In Switzerland, the mountain-railway nation — indeed in all of Europe — do you know the highest-altitude station?
It is Top of Europe, Jungfraujoch Station, at 3,454 m — slightly lower than the summit of Mount Fuji.
Trains leaving the climbing-base town of Kleine Scheidegg (2,061 m) enter a tunnel after about 20 minutes. Behind the famous north face of the Eiger, they proceed through a tunnel cut through the rock. Midway are Eigerwand Station (2,865 m) and Eismeer Station (3,158 m), where trains pause for a few minutes each. Step off and walk a short passage to thick glass windows — look out and be amazed: you are on the mid-slope of the Eiger's north face.
The train moves on slowly to Jungfraujoch ("young maiden's shoulder"). Jungfrau means young lady; the view from her shoulder is superb. In every direction the Swiss Alps gleam silver-white. Ride the 108 m elevator to the Sphinx Observatory; below spreads the Aletsch Glacier, a World Natural Heritage site.
The Jungfrau Railway was planned from the 19th century and fully pierced the mountain exactly 100 years ago, in August 1912. For a nation whose economy rests on tourism, the planning, persistence, and unity behind a nationwide rail network are deeply impressive.