Has anybody tried new Bürgenstock ferry/funicular?

  • rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    27 September 2017 at 10:04:24 #813371

    This should be running by now but no one has mentioned it on the forums. From the advertising blurb . . . . . “The ferry from Lucerne to Kehrsiten-Bürgenstock connects with the funicular railway that links lake and mountain-top resort, thereby assuring excellent access by public transport to one of Europe’s finest Alpine leisure facilities. The iconic Bürgenstock funicular has been rebuilt in the traditional style, affording travelers magnificent views during ascent or descent. As of August 2017, the combined ferry and funicular shuttle will be in operation from 06:00 to 24:00, with de- partures every 90 minutes. “

    You can’t find it on the SBB timetable . . . . but at http://www.lakelucerne.ch/fil eadmin/lakelucerne/con tent/Dokumente_Downloa ds_PDF/02_Angebote/13_ Rundfahrten_und_Ausflü ge/Leporello_Buergenst ock_Shuttle.pdf

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    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    27 September 2017 at 15:18:38 #870273

    Hi Rockoyster –

    <<“This should be running by now but no one has mentioned it on the forums.”>>

    I tried to try on the 14th. Got to the dock at 1213 looking for the 1215 boat. I hoped to have lunch at Hammetschwand. Mistook another boat for the right one, ran there, then ran to the Bürgenstock boat and missed it as they were just pulling away.

    I debated driving ( I had a car) around to Ennetbürgen and up to Honegg and Trogen, bu it is a 45 minute or more walk from there to the elevator. I was going up on the Rigi later that day, timing would have been possible but rushed, and decided to skip Hammetschwand this trip. My meal and wine at the Hotel Bergsonne were memorable, as always.

    The good part was that I walked across bridge and had lunch at the reincarnated restaurant of the Hotel Schiff.

    schiffluzern.ch/

    http://www.luzern.com/en/rest aurant-schiff

    They re-opened late last year. The ground floor and balcony and the restaurant under the building overhang on the quai (near the Rathaus Brauerei) are now fully functional, once again serving the good food I used to appreciate a lot. The head waiter recognized me, (it has been 5 years since they closed) and another staff member who had been very helpful was still working there, but she had had the day off.

    The Wiesner’s no longer run the hotel, which has been converted into apartments.

    The attached view was taken from the 4th floor of that building.

    Next year for the Bürgenstock funicular, but I’m not going to stay at the new hotel(s). I’ll just go up for lunch at Hammetschwand, or, maybe, at one of the restauarants with a view at Bürgenstock itself.

    Slowpoke

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    27 September 2017 at 22:37:35 #870274

    Hi Slowpoke,

    Too bad you missed the ferry. Restaurant Schiff bookmarked for next visit – thanks for the tip.

    I got an alert notification from booking.com for a room at Bürgenstock. $920/night “on special”! Maybe not.

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    28 September 2017 at 0:31:44 #870275

    Hi Arno, Annika, Lucas, Sue,

    Is it time to add this recently renewed round trip including Hammetschwand Lift to the “What to Do” in and around Luzern page? http://www.myswissalps.com/lu cerne/activities

    Could be a winner.

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    28 September 2017 at 7:47:22 #870276

    <<“$920/night “on special”! Maybe not.”>>

    My room at the Bergsonne at Rigi Kaltbad was 100 CHF. No extra charge for the views. Exquisite multicourse meal was around 80 -90 CHF. No charge for conversation with Herr Camps on the wine, nor Frau Camps-Stalder on the meal and at breakfast.

    I had a bit of fun with Herr Camps.

    The inn has been in the Stalder family for three generations. The 4th generation does not want to take on the hard work, so the Camps are looking to ease off or sell. They have run the inn for 30 years. I showed them a letter confirming my reservation there on one of our early visits….June 1999. He really liked that.

    Wine was from the Ostschweiz. A very well=made Malanser or a Fläscher from a particularly good vineyard ( maybe Fromm or Gubler, not Gantenbein) at around 70 CHF for a bottle. You can get very good Pinot Noirs from that region made without oak. Not exactly a California style, but the benefit is that you don’t have to pick the oak sawdust out of your teeth after you drink the wine. 😉

    View was great…..looking down on Bürgenstock and Hammetschwand. Definitely superior.. by a few hundred meters. 😉

    I’ve posted the attached images before, but it is a reminder of the view. The old Bürgenstock is visible in the saddle on the ridge in the view from the Bergsonne.

    The one taken from the Schwanenplatz in Luzern gives another perspective.

    I have added a couple from this trip in my next post. It was a bit hazy, but I’ve souped up a crop so that you can (barely) see the new funicular and Hammetschwand. The new construction of the hotel(s) is clear.

    Their is also quite a bit of new construction at Rigi Kaltbad. A new hotel and new apartments. The apartments are directly accessible from the top station of the Luftseilbahn from Weggis.

    Slowpoke.

    PS- I made a mistake on the date…it was the 8th, not the 14th.

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    28 September 2017 at 8:10:37 #870277

    Bergsonne – another bookmark. That second photo is an absolute cracker Slowpoke.

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    28 September 2017 at 8:22:09 #870278

    Thanks – Here are two more photos showing the new construction at Bürgenstock.

    It was a bit hazy, but I’ve souped up a crop so that you can (barely) see the new funicular and Hammetschwand. The new construction of the hotel(s) is clear. The base of the elevator is in the rock, and you can see the trail as it nears the base of the elevator.

    There is also quite a bit of new construction at Rigi Kaltbad. Luckily, you can look over it and past it.

    If you go to the Bergsonne be prepared for “slow food.” And, Mr. Camps is a bit of a character.

    Slowpoke

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    29 September 2017 at 7:21:39 #870279

    Hi Slowpoke,

    Very interesting that Rigi Kaltbad is so much higher than Bürgenstock. I wouldn’t have thought that. How far do you reckon it is to walk from the funicular top station across to the bottom of the lift? I guess it is a reasonably level and easy walk.

    While searching for info on the Hammetschwand restaurant I came across this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoAUwNqVEkQ – maybe a new addition since you were last there? Also http://www.buergenstock.ch/en /resort/hammetschwand-lift and http://www.buergenstock.ch/de /resort/hammetschwand/ bergrestaurant

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    29 September 2017 at 7:57:40 #870280

    Hi Rockoyster –

    Guessing is a poor substitute for data, when the data are readily available. 😉

    map.geo.admin.ch/?topic=ech&lang=en&bgLa yer=ch.swisstopo.pixel karte-farbe&layers=ch.bav.ha ltestellen-oev,ch.swisstopo.swiss tlm3d-wanderwege&layers_visi bility=false,false&X=2 07791.39&Y=675226.45&z oom=6

    Rigi Kaltbad is at 1438 m.ü.M.

    Bürgenstock hotels at 874 m.

    Hammetschwand at 1127 m.

    The direct path up from near Trogen starts at 882 m and finishes at 1127, while traversing about 1 km of trail.

    I prefer the longer Felsenweg, because you have views of the lake and the Rigi as you walk much of the trail. It is wide and smooth and I have seen wheel chairs on it. Further, a couple of the switchbacks have stairs for short cuts. It is also easier on my arthritic knees on the downhill return. And, it has a lot less climb/descent for your legs to deal with.

    Whichever way you choose, you have a roughly 250 m height change, but the elevator saves you a big portion of that…the elevator is 152.8 meters tall, so your walk is cut back to only a 1oo meter climb/ descent , more or less.

    Slowpoke

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