Viaduct Museum Langwies

111 YEARS OF THE LANGWIESER VIADUCT

The Langwies Viaduct Museum takes you on a journey into the fascinating world of the Langwies Viaduct – an exciting discovery for anyone who loves history and technology!
The museum is currently closed for the season and will reopen in summer 2027.

At the Langwies Viaduct Museum, visitors can explore not only the original railway station facilities, such as the goods shed and the railway maintenance depot, but also one of the viaduct’s concrete pillars itself. Each exhibition space focuses on a different curatorial theme, ranging from the construction and engineering history of the viaduct and early film footage to the significance of the Chur–Arosa railway line in the development of tourism. Interactive features such as hand-cranked cinemas, a sound room and participatory Polaroid stations engage all the senses.

The viaduct itself serves as the museum’s main exhibit. At the time of its construction, the Langwies Viaduct was the largest and longest-spanning reinforced concrete railway bridge in the world.

In addition, two further museum stations can be found in the former schoolhouse in Langwies. One features an impressive model of Richard Coray’s timber centering structure used during the bridge’s construction, while the other hosts changing special exhibitions, most of them abstract artistic interpretations centred on the themes of bridges and railways.

museum rooms

The following stations await you at the Langwies Viaduct Museum

Waiting room

At this stop on the Viaduct Museum tour, everything revolves around time and distance. Since 1914, people have been waiting for the train within these four walls and listening to the ticking of the clock. Today, the waiting room no longer invites visitors merely to wait, but to embark on a journey – back to the early days, to the time when Arosa was first discovered as a spa resort and the journey through the Schanfigg valley was only possible by horse-drawn carriage. With a rotating timeline, a rather special world map and impressive advertising posters, this section of the museum shows why the Langwies Viaduct is also known as the ‘Bridge to the World’.

Station office

This section of the Viaduct Museum is for viewing only and must not be entered, as the control panel in the former stationmaster’s office is still in operation. The room, where history meets the present, can be viewed through the windows from the waiting room and the shed, and there is plenty to discover: Historical objects such as tickets and timetables, as well as a slideshow of photographs that reveal more about everyday working life, the passengers and the rolling stock of yesteryear. In addition, an audio station in the waiting room invites visitors to listen to the stories of a former stationmaster – with a direct view of his furnished workstation, complete with coat rack and office supplies.

Shed

This section of the Viaduct Museum focuses on the history of the Chur-Arosa railway line and the Langwies Viaduct, as well as the people who made this great feat possible. In addition to technical plans, photos of the construction and original exhibits, materials closely related to the construction of the Langwies Viaduct are also on display here. The goods shed was formerly used as a temporary storage area for goods and luggage.

Magazine

In this section of the Viaduct Museum, an original shelf from the former railway service magazine serves as a reminder of the orderly arrangement of internal railway materials. Today, however, it is not only tools and screws that are displayed here, but also special exhibits, insights into track maintenance, and artistic and literary works relating to the viaduct. The shelf is flanked by Polaroid photographs taken by locals and visitors who have captured the Langwies Viaduct from different perspectives, a cinema showing historical film footage, and a DIY room where still images are set in motion.

Pier

All the senses are engaged at this station of the Viaduct Museum. The walk-in group pier is more powerful than the other piers of the side openings and is located in the same position as the abutment on the opposite slope. Here, it stabilises the access viaduct on the Langwies side and absorbs the horizontal forces acting on it. When you enter the dark room, you feel, smell, hear and see the bridge in a completely new way.

Rectifier Station

This station of the Viaduct Museum showcases the façade of the former rectifier building. Around 1930, the building served as part of the power supply reinforcement for the Arosa Railway. Today, the geometric negative shape of the Langwies Viaduct can be seen on this important rectifier building. If you go to the back of the building, a special sight awaits you, because from there you can compare the painted negative shape of the construction with the real Langwies Viaduct.

Classroom

In this section of the Viaduct Museum, visitors can marvel at the impressive model of the Langwies Viaduct’s scaffolding. Built by Bartholome Capatt-Studer, the model is a 1:25 scale replica of Richard Coray’s fan-shaped wooden scaffolding. It offers visitors the opportunity to examine the complex structure of this world-famous construction in detail. In addition, literature and archival materials invite you to browse and marvel—all within walls that once surrounded schoolrooms and have always embodied the spirit of learning.

Attic

In dieser Station des Viadukt Museums stehen unerwartete Perspektiven im Fokus. Jede Saison setzt sich eine Sonderausstellung mit einem spezifischen Thema rund um den Langwieser Viadukt auseinander und lädt dazu ein, ungewohnte Blickwinkel zu entdecken und in neue Interpretationen von vertrauten Inhalten einzutauchen. 2026 wurde der Dachstock eigens zu diesem Zweck zu einem temporären Ausstellungsraum ausgebaut. Mit den an der Innenseite des Daches verwendeten Streckmetallen verweist der Raum auf das Zusammenspiel von Bestehendem und Neuem.

Important Information about the Viaduct Museum

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closed
in preparation

Last update: 11.11.2026, 22:31

Museum opening hours

The Langwies Viaduct Museum is currently closed for the season and will reopen in summer 2027.
Opening hours information will be announced in due course.

Arrival

The museum is located right next to Langwies railway station.
We recommend travelling by train. With the Arosa Card, travel on the Rhaetian Railway between Lüen and Arosa is free of charge. The Arosa Card is valid throughout the season at the Langwies Viaduct Museum.
Do you need to travel by car? There is limited public parking in Langwies and the spaces at Langwies railway station are often occupied. We therefore recommend parking your car in Arosa and travelling by train from Arosa to Langwies. As a highlight, you will cross the Langwies Viaduct – a spectacular experience and the best way to get in the mood for the Langwies Viaduct Museum. If you are hiking from Litzirüti to the museum, you may pass several museum stations (Pfeiler and Magazin stations) before you reach the museum information point. You are welcome to visit the stations, provided you purchase your ticket at the information point afterwards or show your Arosa Card.

However, it is worth stopping by the information desk first. There you can obtain important tips and information about visiting the museum – and the youngest viaduct fans will find a great little book to accompany them through their visit, with puzzles and colouring fun. A general tip for the concrete pillar: for a very special experience, keep an eye on the time and then go into the pillar when a train is passing over the Langwies Viaduct, at around 10 minutes before and 3 minutes after every hour. Important: this is an accessible pillar of the viaduct. It is strictly forbidden to enter the viaduct itself.

Museum entrance fee

Regular admission prices: CHF 10.00 for adults, CHF 5 for young people, free for children under 6. Admission is free with the Arosa Card. Tickets can be purchased at the museum information desk. If the information desk is unattended, tickets can be paid for using the Twint code on the shutter of the information desk. If you have an Arosa Card, please show it at the information desk as soon as it is staffed again. The Langwies Viaduct Museum is suitable for all age groups.

Accessibility and inclusion

The Langwies Viaduct Museum occupies premises belonging to the RhB around Langwies station. Langwies station is not currently wheelchair accessible, which means that the museum is unfortunately unable to guarantee accessibility. The façade painting at Station 1 Gleichrichter and Station 2 Warteraum with a view into the station office are currently wheelchair accessible. Station 3 Schuppen can be accessed via a ramp. An unpaved path (approx. 2 minutes) leads to Station 4 Magazine, which may be covered with small pieces of wood waste when timber loading is in progress. An unpaved hiking trail (approx. 5 minutes) leads on to Station 5 Pillar, which requires sure-footedness. To access the pillar, you must climb a step. When timber is being loaded on the side track, the path to Station 4 Magazine and Station 5 Pillar is temporarily diverted (approx. 15-minute walk, partly unpaved, with ascents and descents). For advance information regarding accessibility, please feel free to contact us by telephone at any time on +41 77 536 68 81.
For people with special needs, the following aids are available at the information desk: brochure with enlarged exhibition text, magnifying glasses, hearing protection for adults and children, fidget toys.
The exhibition texts are now also available in English. Information on this is available at the museum information desk.

Safety instructions and disclaimer

Please note the following information for a safe visit:

Is it permitted to walk on the Langwies Viaduct? No, walking on the Langwies Viaduct is strictly prohibited. Trains operated by the Rhaetian Railway travel over the viaduct at irregular intervals. Violating this rule poses a serious risk to life.
Parents, accompanying adults and group leaders are responsible for supervising children and young people.
When timber is being loaded on the side track, the route to Station 4 Magazine and Station 5 Pillar is diverted (10–15 minute walk, partly unpaved, with ascents and descents).
Entering the grounds and the individual museum stations is at your own risk.

The Langwies Viaduct Museum accepts no liability for:

Accidents or damage caused by unauthorised entry onto the Langwies Viaduct or by staying in the immediate vicinity of the tracks
Personal injury or property damage caused by improper use of the premises, exhibition objects or facilities
Loss, theft or damage to personal belongings

By visiting the Langwies Viaduct Museum, you accept the safety instructions and disclaimer as binding.

Group offers / guided tours

The Viaduct Museum Langwies offers special programs for groups, including guided tours and themed walks led by various experts. Whether it’s a company outing, a class reunion, a family gathering, or a school field trip—we’d be happy to put together a customized program for you.

Prices:.

Group tours 45-60 minutes for 5-10 people with a museum guide, flat rate CHF 100.00, excluding admission.
Group tours lasting 60 minutes for 10-20 people with a museum guide, flat rate of CHF 150.00, excluding admission.
Group tours lasting 60-75 minutes for 20-40 people with two museum guides, flat rate of CHF 300.00, excluding admission.

Impressum

Artistic Direction Dr. phil. Carla Gabri
Construction Management Hitsch Sprecher
Research, Texts, Images Silvia Conzett
Scenography glisglis Szenografie
Graphic Design Resort Studio
Exhibition Construction Christian Sprecher Carpentry
Electrical Planning Dario Neuhäusler
System Technology Rochus Caluori
Archive Research Gion Caprez
Proofreading Jäger Translations & Editing
Project Assistance Gianna Turra, Oliver Rutz
Project Sponsors Arosa Tourism, Arosa Culture, Municipality of Arosa