Best Mining Cog Railways and Funiculars You Can Ride
Many historic mines used inclined-plane railways or cog tracks to move ore and men up impossible gradients. Several still run as visitor attractions.
Mine de Sel de Bex, Switzerland
A 19th-century brine railway descending into the Vaudois Alps.
Mina da Passagem, Brazil
The 120 m inclined-rail descent into the Mariana gold mine.
Reichenbach Falls, Switzerland
Linked to historic mining funiculars in central Switzerland.
Schwaz Silver Mine, Tyrol
An 800 m horizontal mining train into the Sigmund gallery.
Kongsberg Silver Mines, Norway
The 2.3 km horizontal Christian Stoll train ride.
Big Bog Mining Tour, Minnesota
A short cog descent at the Hibbing Hull-Rust mine.
Cripple Creek and Victor, Colorado
A 4-foot-gauge narrow-gauge railroad through gold-rush mining country.
White Pass and Yukon Route, Alaska/Canada
Built for the Klondike Gold Rush; still running as a tourist train.
Quincy Mine, Michigan
An incline-railway descent into copper-country.
Idrija Mercury Mine, Slovenia
A small mining-train ride to the Anthony's Shaft.
Plan your visit
Every site mentioned is plotted, with opening hours and accessibility notes, on our interactive map.
Explore on the map
Use the interactive map to filter by country, mineral and accessibility — or to find the closest mining heritage site to wherever you happen to be.