Best way to visit Mt. Pilatus from Seelisberg

Hi Arno and Annika,

I will be in Seelisberg and plan to visit Pilatus on April 1. I tried a few options using the timetable but got confused. I heard you should go to Lucerne and go to Kriens and take the cable car up, but the timetable was sending me by bus a different way that seemed to bypass Lucerne station altogether. We plan to travel ourselves and not by a tour. Is it advisable or even possible to buy tickets in advance for the bus/train/cable car for the trip? Thanks.

CN

Hi ClaireN-

Welcome to My Swiss Alps.

<<"I tried a few options using the timetable but got confused. I heard you

should go to Lucerne and go to Kriens and take the cable car up, but the

timetable was sending me by bus a different way that seemed to bypass

Lucerne station altogether. We plan to travel ourselves and not by a

tour. Is it advisable or even possible to buy tickets in advance for the

bus/train/cable car for the trip?">>

The timetable defaults to the fastest route. Four images are attached of screen grabs to help you understand how to use the timetable's details.

The first shows the routing that you obtained. The one I captured takes 2 hrs 21 minutes

Look at the top left corner and note that the "via" box is empty.

After you click on the "+" sign to expand the details of a particular journey, you will find the option of "map" in the footnotes. Click on it.

See details of footnote.

You will see the route outlined on the third image.

The 4th image shows what happens if you force the time table to choose a route through Luzern. Look in the "via" box, where I have entered Luzern.

That route is much more scenic, using a lake boat. It takes 2 hrs 51 minutes. The lake boats run somewhat less frequently than buses, but, unless you have already taken the lake boat to Treib or Beckenried, it is worth the extra time.

With those examples, you should be able to use the timetable more effectively in the future.

You might like to see some pictures of the area, including a photograph taken from the promenade of the Hotel Sonnenberg, in :

www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/the-swiss-path-and-southern-lake-lucerne

There is a nice walk from Seelisberg to Bauen ( or vice versa.) I prefer to walk from Seelisberg.

www.myswissalps.com/hi king/bauen-seelisberg

Hope that helps.

Slowpoke

Hi CN,

You don't necessarily have to get to the Lucerne railway station first. Coming from the direction of Seelisberg that would even be a bit of a detour. Local buses and trams with a couple of changes along the way will get you to the valley station in Kriens.

You don't have to book your Pilatus tickets in advance; buying them down in Kriens right before boarding is possible too. All options are in the "Tickets" and "Packages" segments of our Pilatus page.

Wow thanks so much Slowpoke, you should give a class on using the timetable, it would've saved me a lot of time!! the screen shots are great, So helpful!

Thanks Annika too for the very helpful info, I feel relieved that we don't have to reserve in advance!

CN

Hi CN-

Glad I could help.

If you travel much in Switzerland, the timetable is extremely useful. I find it indispensable, to the extent that I even carry the (heavy) paper version for access when I am in the countryside away from Wi-Fi. Sometimes I rip out pages,but I always stick them back in. ;-)

There is a version for smart phones....I just am not sure how much detail it gives. I took the screen shots from my desktop computer.

Have you taken a look at the photos that I posted in the link about the southern portion of Lake Lucerne?

Slowpoke

Hi Slowpoke,

thanks again for such helpful info. I just was looking at the photos and it seems incredibly beautiful there, like a fantasy movie!

CN

Hi CN -

<<"and it seems incredibly beautiful there,">>

Hope for sunny weather. We really enjoy all of the region around Lake Lucerne. We keep going back, time and again. Probably enjoy it because it is more accessible in some ways than the grand beauty of the Jungfrau region.

How much time will you have in the area, and do you have any special interests - hiking? museums?

Our favorite inn is in Rigi Kaltbad...the Hotel Bergsonne. They will almost surely be closed while you are there, unfortunately. Here are some pictures that I was lucky enough to get one day when it was quite cloudy and unfriendly down by the lake. A bit redundant, but I had fun getting them.

Slowpoke

Hi Slowpoke

Just wanted to say how much I like those photos. We may bemoan the clouds but they can make for stunning photography and I have quite a collection myself of stormy skies and spectacular sunsets taken mostly from the terrace of Hotel Belle Vue au Lac in Hilterfingen where we used to stay.

Sorry for jumping in on your thread Claire. Best wishes for a great holiday.

Maggie

Thanks Maggie -

Glad you like the photos,'

Slowpoke

Hi Slowpoke,

truly majestic cloudscapes! One of my favorite sights in nature! We have just a few days visit and the main reason for choosing Seelisberg is the Ayurvedic spa there. We noticed that Mt. Pilatus is nearby, but after seeing more of the scenery around the lake, we may just do some exploring around there instead!

CN

No worries Maggie, it's nice to hear that others appreciate the area we plan to visit!

CN

Hi CN

Here are a couple of photos that I found on the internet of Seelisberg.

The large panorama is probably taken from the top of one of the Mythens, near Schwyz.

The view from a lake boat clearly shows Seelisberg ( with the church steeple) and the Hotel Sonnenberg ( the spa) on the far left. Rütli is just out of sight on the lower left, and the Schillerstein is visible at waters edge on the lower right.

Slowpoke