Rigi

What Rigi does

Rigi (legal entity RIGI BAHNEN AG, partnered with regional tourism organization RigiPlus AG) is a privately held Swiss mountain railway operator headquartered in Vitznau, with a registered office in Goldau. Founded in 1871 as Europe's first mountain railway, the company transports visitors to Mount Rigi — branded 'the Queen of the Mountains' — in Central Switzerland. Its core asset base consists of nine interconnected mountain railway and cable car systems, including the historic cogwheel railway and seven aerial cableways, supplemented by ancillary infrastructure such as the wheelchair-accessible Rigi Blitz electric bus and JST Multidrive e-wheelchair rentals.

The product portfolio spans transportation tickets and the 365-day annual subscription pass, the historic Locomotive 7 steam-train experience, hiking and audio-guided trail experiences, gastronomy and accommodation at mountain stations, group and event services, wellness offerings, and a souvenir and gift-voucher retail line through the rigishop online store. Rigi has invested deliberately in accessibility across physical and digital surfaces, including low-floor trains, mobility lifts, sponsor-funded e-wheelchairs and accessible e-buses, plus WCAG 2.2 / EN 301 549 alignment for the corporate website.

The business model is direct-to-consumer, monetizing ticket and pass sales at station counters, on-vehicle sales (with a CHF 5 service fee), and through an online shop and reseller partner network. Supporting revenue streams include gastronomy, events, retail/souvenirs, and equipment rentals. Ownership is structured around a regional stakeholder cooperative: RigiPlus AG operates as a tourism-network organization with 48 partners, 27 of which are shareholders, alongside the operating AGs. There are no disclosed funding rounds, no M&A activity, no listed public ticker, and revenue is not publicly disclosed. The current leadership comprises Frédéric Füssenich as CEO and Ivan Steiner as Head of Marketing & Communication, with a workforce of 251–500 employees.

Name

Rigi

Legal name

RIGI BAHNEN AG

Website

https://rigi.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1871

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Rigi (RIGI BAHNEN AG) operates Europe's first mountain railway on Mount Rigi in Central Switzerland, transporting visitors via nine cogwheel railways and cable cars. It serves individual tourists, families, and groups with tickets, an annual subscription, gastronomy, accessibility services, and experience-based offerings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mountain Railway Tourism

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other (487990)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Tourist & Heritage Cable Car/Funicular Attractions (THAIAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mountain Gondola & Chairlift Passenger Transport (Non-ski Commuter/Tourist) (THAIAKAD), Transportation & Access Services (Shuttles, Ferry Access, Scenic Drives Permits) (THAAAGAC)

Keywords

• Mountain Railway Services
• Cogwheel Railway Transport
• Alpine Tourism
• Cable Car Operations
• Scenic Mountain Excursions

Headquarters

HQ city

Vitznau

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Transportation/Tickets: Revenue from selling tickets and subscriptions for railway and cable car transportation services. Includes individual tickets, day passes, 365-day subscriptions, and group fares. A service fee of CHF 5 applies for ticket purchases made on vehicles.
2. Gastronomy and Events: Revenue from on-mountain dining facilities and event hosting including special steam train experiences (Lok 7), concerts, wellness activities, and catered events.
3. Retail and Souvenirs: Revenue from souvenir shop and gift voucher sales through the online shop.
4. Rental Services: Revenue from equipment rentals including e-wheelchair rental at CHF 30 per day, with various tour options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rigi operates the first mountain railway in Europe (established 1871) along with seven cable car systems, providing cogwheel rail and aerial transport to visitors of the 'Queen of the Mountains' in Central Switzerland. The portfolio bundles transportation with on-mountain experiences such as hiking trails, audio guides, wellness, gastronomy, accommodations, group events, and accessibility services including the JST Multidrive e-wheelchair rental and the wheelchair-accessible Rigi Blitz electric bus. Ticketing spans individual fares, group fares (10+ persons), and a 365-day annual subscription pass.

Product overview

Rigi is a traditional Swiss mountain tourism destination operated by RigiPlus AG and RIGI BAHNEN AG. The company offers a unified portfolio centered on its historic cogwheel railway network (the first in Europe) and seven cable cars that transport visitors to the 'Queen of the Mountains.' Core services include mountain rail and cable car transportation, complemented by experience offerings such as hiking trails with audio guides, the JST Multidrive e-wheelchair rental for accessibility, the Rigi Blitz electric shuttle bus, and special steam train rides on Locomotive 7. The company also provides tickets, the 365-day annual pass, gastronomy, accommodations, and group/event services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rigi Blitz: Electric bus service for passenger transportation between Rigi Kaltbad and Rigi Scheidegg, also serving as local taxi and material transport.

Products and services

• Mountain Railway Transportation (Bergbahnen) Cogwheel railway and cable car transportation connecting multiple valleys and elevations of Mount Rigi in Central Switzerland, available to individual tourists, day visitors, and families seeking access to the 'Queen of the Mountains'.
• Rigi Blitz Electric Bus Service Wheelchair-accessible electric bus operating between Rigi Kaltbad and Rigi Scheidegg, transporting up to 9 passengers and 2 wheelchairs as both scheduled local transport and on-demand shuttle service for visitors.
• JST Multidrive E-Wheelchair Rental Powered electric wheelchair rental sponsored by the Cerebral Foundation at CHF 30 per day, enabling wheelchair users to traverse bumpy hiking trails and steep sections on designated routes. Available May through end of October at the DLZ-Kaltbad service center.
• Locomotive 7 Steam Train Experience Heritage steam locomotive rides on historic Lok 7 offered as a special seasonal experience for tourists visiting Mount Rigi, accompanied by an exhibition of the locomotive itself.
• Panorama Day Tour (Panorama Tagestour) All-inclusive day trip package combining rail travel, scenic routes, and curated experiences on Mount Rigi, sold to individual tourists through the online shop.
• Group Travel and Events (Gruppen & Events) Coordinated group travel arrangements for 10 or more persons with special group fares, plus on-mountain event hosting including private charters, steam train experiences, and catered gatherings for tour operators, companies, and associations.
• Wellness Experiences Wellness facilities and relaxation experiences available at Mount Rigi, marketed as part of the year-round destination offering alongside hiking and winter sports.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• RigiPlus AG Partner NetworkcoreOthersRigiPlus AG operates as a regional tourism and network organization with 48 partners, 27 of whom are shareholders. The network includes service providers, interest groups, valley districts, and municipalities working together to promote the 'Queen of the Mountains' destination.
• ProcapmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization for people with disabilities, Switzerland's largest self-help organization with over 21,000 members. Procap provides comprehensive consulting on social insurance, barrier-free building, living and travel. Organizes inclusive events and courses for affected individuals, relatives, professionals and interested parties.
• OK:GOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOK:GO initiative supports Swiss tourism providers in collecting and publishing accessibility information about their offerings and services. Provides valuable information for visitors with disabilities.
• Pro InfirmisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing digital accessibility data about buildings and facilities, valuable for people with disabilities planning their visit to Rigi.
• Schweizer Paraplegiker Stiftung (Swiss Paraplegic Foundation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Paraplegic Foundation supported the purchase of a wheelchair-accessible electric bus (Rigi Blitz) capable of transporting two wheelchairs. This enables barrier-free travel between Rigi Kaltbad and Rigi Scheidegg.
• Stiftung Cerebral (Cerebral Foundation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cerebral Foundation sponsored the JST Multidrive electric wheelchair available for rental at Rigi Kaltbad. This enables wheelchair users to navigate bumpy hiking trails and steep climbs on designated routes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Schynige Platte Railway: Heritage cogwheel railway in the Bernese Oberland offering scenic alpine transport and hiking connections; operated within the Jungfrau Railways group. Comparable vintage cogwheel product serving tourism-focused visitors.
• Brienz Rothorn Bahn: Heritage steam-operated cogwheel railway in the Bernese Oberland offering scenic mountain transport with a vintage rail experience — closely comparable to Rigi's historic railway positioning and steam locomotive Lok 7 offering.
• Gornergrat Bahn: Historic cogwheel railway from Zermatt to the Gornergrat viewpoint, offering scenic transport, on-mountain hotel, and observatory partnerships — a close parallel to Rigi's mix of heritage rail, panoramic tourism, and on-mountain hospitality.
• Bergbahnen Engelberg-Titlis: Operates cable cars and rotating gondola to Mount Titlis, combining year-round mountain transport with snow sports, glacier experiences, and ticketed attractions — closely mirroring Rigi's mix of rail/cable transport plus experiential tourism.
• Stanserhorn Cable Car: Swiss mountain destination operating a historic funicular plus modern CabriO double-decker cable car to the Stanserhorn summit. Comparable cogwheel/funicular heritage plus modern cable car operations, hiking, and gastronomy in Central Switzerland.
• Pilatus Railways: Operates the world's steepest cogwheel railway from Alpnachstad to Mount Pilatus plus cable cars, offering a near-identical product mix of heritage cogwheel rail, cable car transport, panoramic mountain experiences, gastronomy, and ticketed events in Central Switzerland.
• Säntis Bergbahnen: Operates the cable car from Schwägalp to the Säntis summit in eastern Switzerland, combining scenic transport with a weather observatory and panoramic gastronomy — a regional comparable for the cable-car-plus-experience model.
• Jungfrau Railways: Swiss mountain railway group operating the Wengernalp, Jungfrau, and Harder railways plus cableways to Kleine Scheidegg and Mürren. Directly comparable cogwheel/cable car product, multi-rail network, and integrated tourism offering in the Bernese Oberland.

Broad incumbents

• Glacier Express / Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn: Operates long-distance scenic panoramic trains across the Swiss Alps with on-board dining and ticketed experience packages. Broader in scope than Rigi but comparable in heritage rail positioning and scenic tourism value proposition.
• Bergbahnen Destination Gstaad: Mountain railway and cable car network serving the Gstaad tourism region, integrating transport with winter sports, hiking, and luxury hospitality. Comparable multi-asset mountain tourism platform in the Swiss Alps.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Rigi1871
• Facebookfacebook.com/RigiOfficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/rigi.ch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rigi-bahnen-ag-rigbag-

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rigi