Nankai Electric Railway ― Montreux–Oberland Bernois Railway (2017)

Kansai | Osaka

Train & Transportation

Celebrating Swiss Japanese friendship on rails, from the top of Mount Koya to the shores of the Lake Geneva!

Japanese railway excellence… in Switzerland?

Founded as early as 1884, Nankai Electric Railway Company (NER) currently operates essential regional lines from its landmark terminal in Namba, Osaka, such as the Nankai Main Line to Wakayama City, the Koya Line to Mount Koya (UNESCO World Heritage Site), and a line running to the Kansai International Airport. With a stunning total of about 238 million passengers carried in 2017, the company is an integral transportation means for not only those in the Kansai area but also overseas travelers visiting Osaka.

Some 9,500 kilometers west, in Switzerland, another seemingly unrelated train of the Chemin de fer Montreux–Oberland Bernois (MOB) makes it way on a green and peaceful valley between Montreux and Zweisimmen. However, its new appearance hardly goes unnoticed. How come?

Kanjis in the Swiss Alps

On October 24, 2017, in Osaka, the NER and the MOB proudly signed a sister railway partnership. In the presence of Ambassador of Switzerland to Japan Jean-François Paroz, NER President & CEO Teruhiko Achikita and Director General of MOB Georges Oberson expressed their enthusiasm and their hopes for further cooperation between their two companies, citing reciprocal tourism promotion and technology exchanges as the main drivers and advantages of this new alliance.

Only a year later, in July 2018, the MOB Be 4/4 5002 was decorated with cherry blossoms, Japanese patterns, and NER’s kanjis to celebrate the first anniversary of the partnership. President Achikita came to Montreux a month later to attend a sister affiliation event, and had a thrilling ride in the new train in company of Director General Oberson. In the meanwhile, on the other side of the world, large liquid crystal screens at Namba Station and giant posters in the Nankai trains were inviting Japanese travelers from the Kansai area to discover the MOB and the natural jewels of the Swiss Alps!

MOB: a train for every taste

One of the oldest electric railways in Switzerland, the MOB was created at the beginning of the 20th century by Montreux hoteliers to cope with the increasing number of tourists between the Lake Geneva and the Bernese Alps. At the time, Switzerland was a place where travelers would escape polluted and grey European capitals to find pure air and pristine nature. Nowadays, thanks to its partnerships with other companies from the Golden Pass Line, the MOB’s 65 kilometre-long main line is also connected to Lucerne and Interlaken, and transports over 4 million passengers every year. It is also featured in the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland.

The real added value of the company’s trains, however, are the many experiences they offer. Are you feeling nostalgic of the golden era of rail? Ride the Classic train, and enjoy the luxurious atmosphere of its Belle Epoque coaches. Do you prefer focusing on the view? The Rochers-de-Naye route will help catch every single detail of the astonishing landscapes at the Rochers-de-Naye. Trust the experience of the MOB: their panoramic cars guarantee comfortable rail travels. Last but not least, the Chocolate train will bring happiness to those seeking to discover Switzerland’s exquisite alpine milk chocolate and famous Gruyère cheese. All aboard!