Mt Pilatus Self-Guided Round Trip from Lucerne

Experience Mt. Pilatus: Scenic train, world’s steepest cogwheel railway, and Dragon Ride cableway. Marvel at Lake Lucerne and Swiss Alps views.

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Pilatus-Bahnen AG - Take bus no. 1 (direction Kriens/Obernau) from Lucerne’s train station. After an 11-min. bus ride to the station “Kriens, Zentrum Pilatus” and a short walk, you reach the valley station in Kriens. The Panorama Gondolas take you to the middle station Fräkmüntegg in 30 min. where you can try the rope park or the Dragon Glider (own expenses). Change to the aerial cableway “Dragon Ride” to the top (5 min.).
  • Pilatus Luzern - From Pilatus Kulm, enjoy the panoramic views over Lake Lucerne and the Swiss Alps and either stay inside the panoramic gallery, relax on the terrace, climb one of the peaks or enjoy a local specialty in our restaurants (own expenses). The world’s steepest cogwheel railway brings you back down to Alpnachstad in 35 min. Next to the valley station you take the public train back to Lucerne (20 min). The trip can also be done in the opposite direction, starting by train from Lucerne. In any case, check the timetable before your visit.
What's Included
  • Public train between Luzern and Alpnachstad (2nd class)
  • Aerial cableway ‘Dragon Ride’ between Fräkmüntegg and Pilatus Kulm
  • Panorama Gondola between Kriens and Fräkmüntegg
  • Public bus between Kriens and Lucerne main station
  • Steepest cogwheel railway in the world between Pilatus Kulm and Alpnachstad
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Tour guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Additional activities (rope park, Dragon Glider, toboggan run, etc.)
  • Other personal expenses
  • Seat reservation for the cogwheel train
Additional Information

Visit Mt. Pilatus on a half-day tour featuring a scenic train ride, the world’s steepest cogwheel railway, the aerial cableway “Dragon Ride,” and a panorama gondola. Experience the mountain at 2132 meters above sea level. Marvel at the breathtaking views from Mount Pilatus over Lake Lucerne and the Swiss Alps. Enjoy a picturesque train journey between Lucerne and Alpnachstad. Ride the world’s steepest cogwheel railway from Alpnachstad to Pilatus Kulm. Take in the stunning mountain and valley vistas from the panorama gondola and the “Dragon Ride” aerial cableway between Kriens and Pilatus Kulm.

  • Check the timetable carefully
  • Round trip can be done in both directions
  • Operates in almost all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
  • Cableways are not in operation in the case of storms
  • A maximum of 9 people per booking
  • Prior reservation mandatory for wheelchairs
  • Strollers must be folded during transport
  • A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
  • To avoid long waiting times for the cogwheel train between Alpnachstad and Pilatus Kulm (or vice versa), we highly recommend to make a cogwheel train reservation
Location
Pilatus-Bahnen AG
Schlossweg
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.4
(45 Ratings)
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Diningtomlf
Sep 7, 2024
Great trip, start by taking the boat, spend $5 for a reserved cogwheel seat if crowded. - Highly recommend the round trip starting with the boat to the cogwheel train and not the other way around from Kieren. Buy your ticket on line or at the ticket counter at pier one. They only accept MC on line and MC denied all my on line transactions. The ticket counter worked fine if not crowded. Buy a reserved seat on the cogwheel train if it is crowded. The trains runs on the half hour so you will have a long wait if crowded and you have not reserved a seat. Take the cable cars down to Kieren and then the bus, which is included, back to Lucern. The bus is about a ten minute walk from the cable car. Turn right out of the cable car station and follow signs carefully or ask for directions to the number 1 bus.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christine_f
Sep 2, 2024
Easy beautiful excursion - This was an easy to follow but yet independent way to see Mt Pilatus. I would suggest that you do the cog train first to avoid the crowds and go down by the cable car.
Review provided by Viator
Susan_h
Aug 30, 2024
Beautiful views! - The views from the top were breathtaking. The gondola and cogwheel were a little scary but fun. But we are also a afraid of heights!
Review provided by Viator
516shivamv
Jul 30, 2024
Mt Pilatus: Wonderful family adventure destination - We went to Mt Pilatus and started our journey from Lucerne. It was an experience we will cherish throughout our life. From starting of the journey to the end it was filled with stunning views, thrilling activities and wonderful moments. Once we reached the top, the panoramic views of the Alps and Lake Lucerne were absolutely mesmerizing. It felt like we were on top of the world, surrounded by nature’s grandeur. We enjoyed the various hiking trails that cater to all levels of hikers. We loved the Dragon Ride cableway, which provided a unique perspective of the mountains and valleys below. The Pilatus rope park was another highlight, offering fun and challenging courses that the whole family could enjoy. The restaurants at the summit offered delicious Swiss cuisine and the service was excellent. We particularly enjoyed dining with a view, which made the meal even more enjoyable. The facilities were clean and well-maintained, ensuring a comfortable visit for all ages. Overall, Mt. Pilatus is a must-visit destination for families. The combination of natural beauty, adventure, and quality facilities made our trip unforgettable. We highly recommend it to anyone looking to create lasting memories with their loved ones. The journey ended with a iconic cogwheel ride which is an adventure in itself. The steep descent offered views of Swiss villages.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marina_c
Jul 27, 2024
Mt Pilatus - a day of stunning views and walks - An amazing all day experience. So many different walks or longer hikes to choose from depending on your fitness levels. Pity the low cloud blocked some of our views but that’s just the chance you take when you have pre-booked and in Luzern for a short time. Highly recommend wearing good shoes and having your phones fully charged for taking lots of stunning photo’s and video’s.
Review provided by Viator
Travis_j
Jul 16, 2024
A Great Day Trip in Lucerne - Our tickets got us to everything without waiting in lines. It was a great experience from start to finish. Amazing views!
Review provided by Viator
Melissacd7730mx
Jul 16, 2024
Worth the visit and super fun - We took the bus from Luzern to the mountain and it was super easy to navigate. Booked a discounted ticket with travel pass the night before and got right on. We only went as far as Frakmuntegg to enjoy the toboggan run. Was fun and worth the wait. The scenery was beautiful and fun to try something new.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J7419qktomh
Jul 1, 2024
Amazing View - We used public transportation from the old part of Lucerne to Kriens, then walked up the hill to the start of the Mt. Pilatus gondola. We had a nice clear day so the view was excellent on the way up and on the top. We lingered on the outdoor deck looking back towards Lucerne and the snowy peaks in the other direction. We were glad we brought our coats because there was still a lot of snow on the ground. Once back to Kriens it was an easy bus ride back to Lucerne. Amazing view - don't miss it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joseph_b
Jul 27, 2024
Think twice about paying for cogwheel seat reservations. - Incredible experience with spectacular views of the Alps and Lake Lucerne. Enjoyed everything but Pilatus’ website and service. As per their recommendation I reserved seats for the cogwheel train at an additional cost. They in turn sent a QR code for vouchers that didn’t indicate the reservation time and said they couldn’t access QR codes at the site. Lost money.
Review provided by Viator
850austink
Jul 11, 2024
The lady selling tickets stole our money and lied to us!!! Don’t trust this organization!!! - I wouldn’t recommend this for anyone. We arrived at 4:30 and were told that the tram was about to close and if we wanted to go up we could only be there for 30 minutes. We are from the US so I didn’t want to miss it even though the round trip would be rather short. The lady selling tickets told my wife and I that the train will leave at “FIVE 0 FIVE”. We sat across the street from the loading area and waited in the heat. As the time approached we saw a train coming down and I stopped to use the restroom. When I came out the train was gone. The lady must have misspoke because the train leaves at 6 minutes to FIVE (4:54) not FIVE 0 FIVE. We were severely disappointed to spend an hour on the train getting here, wait for an additional 30 minutes and then miss the train because someone didn’t know what they were saying… I went back to her to explain why we were upset and she flat out lied and told me she said 5 till 5 - which isn’t even the time it takes off. My wife and I both heard her repeat FIVE 0 FIVE more than once. She was rude and confident in her lie or stupidity. She grabbed money from the drawer and threw it back in the spinning window and said “I don’t have to talk to you anymore”… she didn’t even give me back all my money. There was about $20 missing from what I paid. What a joke! Who would want to travel all this way and pay this amount of money to be treated like this!! I don’t know why they would let such a crotchety old lady work in a customer service job. I hat the fact that I paid money to be lied to. If I were the operation company I’d check the drawer for more missing money. This lady was a crook!! This was on 11/07/24 - please investigate!! Picture of my wife after we were lied to and before we were robbed by the lady selling tickets.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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