who wants to reach a glacier without a climb, from skiers to sightseers. It is a good half-day trip from Saas-Fee on a clear morning, and a highlight for those interested in mountain railways and engineering.