[Removed user]

17 August 2019 at 6:07:54 #823431

Hi everyone

i am taking my first Momcation in Oct to Zurich and plan to visit Mt Pilatus and Mt Titlis in one day as planned below (as advise by myswissalps.com)

part 1 – Mt Pilatus

take train from Buchrain to Lucerne then take boat to Alphacstad followed by cogwheel train to Pilatus. I will then take the cable car down to Frakmuntegg to take the gondola to Kriens and finally take bus back to Lucerne rail station

part 2 – Mt Titlis

from Lucerne train station take train to Engelburg then change cable car to Mt Titlus

can I do all this in a day? I have yet to check the timetable for all trains so would appreciate any advise. It’s my first time and alone in Switzerland so feeling nervous and excited st the same time

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[Annika]

17 August 2019 at 7:01:42 #920210

Hi Valerie72, and welcome to MySwissAlps!

Yes, that will work, although it’s a long day and I would advise not to spend hours on both mountain tops. You’d best enter each segment of your trip in the advanced SBB timetable at http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable for a detailed overview. Note your spelling when doing so: “Alpnachstad”, “Engelberg” and “Kleintitlis” (that’s the official name of the Titlis top station). Apart from that, you can consult the Pilatus and Titlis timetables we link to from http://www.myswissalps.com/pi latus/gettingthere and http://www.myswissalps.com/ti tlis.

Don’t worry too much, public transportation in Switzerland works smoothly and you’ll be fine! This information may reassure you: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/practical.

[Slowpoke]

18 August 2019 at 0:02:39 #920211

Leave early.

<<“can I do all this in a day? I have yet to check the timetable for all trains so would appreciate any advise.”>>

You’d do better using the timetable, than asking general questions. It will, as Annika noted, give you specific information, not generalities.

Slowpoke

[ioana]

19 August 2019 at 3:06:55 #920212

You will be in a rush and not have the time to enjoy neither of the mountains as well as they deserve. But this is not the only concern. The main one is the weather. Only if you are really lucky you will have that exact day the best weather from early morning till evening. I dont know how the weather is in october in Switzerland but I can tell you how it was in august.

We have just returned from our vacation which included 6 days in Lucerne and 6 days in Tasch (near Zermatt). For those 6 days in Lucerne we planned the following – one day for Golden Round trip to Pilatus with a walk on top to Tomlishorn and rodelbahn at Frakmuntegg, one day for Titlis with fun for the kids at Trubsee afterwards, one day to Elm and the Giants Forest themed trail (fun for kids with beautiful scenery for us parents), one day for Transport Museum, one day for Brienzer Rothorn Bahn, with a ridge hike from Brienzer Rothorn to Turren, one day for Mooraculum at Sorenberg (fun for the kids). The days were interchangeable depending on the weather. The most important day for me, for which I would save the most beautiful day, was the Brienzer Rothorn one. The sacrifice one was the Sorenberg day. So, with this in mind , the days were like this:

First day: Cloudy everywhere, with small periods of rain, and we decided to go to Elm. We had a very good day, with the sun coming out of the clouds often, and only a bit of rain on arrival at Elm and up at Ampachli.

Second day: Rainy when we woke up, but the weather report said that it would stop and there will be clouds and sun. Not good for Titlis and certainly not good for Brienzer Rothorn. In Sorenberg was rainy and cold, not good for the kids to have fun with water. So we thought we should try Pilatus. I will never forget the look of mercy on the face of the lady at Lucerne train station when, after buying the half fare cards, we asked for the Golden Round Trip tickets. She asked us twice if we are sure, and immediately after I said yes, it started to rain very heavily:)). We got on the boat, jokingly saying that every time we are on a boat in Switzerland it’s raining on us:)). We had hope and even saw a little bit of blue sky between lightnings hitting not very far from us:). Arriving at Alpnachstad we saw the sun and we had good weather going up, beautiful views from the top and on the walk to Tomlishorn, but not that clear far away as we would have had on a truly sunny day. After that we got down to Frakmuntegg and only had the time to do one round on the rodelbahn before heavy rain started and rushing to the gondola station. So about 3 hours of good weather.

Third day : Clouds and rain all day long everywhere, so Transport Museum it was.

Forth day : Weather report said clouds and sun , mostly sunny, so we went for Titlis. We left very early, it was beautiful and sunny , took the gongola and then the Rotair cablecar up, enjoyed the wonderful views, took our time to look around and take pictures, then took the chairlift to the snow park. While we were having fun snow tubing, the clouds literally swallowed us, you could see nothing of the beautiful scenery that we enjoyed just a little bit earlier. That was at about half past noon. Anybody that came all the way up after that, came for nothing. Then we got down at Trubsee and had a great second half of the day, with the kids excited to do the treasure(clue) hunt and win a prize.

Fifth day : Perfect sunny clear day , all day long. We went to Brienzer Rothorn and had the best of time.

Sixth day : Rainy and chilly all day, so no Sorenberg and Mooraculum before leaving to Tasch.

So what I mean with this very long post is that in 6 days only one was perfectly clear from morning till evening. Planing to do both mountains in one day tells me that you don’t have other plans (hikes, walks, extra activities) for either mountain ,but to go on top and enjoy the views. So for this you need good clear sky for both Pilatus and Titlis otherwise you pay for nothing.

In my opinion you should decide on only one of them and thoroughly enjoy it, instead of doing a rush race from one to another and risking rushing for nothing.

[Slowpoke]

19 August 2019 at 7:43:29 #920213

Hi Joanna-

Thanks for that detailed report. It does more to explain the weather in Switzerland than any of the general statements. Weather is tough to predict in the Alps, and changes rapidly, because they sort of “make their own weather.” And, a weater forecast for an area cannot really describe thae kind of things that you describe.

<<“Fifth day : Perfect sunny clear day , all day long. We went to Brienzer Rothorn and had the best of time.”>>

There used to be a cableway from Schönbuel to Turren, making that stunning ridge walk even easier. I believe that it no longer runs, so you have to make the roughly 450 meter descent to Turren, to get the cableway down to Lungern? Is that correct? I assume that you rode down to Lungern and took the 20 minute uphill walk to the train station? If so, were you lucky enough to catch one of the hourly trains without a wait?

Slowpoke

[ioana]

19 August 2019 at 11:47:00 #920214

Hi Slowpoke,

I didn’t know of any working cableway, so the plan was to follow the signs to Schonbuel only until we encountered a sign for Turren. I am not sure if we missed one at some point, but we were close to the Schonbuel hut and we could see it in the near distance when we encountered the sign (and it was not for Turren, but for Lungern) . We took the trail to Lungern and after a while encountered the sign to Turren cable car. We took the cable car down to Lungern and then walked to the train station and got just in time to wave the train good bye as it exited the station:)). We had to wait for an hour for the next train. Actually, I misread my notes after getting out of the cable car and mistakenly believed that the train was at 16:32. As that hour was out of the question, we took our time walking to the train station, no reason to hurry 🙂

edit: Ha, when close to the train station, I remember I saw a guy running, but I thought he was running to catch some other train.:))

[Slowpoke]

19 August 2019 at 12:39:20 #920215

<<“We had to wait for an hour for the next train. “>>

Restaurat Bahnhöfli, right by the station, has good food and is a nice place txo quench your thirst if you need something after the long walk and “hillclimb.”

<<“Actually, I misread my notes after getting out of the cable car and mistakenly believed that the train was at 16:32.”>>

I’ve been using the SBB smartphone app for a few years. Very handy on the trail.

Slowpoke

[ioana]

19 August 2019 at 13:05:48 #920216

<<“I’ve been using the SBB smartphone app for a few years. Very handy on the trail.”>>

I know, it is very handy and helpful. My husband tells me all the time I need to step into the present already. But I’m old fashioned, I like handwriting and I like my notebook. I write there what I find on the SBB site. Only I need to read the notes correctly 🙂

[Slowpoke]

19 August 2019 at 16:49:15 #920217

I use the app when I am figuring out options which arise while I’m on the journey. I do my pre-planning on paper, with my desktop computer which has a nice large screen.

If I have a specific trip ( such as you describe), I make written notes.

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

20 August 2019 at 9:22:30 #920218

Thanks for tour reply

how do you advise if i buy the half fare card rather than the Swiss Travel Pass and join day tours instead. In this way I will not waste time finding route or note the time table. I should be looking at 4 day tours which is only slightly more than the cost of STP. But I will miss the adventure, I Guess

advice appreciated

val

[Removed user]

20 August 2019 at 10:00:03 #920219

Hello Val,

Yes of course, you can always decide to join guided tours from Zurich rather than do the trips individually. Every medal has two sides. On guided tours you’re saved from doing all the planning, routing and ticketing stuff and get quite some information by the guide (pros), but you also are on a quite strict time schedule, not traveling individually and with a group of other people (possible cons).

I know a lot of members of the forum are not fans of guided tours, but from experience I know, that they can be a very nice and uncomplicated way to get to know Switzerland.

However, both Tours to Mount Titlis and to Mount Pilatus are whole day tours, there’s none, unfortunately, which does both mountains in one day.
Guided Tour from Zurich to Mount Pilatus (summer)
Partially Guided Tour from Zurich to Mount Pilatus(winter)
Guided Tour from Zurich to Mount Titlis

Do you really only have one day available?! If you have two there is also the wonderful option of staying on Mount Pilatus for a night in a package tour from Zurich, visiting Mount Titlis on day 2 (hotel, dinner day 1 and breakfast day 2 included)
2-day Central Switzerland tour from Zurich with overnight on Mount Pilatus, Mount Titlis day 2

FYI, the Swiss Half Fare Card is NOT valid on guided tours, they are run privately and include all transportation, so no need to buy it if you decide to take guided tours.

Best,
Steph

[Removed user]

20 August 2019 at 10:23:12 #920220

Thanks Steph

i was thing of buying that half fare travel card when I do need to travel on my own in days without guided tours, like from Train station to meet up point for guided tours.

Yeah noted on the separate tours for the 2 mountains….

val

[Removed user]

20 August 2019 at 11:04:51 #920221

Hello Val,

You can buy a Swiss Half Fare Card for those days if you want to, but if you only travel locally on those days a local ticket at full price might be more economical.
– http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isshalffarecard
– http://www.myswissalps.com/tr aintickets/switzerland
– http://www.myswissalps.com/tr aintickets/switzerland halffare
– http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/zurich-zvv-day-pass-1-2-zone (local Zurich transport)
– http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/zurich-card-vs-zvv-day-pass-vs-zvv-9-oclock (same)

Best,
Steph

[Slowpoke]

20 August 2019 at 11:35:32 #920222

Hi Steph-

<<” and with a group of other people (possible cons).”>>

That is an interesting phrase in American English,and, it seems, maybe English English. 😉

dictionary.cambridge.o rg/us/dictionary/engli sh/con

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

20 August 2019 at 12:08:18 #920223

Hi Slowpoke,

Wow, this really astonishes me, I know this phrase as a fixed phrase for advantages and disadvantages, but I’m very thankful you’ve pointed this out! Must be English English, as you say…

http://www.lexico.com/en/expl ore/pros-and-cons-origin

Best,
Steph

[Slowpoke]

20 August 2019 at 15:45:59 #920224

Hi Steph –

The phrase “pros and cons” is good. It is just the way that you happened to put “cons” together with “People.”

We both know that word order is different in English and in German, for adverbs, and where the verb goes, for example..

Your meaning is clear; I am just having a bit of fun . 😉

Slowpoke