The Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn was formed by the merger of the Brig Visp Zermatt and Furka Oberalp railways in 2003 and runs from Zermatt to meet the RhB at Disentis. The route goes via Visp, Brig, the Furka base tunnel and the Oberalp Pass (No prizes for guessing where its predecessors got their names). These photos were taken at the Disentis end of the line in January 2009.

The Lötschberg main line is a busy freight and passenger route across the Swiss Alps. As well as being a major trunk route, it’s a scenic delight and a real engineering marvel. These pictures were taken in the last weeks before the opening of the base tunnel that bypasses the most scenic sections of the line.

The Prättigau line connects the resorts of Klosters and Davos to the SBB at Landquart. It's not as spectacular as the Albula line but does have some pleasant locations and sees a good variety of traction on passenger services.

This is one of the quieter lines on the RhB system but is certainly not devoid of interest. From Filisur it follows the Landwasser river east through deeply incised gorges until the valley widens on the approach to Davos. Most services on the line are worked by the RhB's oldest locos, the Ge4/4Is dating from 1947.

This line leaves the Albula route at Reichenau-Tamins and follows the Vorderrhein valley west to Disentis/Muster where it makes an end on connection with the former Furka-Oberalp (now MGB) meter gauge line to Andermatt and Brig. Traffic is fairly heavy with Glacier Express and freight trains in addition to the regular passenger services. Attractive class Ge4/4II locos work most trains.

The Rhätischebahn's principal main line links Chur with St Moritz. Trains line climb up the valleys of the Rhein, Hinterrhein and Albula rivers to a summit 1823m above sea level in the 5.8km Albula Tunnel that gives access to the Engadin. The route includes the famous Landwasser viaduct and a series of spirals above Bergün. Needless to say, it's a spectacularly scenic railway.

This area is much more built up than the rest of the RhB system with numerous large industrial sites around the city of Chur. However, there are still some pleasant photographic locations to be found.

Although the Berninabahn is meter gauge and has been owned and operated by the RhB for many years, it has a character all of its own and retains its original 1000V DC power supply and dedicated motive power. The line climbs high above the tree line to a summit at Ospizio Bernina, alongside Lago Bianco and surrounded by high peaks before descending steeply to Tirano, just across the border in Italy.

This line serves the Engadin or the valley of the river En, known as the Inn when it reaches Austria. The Upper Engadin is a beautiful, broad, green alpine valley surrounded by high peaks. Understandably, it's very popular with tourists and the resorts of St Moritz, Samedan and Pontresina provide plenty of business for the RhB. The railway continues to Scuol-Tarasp deep in the Lower Engadin but the pictures here were all taken at the top end near Pontresina.