Niesenbahn - Bern, Switzerland

Few nations embraced funiculars as wholeheartedly as the Swiss, which is not all that surprising considering around 60% of the country's landscape is mountainous. Among the many Swiss funiculars, Niesenbahn is one of the true standouts thanks to its size (the track is almost 11,500-foot long), gradient (it has an overall elevation change of almost 5,390 feet) and engineering ingenuity. The views across the undulating Alpine landscape from the transparent glass pavilion at the top are breathtaking. It is possible to reach the summit on foot, though taking the funicular will save you from an arduous climb up some 11,764 steps.