Mission Statement VFB, DFB AG and SFB

The 3 organisations of the Furka Mountain Steam Railway

The 3 organisations VFB, DFB AG and SFB are three independent bodies. They fulfil different functions, but have the common goal of securing the long-term existence of the Furka mountain line and preserving the historic cultural asset of national, even European significance for posterity. In 2008, the cooperation between VFB, DFB AG and SFB was again contractually regulated.

Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway Association (abbreviation in german: VFB), with its broad support in Switzerland and abroad, forms the backbone of our activities on the Furka. Its approximately 8,000 members contribute membership fees, donations and their labour. Every year, countless volunteers (under the supervision of DFB AG experts) put in thousands of hours of hard labour. A larger amount of the membership fees is donated annually to DFB AG to cover the operating costs of the railway. In this way, the association promotes and supports the realisation of construction projects, the maintenance of the line as well as the operation and contributes significantly to the preservation of the unique railway line.

Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway Ltd. (abbreviation in german: DFB AG) is the holder of the federal concession and is therefore responsible for the strategy, construction, marketing and operation of the railway. It owns all the facilities, means of transport and equipment. With its trained voluntary staff, it operates the Realp - Gletsch - Oberwald line according to the published timetable (nota bene without regular contributions from the public purse) and thus enables thousands of passengers to experience the uniqueness of the line and the enthusiasm of the staff. In addition, DFB AG makes a significant contribution to the enhancement and development of the Ursern Valley / Goms tourism region. To this end, DFB AG works closely with local and regional authorities, tourist organisations and other transport companies.

Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway Foundation (abbreviation in german: SFB) was created by DFB AG as the sole benefactor and is mainly dedicated to fundraising. It seeks and wins sponsors and patrons, collects donations and uses them to finance the investments of DFB AG. This enables the realisation of larger expansion projects in the areas of infrastructure and rolling stock. The foundation has a non-profit character and is tax-exempt, which increases its attractiveness for donors.