Mount Pilatus near Lucerne: how to plan your visit 

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:

1. by the world's steepest funicular ride, with modern trains, from the town of Alpnachstad
2. by cable car from Kriens, a suburb of Lucerne

Restaurants, a few hotels, panoramic terraces, and short hiking routes are available at the top.

Pilatus prices, tickets and reservations 

Pilatus - price overview 2023 (prices for 2024 will follow later)

Standard prices for a return ticket between Kriens, Pilatus and Alpnachstad. From May to November, you can choose any way up and down that you like: the price is always the same. From December to April, only the cable cars from Kriens operate. Find more details about prices and rail pass discounts below.

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. 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.

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.

Where to buy your tickets and tours

Tickets for a trip up to the Pilatus are available online, at any staffed rail station, at the Lake Lucerne boat docks, and from the Pilatus ticket desks. Tours have to be booked online in advance.

Get your ticket or tour for Pilatus 

Discounted Pilatus tickets with your rail passes 

These rail passes allow discounted or even free traveling to Pilatus.

How to travel to Pilatus: directions and map 

The 2 ways to reach Pilatus

Pilatus can be reached in 2 ways:

1. From Kriens, a district of Lucerne, there's a gondola to mid-station Fräkmüntegg and then a cable car to Pilatus. 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 Alpnachstad there's a coghweel train to the top. Since the spring of 2023, completely renewed trains are being used. 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.

A round trip from Lucerne

A full round trip from Lucerne would consist 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

• The cable car from Kriens operates during a large part of the year, except for maintenance breaks on 29-30 April 2024 and from 21 October to 8 November 2024.
• 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 stops are called "Kriens, Zentrum Pilatus" and "Kriens, Pilatus-Bahnen".
• The mid-station along the cable car 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. We've listed them here.

Best months to visit Pilatus 

The best time for an excursion to Pilatus is late May to late October. 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:

• 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.
• If you visit between November and April there will be more snow on the mountains of Central Switzerland. 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.

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 before you leave.

Services are only suspended in case of strong winds, snow storms, or other extreme circumstances.

5-day weather forecast for Pilatus

Other websites of interest

• shop.switzerlandtravelcentre.com: official SBB tourist webshop

Schedules

• www.pilatus.ch: Pilatus cogwheel train and cable car timetables

Prices

• www.switzerlandtravelcentre.com: Pilatus ticket prices
• www.pilatus.ch: Pilatus ticket prices

Itineraries that include Pilatus 

About the other activities close to Pilatus 

Our guides for Lucerne and Lake Lucerne