What is Pilatus?
Pilatus is a mountain and viewpoint at 2119 m altitude, just over an hour away from the rail station of Lucerne. It offers roundabout views of Lake Lucerne and the Central and Bernese Alps. You can reach Pilatus in 2 ways:
- by cable car from Kriens, a suburb of Lucerne
- by the world's steepest funicular ride, with modern trains, from the town of Alpnachstad
Restaurants, a few hotels, panoramic terraces, and short hiking routes are available at the top.
Pilatus prices, tickets, and reservations explained
Pilatus - price overview 2024
Price | More information | Description |
---|---|---|
CHF 39 | swissrailways.com | Return ticket with a Swiss Travel Pass (Flex) or Swiss Half Fare Card |
CHF 0 | swissrailways.com | Return ticket with a Tell-Pass |
CHF 78 | swissrailways.com | Return ticket, full price |
Golden Round Trip and Silver Round Trip tickets
What are the Golden Round Trip and Silver Round Trip?
There are combined tickets for popular round trips that include all segments between Lucerne and Pilatus, such as the "Golden Round Trip" and "Silver Round Trip". We explain them in our Pilatus route descriptions here.
Are the Golden Round Trip and Silver Round Trip included in the Swiss Travel Pass (Flex)?
Yes, parts of the routes are free with a Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Travel Pass Flex: all journeys by train, bus, and boat to the valley stations of Alpnachstad and Kriens. The cogwheel train and cableways between Alpnachstad, Kriens, and Pilatus are 50% discounted.
This means you don't have to get a normal Golden Round Trip or Silver Round Trip ticket for this route if you have a valid Swiss Travel Pass (Flex). Just get 50% tickets for the cogwheel train and/or cable car.
If you do buy a Golden Round Trip or Silver Round Trip ticket, make sure to indicate that you have a Swiss Travel Pass (Flex) to get the right amount of discount.
Are the Golden Round Trip and Silver Round Trip included in the Swiss Half Fare Card?
Yes, these routes are 50% discounted with a Swiss Half Fare Card. If you buy Golden Round Trip or Silver Round Trip tickets, make sure to indicate that you have a Swiss Half Fare Card, or choose a 50% discounted ticket.
Are the Golden Round Trip and Silver Round Trip included in the Tell-Pass?
Yes, the Tell-Pas Summer fully includes these trips. You don't need additional tickets. The Tell-Pass Winter theoretically covers all routes too, but note that the Alpnachstad cogwheel train does not operate during most of the winter season.
Reservations
Reservations aren't required. But it's possible to reserve your spots in the cogwheel train through the Pilatus website. We recommend this if you're traveling at a busy moment. This especially concerns sunny days in July and August, as well as weekends and Swiss holidays.
Tours to Pilatus
Below you'll find many independent and guided tours to Pilatus. If you book a tour, all tickets to Pilatus are usually included. But check the conditions to make sure.
Where to buy your tickets and tours
Tickets for a trip up to the Pilatus are available online, and from the Pilatus ticket desks in Alpnachstad and Kriens. Tours have to be booked online in advance.
Get your ticket or tour for Pilatus
Offered by Official SBB shop: swissrailways.com
- Official webshop of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), operated by Switzerland Travel Centre (STC)
- Instant delivery through e-mail in 5 minutes
- Free cancellation until 1 day before travel, if you choose the FLEX OPTION. No questions asked.
- Extra Support: MySwissAlps can answer most questions regarding your order as well.
Offered by GetYourGuide: www.getyourguide.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Best Price Matching: GetYourGuide will pay the difference if you find a lower price.
- Extra Support: if you buy here, MySwissAlps can also assist if you have questions about your order.
Offered by Viator: www.viator.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Lowest Price Guarantee: Viator will refund the difference if you find a better price.
- Extra Support: if you buy here, MySwissAlps can also assist if you have questions about your order.
Promotions
Various multi-day packages for guided and self-guided trips to Switzerland. The offerings change regularly. Packages including surrounding countries are available too.
Discounted Pilatus tickets with your rail passes
These rail passes allow discounted or even free traveling to Pilatus.
Pass | Discount |
---|---|
Day Pass |
Discount 50%:
Lucerne to Alpnachstad (train or boat): free. Lucerne to Kriens (bus): free. |
Eurail Global Pass |
Discount 50%:
Lucerne to Alpnachstad (train): free. Lucerne to Kriens (bus): no discount. |
Interrail Switzerland Pass |
Discount 50%:
Lucerne to Alpnachstad (train): free. Lucerne to Kriens (bus): no discount. |
Swiss Half Fare Card |
Discount 50%:
|
Swiss Travel Pass |
Discount 50%:
Lucerne to Alpnachstad (train or boat): free. Lucerne to Kriens (bus): free. |
Swiss Travel Pass Flex |
Discount 50%:
Lucerne to Alpnachstad (train or boat): free. Lucerne to Kriens (bus): free. |
Tell-Pass Summer |
Free:
|
Tell-Pass Winter |
Free:
|
How to travel to Pilatus: directions and map
The 2 ways to reach Pilatus
Pilatus can be reached in 2 ways: by cableway via the suburb of Kriens, and by cogwheel train via Alpnachstad, a small village south of Lucerne.
1. From Lucerne to Pilatus by cableway via Kriens
From Kriens, a district of Lucerne, there's a gondola to mid-station Fräkmüntegg and then a cable car to Pilatus. The latter one is called the "Dragon Ride". The entire trip takes 1h10.
Kriens can be reached by car or by bus (line 1) from the rail station in Lucerne in about 15 minutes. It's a 10-minute walk from the bus stop to the gondola valley station.
2. From Lucerne to Pilatus by cogwheel train from Alpnachstad
From the small town of Alpnachstad, you can take the cogwheel train to the top. This steep ride is available in spring, summer, and fall. From Lucerne, you'll reach the summit in 0h50 to 1h15.
Alpnachstad can be reached by train, boat or by car. The coghweel train leaves very close to the rail station and boat dock of Alpnachstad.
Since the spring of 2023, completely renewed trains are being used.
A round trip from Lucerne
Our favorite round trip from Lucerne consists of the 5 sections mentioned below. Of course, the order can be reversed, and sections can be traveled separately.
- Section 1: by train or boat from the rail station in Lucerne to Alpnachstad.
- Section 2: by cogwheel train to the peak of Mount Pilatus.
- Section 3: by cable car down to Fräkmüntegg.
- Section 4: by gondola down to Kriens.
- Section 5: by bus back to the rail station of Lucerne.
The Golden Round Trip
The "Golden Round Trip" is basically the round trip described above. It includes a boat ride from Lucerne to Alpnachstad. There are special tickets covering this entire trip. You can't enjoy this entire route in winter, as the cogwheel train from Alpnachstad doesn't operate then.
The Silver Round Trip
This is similar to the "Golden Round Trip", except that you reach Alpnachstad by regular train instead of boat. For this trip too special tickets are available. Just like the Golden Round Trip, it's restricted to the operation dates of the Alpnachstad cogwheel train.
Traveling by funicular or cable car only
Of course, you don't have to make a round trip. You can just take the cogwheel train up and down from Alpnachstad, or take the gondola and cable car up and down from Kriens. A standard return ticket covers both routes, so you can choose whichever combination you like.
Map with the routes to Pilatus from Lucerne-Kriens and Alpnachstad
Operation dates, schedules and timetable
2024 opening dates for the Pilatus cable cars and cogwheel train
Except for a few days in late April, you can reach the summit year-round. Details:
- The cable car from Kriens operates all year, except for maintenance breaks on 29-30 April 2024 and from 21 October to 8 November 2024. During the November break, you can alternatively use the cogwheel train.
- The cogwheel train from Alpnachstad operates from 6 May to 17 November 2024.
How to plan the journey to Pilatus in the timetable
You can plan each segment of your Pilatus trip in the Swiss timetable. These are the names to enter:
- The top station is called "Pilatus Kulm".
- The gondola valley station in Kriens is "Kriens (Pilatusbahn)" and the nearby bus stop is called "Kriens, Zentrum Pilatus".
- The mid-station along the cableway route is "Fräkmüntegg".
- The cogwheel valley station is called "Alpnachstad PB". The adjacent normal train station is simply called "Alpnachstad".
Specific cogwheel and gondola timetables for Pilatus are available too. You can consult them here.
Best months to visit Pilatus
The best time for an excursion to Pilatus is late May to early November. Both the cable car from Kriens and the funicular from Alpnachstad are operational. This means you can make a varied round trip with several modes of transportation.
Details:
- We like May and June best. This isn't tourist high season yet. We also appreciate the views down on the spring-like flora in the valleys, and of the mountain tops in the distance from which not all snow has melted yet.
- The weather in July and August can be beautiful. It's usually less cold at the top than during other months, which means you can have a bite on one of the restaurant terraces.
- September is less busy than July and August. Temperatures are usually lower, but you can still have a summer-like experience in terms of weather. Do note that there's usually not much snow left on the peaks you can see from Pilatus, especially after a hot summer.
- If you visit between November and April, there will be more snow on the mountains of Central Switzerland and the Bernese Oberland. There can be snow at Pilatus too!
- For the best winter experience, we recommend January and February. This is when the chances of snow are best. Favorable conditions for the sled run and winter hiking trails at mid-station Fräkmüntegg are likely too.
Weather info and forecast for Pilatus
Clear weather is best to enjoy the views. If there are clouds or drizzle, you can still get up. Sometimes you can even rise above clouds or fog that hang at lower altitudes. Check webcams showing the views from the top of Pilatus before you leave.
Services are only suspended in case of strong winds, snow storms, or other extreme circumstances.
5-day weather forecast for Pilatus
The Pilatus and its healing mythical dragons
Pilatus is connected to medieval myths, according to which dragons with healing powers lived in the rocky caves of the mountain. This is reflected in the name of the cable car (“Dragon Ride”) and in several activities that are great fun for kids.
For example, there’s a “Dragon Trail” from the summit with information about the myths. The interactive indoor exhibition “Dragon World” also allows you to learn more.
What to see and do at Pilatus
Spring, summer, and fall
The incredible views are the main reason to travel up to Pilatus. You’ll look down on Lake Lucerne and the hills north of it. Toward the south, the Central Alps and – further away – the Bernese Alps dominate the views.
You’ll find several bars and restaurants at the top, allowing you to enjoy the panorama. There are terraces and viewing platforms as well.
Pilatus isn’t the best mountain to hike from, as it’s on a steep ridge. You will find several paths to more vantage points though. One of those is the educational alpine flower trail to the Tomlishorn.
Winter
Pilatus offers fantastic views of the snowy Alps in winter. The restaurants are the best spot to have a break and enjoy the winter scenery.
What to see and do at the gondola mid-stations
Krienseregg and Fräkmüntegg are located between Kriens and Mount Pilatus. Fräkmüntegg is where you change from the gondola to the cable car. You’ll find a long toboggan run, a rope park, the “Dragon Glider” zipline, and a restaurant there. Krienseregg has a family-friendly restaurant too, plus a playground.
Both stations are good starting points for hiking. One of the options starting at Krienseregg is the “Dragon Moor” roundabout walk, which can even be done barefoot!
If snow conditions are favorable, the family-friendly sled run at Fräkmüntegg is open in winter. Groomed winter hiking trails are available too.
Pilatus, Rigi, Titlis or Stanserhorn: how to choose
There are several mountains near Lucerne. These can be reasons to pick Pilatus:
- It’s closest to Lucerne. You can quickly reach the top and spend just a few hours on a visit.
- You can make a varied round trip by cogwheel train, cable car and gondola. A short boat ride over Lake Lucerne can be included too.
- The cogwheel train from Alpnachstad is spectacular: it’s the steepest in the world, and it crosses a fierce landscape with impressive rock walls.
How to add more excursions on the same day
Pilatus is close to Lucerne. This means you can combine Pilatus with other excursions near Lucerne on the same day:
- Explore Lucerne.
- Travel to Rigi before or after your Pilatus visit.
- Make a boat trip to Bürgenstock.
- Travel up to Pilatus via Kriens and down to Alpnachstad. Then travel to Stansstad and visit the Stanserhorn.
- Take the train to Engelberg and visit Titlis before or after your Pilatus trip. This will be a long day, but if you leave early it’s doable.
Pilatus FAQ
-
How long does a visit to Pilatus take?
Take at least 1 hour to enjoy the views from the top. An average trip from Lucerne takes 3 to 4 hours in total, but you can easily turn this into a full-day trip if you take your time.
-
Is it possible to spend the night at the top?
There are two hotels at Pilatus Kulm, so you can wake up to amazing panoramic views. Throughout the year, there are astronomy events on selected evenings. They include an introduction to astronomy, star gazing, dinner, and a night in one of the hotels. Romance packages and themed family rooms are available too.
Other websites of interest
Dates and times
- www.rodelbahn.ch: the toboggan run at Fräkmüntegg
Schedules
- www.pilatus.ch: Pilatus cogwheel train and cable car timetables
Prices
- www.switzerlandtravelcentre.com: Pilatus ticket prices
- www.pilatus.ch: Pilatus ticket prices