The Jungfrau Railway reports that last year it carried 672,000 people up the Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe, 3.2 per cent more than in 2009.

A statement from the company on Tuesday said that other destinations served by the Jungfrau Railways Group were also well frequented last year, with the Wengernalp, Mürren and Harder Railways also carrying more passengers.

It said that after the global financial crisis and fears of swine flu in 2009, last year group recorded higher bookings from almost all markets.

Increased marketing helped boost business from Europe, notably in the group travel sector.

The group said it would have recorded even higher numbers had European air travel not been disrupted by the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland.

The Jungfrau Railway, which is considered a pioneering masterpiece among mountain railways, went into  service in 1912. The cogwheel railway takes passengers from Kleine Scheidegg to the Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe, at 3,454 metres.

In a related development, the Jungfrau Ski Region opened its 2010/2011 winter season on November 27. Up to and including January 2, turnover had totalled SFr13.9 million ($14.8 million), an increase of 0.9 per cent up on the same period of the previous winter season.

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